Invited by the "sorry, but no" email to make an appointment (via phone) for feedback.

It's more stress but probably worth doing.

Just off the phone from 15 minutes at lunchtime and am somewhat encouraged by the comments I received from the Head. Words like "enthusiasm", "initiative led" "informed and thoughtful" might not be ones I'd automatically choose for myself but it's of interest to see what impression they're saying you've left on them.

Perhaps more to the point I was told that of the 'strong field', I made the last three and was in their final consideration. Beaten out, apparently, by someone with more experience firstly managing staff and secondly project management. (Though it raised the ugly head of my old query of how you get experience managing people if you can't get a job managing people and how you get a job managing people if you haven't got the experience...).

At least making the call gave me some sense of closure. And that I wasn't just there 'to make up numbers', or to fill in the formalities vs an internal candidate, or stretching too far, or asked out of curiosity about a neighbor even!