DEALING WITH JOB REJECTION THE RIGHT WAY
There are very few statements that hurt the heart more than “we regret to inform you you’re your application has not been successful…”
A job rejection can make you feel like a failure, like you can never accomplish anything good in your life. Right now you may have serious imposter syndrome about why you even tried in the first place.
But a job rejection is just one part of the story, not the end.
Keep reading to see your job rejection differently, and how you can improve for next time.
IT’S OKAY AND GOOD TO FEEL DISAPPOINTED
You may be wondering “what on earth is good about the way you feel right now?” bear with me.
Positivity in the midst of rejection does wonders, but being in denial doesn’t.
Admitting you were really hoping for the role and you feel rubbish – gets rid of the shame of feeling exactly how everyone else feels. It’s not just you, and it will never be just you. Rejection let alone job rejection happens to us all.
In fact, a new survey reveals the average job seeker gets between 6 and 10 rejections (Joblist).
Once you’ve had a sulk and maybe cried a couple times (no shame in that), use that disappointment as a force for good. Disappointment shows:
You’re passionate about your career progression
You put a lot of effort in
You shouldn’t give up because you still want change
Disappointment shows ambition and you should use that ambition to continue looking and pushing for what you want.
USE THIS TIME TO WORK ON YOUR APPROACH
Whether it’s your:
Interview skills (I have lots of blogs on interview tips for salespeople)
CV or LinkedIn profile
Networking strategies
You have a chance to continue to get better.
But don’t see this as a way to put yourself down for not being good enough beforehand. Focusing on ‘what could’ve been’ will only hinder your chances of doing better in the future. All you can do now is work towards the other opportunities out there.
A JOB REJECTION ISN’T ALWAYS ABOUT YOU
Your first instinct when getting rejected is probably to think about all the things you did or said wrong and the skills you didn’t have, but what if it had nothing to do with you?
What if someone internally got the job? What if they hired someone more junior to save them money? What if they realised the position in general was too costly?
And if it was about you, what if the reason they rejected you was due to things you can’t change?
You weren’t a good culture fit
The manager didn’t feel they’d get on well enough with you
You were overqualified for the role
And if any of these were the case, it’s probably for the best you didn’t get the role because you want somewhere that fits your personality and skills just right, with a manager that is truly fond of you
THERE ARE MORE JOBS OUT THERE
“Other opportunities? This was the exact one I wanted!”
In that moment, it was the exact one you wanted. But what about the thousands of other jobs out there that match your skillset and have the culture and benefits you want?
There’s no such thing as a perfect job, but there are many jobs that are compatible with your skillset, passions, and values You won’t ever know that there’s more to discover if you get caught up on a role that you were unsuccessful for.
And who knows, maybe you’ll find a company that wants you just as much or even more than you want them.
REMEMBER HOW FAR YOU’VE ALREADY COME
Two years ago you may not have even had the skills to apply for the kind of roles you’re applying for now.
Success isn’t just about getting the job in the end, it’s about developing as a person and having the boldness to try a new venture.
Maybe you’re in a role you don’t enjoy, or the culture isn’t a right fit, and it’s taken you a lot of mental strength to get out of your comfort zone and realise it’s time for a change. Congratulations! Because that in of itself is a win.
Don’t give up now, remember why you began looking in the first place and keep reaching for that goal.
- Written by Shannon Matthews
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If you are looking for more advice or help finding your next job, we can help, please give us a call on: 0117 301 8495 or take a look at our jobs page. Alternatively, if you’re an employer in the South West and South Wales looking to recruit and need someone with real recruiting expertise then we can help – let’s chat.