4 Ways To Deal With Rejection In The Job Search
Dealing with rejection during the job search can be a discouraging experience. It can potentially unsettle you to such an extent that you consider giving up altogether.
Please don’t.
The worst thing you could do during your job search is to give up hope just because a company decides not to hire you.
No matter how spectacular your CV is or amazing you were during your interview, rejection in the job search will happen. There’s nothing you can do to prevent it, but there are some strategies that can help you deal with it and move forward.
If you’ve been rejected in your job search and looking for motivation to continue on your journey, you are in the right place. In this article, we’ll look at 4 ways to deal with rejection in the job search.
1. Maintain a Positive Attitude
The first thing to keep in mind is that no good can come from being negative about rejection. Instead of viewing rejection as a failure on your part, learn from it and come away with something positive.
Rejection is a normal part of the job search but it doesn’t mean that you’re not capable. There are many factors involved in the hiring process and most times it boils down to things you can’t control.
So focus on what you can control - your mindset. This is a time to take care of your mental well-being. Learn what you can from the rejection and use it to motivate yourself for future applications. Stay positive and keep moving forward until you are successful.
2. Stay Focused and Persistent
You only lose when you quit. Don’t let rejection make you want to give up. Sylvester Stallone’s script for Rocky was rejected 1500 times. Yes, you read that right - 1500 times!
If he had given up after being knocked down then we would never have been graced with the brilliance of that iconic film. So you shouldn’t quit either. Keep sending out your resume and be persistent.
What if that rejection actually put you on track to find the perfect job for you. You’ll never know if you don’t keep trying. Persistence is the key to success.
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3. Realize It's Not Personal
Many people make the mistake of taking rejection personally. This can be devastating to your morale and can possibly lead to your mental health taking a knock.
Think of it this way - recruiters are looking at hundreds of CVs each day. They don’t know you beyond what’s written in your resume. So how could it possibly be personal?
Remember that most of the factors at play are out of your control. It’s not because you’re not good enough and it certainly doesn’t mean you’re unqualified. The decision to turn down your application has nothing to do with how the company feels about you personally.
Learn From It and Refine Your Approach
Lastly, the best way to deal with rejection in the job search is to figure out what you can learn from it. Try to answer these questions:
Is there anything you should add or remove from your resume/CV?
Were there any areas for improvement in your application or interview?
Did you discover anything new about the industry or the company?
What questions could you have asked during the interview?
As I’ve said before, most times your unsuccessful application was due to factors outside of your control. But if there are things you can improve or refine, then do so and keep going until you find your perfect job.
Conclusion
I know the job search can be daunting and being rejected makes it even harder. Just remember that you didn’t fail, you merely got nudged onto a different path.
Use the 4 tips I mentioned in this post to regain your confidence and get off the ropes. So go rebrand yourself, keep moving forward, stay persistent and maintain a positive outlook. Good luck.
Related:
Find a Job Fast: The Job Search Accelerator For Career Professionals
How To Leverage Technology to Improve Your Job Searching Efforts
Meet The Writer!
Greetings. My name is Edwin Kannemeyer (or just Ed or Edi). I’m a freelance writer, living the write-life to the fullest. Currently, I lay my pen down in the self-improvement niche, with a focus on working parents. Helping people work from home and live happy, fulfilling lives is my goal as a writer. I would love to hear from you, so get in touch with me on LinkedIn or edikannemeyer@gmail.com
