DH recently left the job he had for several years. He was paid reasonably well and had a supervisory role. His official reasons for leaving were childcare issues (not entirely untrue as we both worked shifts) and mental health concerns (he was signed off for a few weeks last year with depression).
However the real reason was that he was required to renew his disclosure and since the last one had been done, he had received a caution for possession of a controlled substance. He had to tell to his boss as hiding it would have resulted in him being fired. His boss referred it to his manager who went mad! He was given the option to resign or face disciplinary action. Given the manager's reaction he felt sure he'd be sacked and thought it best to leave in order to keep his reputation intact when seeking future employment.
Since he finished up he has put a lot of effort into getting a new job and has applied for many positions. He kept getting rejected but had an interview yesterday for a job that would be ideal for him. He believes he was the only person put forward for the job (it was through an agency). Unfortunately he didn't get it. The reason given was that he was 'too quiet' when answering the questions.
He says he is 'crushed'. I've tried to be supportive, reassure him that it was only the first interview, there will be more, to use the feedback to answer better next time. He's not listening though.
I'm really worried that this will be a major blow to him and his mental health will suffer. How can I get him to believe in himself, pick himself up and keep trying to find work?