We have all been there, the dreaded rejection letter, email, or phone call. Being turned down for a job sucks, especially when you don’t know why your application got rejected or when you’ll finally land one. The reality is you will be rejected way more than you will be the candidate chosen for the job. While it is something you cannot avoid, it’s difficult not to feel disappointed and rejected when it happens. Sure, you may feel the sting of rejection and become gradually frustrated and even annoyed that employers aren’t taking you on, but it is a situation that you can still fix yourself.
“If you are in the game, you’re going to get rejected, and not searching for a job because of fear of rejection is just choosing rejection ahead of time,” said Elissa Shuck, a strategic career coach.
Rejection is often a push towards something better and more significant. Rather than dwelling on it or feeling sorry for yourself, you can change your thoughts around rejection: remain positive, optimistic, and motivated and turn it into a learning experience towards your career development.
Here are some tips on dealing with job rejection to Bounce Back Even Stronger:-
1. Combating Negative Thoughts After Rejection
People are more affected by adverse events than positive ones, so it’s easy to exaggerate a rejection. It’s essential to let go of negativity after an initial outburst of frustration. You did pretty well if you got as far as the interview stage. Plenty of other candidates would have missed it. Refrain from dismissing the company and recruiter. You should reapply for a job with them further down the road, so don’t burn bridges, or the recruiter can help you with some effective professional references to land a new job.
2. Don’t let it define you
The first step to growing from rejection is to change how you think about it. It’s a hard fact that you’re not going to land every job you apply for. No one does! Your first job application is unlikely to result in a job offer. Therefore, it is essential to view rejections as part of the job search process rather than take them personally.
There are often reasons behind hiring decisions that are not readily apparent to you. While you may have performed well, other factors could be at play. It’s unlikely that you didn’t get the job because the hiring manager voted against you. The hiring manager resonated more strongly with another candidate’s experience or personality.
3. Re-analyse, Review and Reflect
If you keep striking out, it may be time to do some self-analysis.
As it is well said, “ your First impression is the last impression” you build on someone. Your resume and cover letter are the first impression you make on your potential employer, through which you can convince them that you are the potential candidate they are looking for. Even if you have a tailored resume and your employer’s requirements are likely missing, revisiting these documents and making the necessary adjustments is essential. You could contact someone to ask for their honest evaluation, constructive criticism and feedback.
4. Learn from your mistakes
Make sure you are curious about your behaviour and actions, as this will help you learn what needs to be improved. You want to avoid repeating behaviours and answers that do not seem to work. It’s important to remember that everyone goes through interviews and rejection (usually many times). To better understand what works and what sticks, you should practice A/B testing. We all have to try different methods to see what works for us. It doesn’t matter if you’re a salesperson, a software engineer, a marketer, or a scientist. Interviews are no different. It’s part of the process to enhance yourself.
5. Ask for feedback
The critical thing to do after a rejection is to think about what happened and how you can learn from it. Proper Interview follow-up and detailed feedback could be a breakthrough. If you apply for this job via a headhunter, you can always ask the interviewer about your feedback. We must identify our areas of weakness and attempt to improve them; it is always better to receive criticism from the appropriate people. These headhunters may obtain such feedback because they have connections within the company.
You might also speak with a company employee who currently holds the position you’re seeking or knows anything about the recruitment process. The fact that you must be familiar with this person makes this line of action difficult, but it is also a terrific method to advance. It won’t just help you get better; it also makes a good impression on the interviewer or potential employer, who will regard you as a candidate who is open-minded and driven to improve.
5. Don’t give up!
It’s vital to give yourself breaks when needed, but it’s also crucial to keep looking. Please continue to tell yourself that there are many positions for which you might be the ideal fit, whether or not this was your first or tenth rejection. Remind yourself that rejection and failure aren’t the same and that you can find a new job.
