How to Turn Rejection into Resolve!
“I get knocked down, but I get up again” – Chumbawamba
So you’ve been passed over for a new job, or a new opportunity, and it still stings.
That’s okay, though! While everyone experiences rejection differently, nobody enjoys it.
But while the rejection itself might not be that great, what comes out of it could be the greatest thing for your job search!
See, the opportunities you come across aren’t “pass or fail”. They are just a chance to measure how prepared you are for whatever comes your way.
And after being rejected, you can take stock of your situation so you know how best to keep moving forward towards your goals.
In today’s article, we’ll review some of the most important things to do after being rejected so you can do exactly that!
Request feedback from your recruiter
There are 2 very good reasons to do this after a less-than-successful job application!
The first is that you can hear directly from them what you could improve.
In some cases, you might have been a very qualified and viable candidate, but other candidates just had a little more experience. In that case, your recruiter could offer you pointers about how you could go above and beyond in future applications.
The second reason is that you can also inquire about other job opportunities with their company!
Even if they don’t have other openings at this time, you can let them know you’re still interested in anything that opens up down the road.
Talk to your network
When you’re looking for work, it’s important to talk about your interests and objectives with the people in your social circle.
Not only does this let people know you’re open to new opportunities, but it can invite people to offer support in other ways — like career coaching, or life advice.
It’s also important to be honest about what sort of setbacks you’re dealing with. Especially with friends and family. You don’t need to be ashamed of rejection if you’re not letting it stop you!
Evaluate your interview
Often, after an interview, we feel anxious about whether we impressed them enough or not.
If you’ve received an official rejection, then you don’t need to worry about it anymore! In fact, it gives you an opportunity to look back at the interview and see it more clearly.
What sort of things could you improve? What parts were the hardest for you, or the most unexpected? And how can you plan for those in the future?
Taking time to reflect will help you impress the next interviewer you meet!
Don’t burn bridges
When people make us mad, or hurt our feelings, sometimes our instinct is to lash out at them.
In the professional world, this is never okay.
If you’ve been rejected for a job opportunity for valid reasons, you shouldn’t turn around and attack your recruiter or their company. That means no angry phone calls, mean emails, aggressive social media posts, or any type of slander or libel.
You never know who you’ll need help from in the future, and other potential employers will see how poorly you handle rejection. So burning your bridges with businesses and recruiters only ends up hurting your own career potential.
Get professional employment help
Employment Services providers (like META) have programs to help coach you through your developing career.
We can offer you practice with mock interviews, help with job applications, and can connect you to employers who are most likely to be a good match! We have a lot of other programs and resources too, to meet your individual needs.
If you’re frustrated with recurring rejections from recruiters, try working with us. We’ll help you turn those NO’s into YES’s!
Make a new gameplan
Now that you’ve talked to your recruiter and your network, and taken time to calmly reflect on your experience, plus gotten some professional coaching, it’s time to apply what you’ve learned!
What were your weakest points? Was it your resume? Answers to certain interview questions? Your tardiness or your attire? And how can you fix the problem at its root?
By addressing those weak points, you’ll start to strengthen your resolve. Recruiters will pick up on your preparedness and confidence, and you’ll start to make the right type of impression — on that never ends in rejection!
Conclusion
With all this in mind, it’s time to reject the negativity from job rejections — and instead, accept the ways it can actually help you double down on your efforts!
And for one-on-one assistance with going from hearing “no” to “yes!”, you can always reach out to META to take advantage of our free services!
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