How to Handle Rejection
Rejection doesn’t come easy to anybody. Starting at a young age we learn to fear rejection, making it difficult to put ourselves out there. This is the case in many aspects of our lives but especially when it comes to hunting for a job. When rejected most people tend to indulge in feelings of self-doubt and failure, but these feelings can be detrimental to your quest to further career. There are steps you can take to minimize the pain that comes along with being rejected from a job.
First of all you need to remember that the majority of the time these decisions are not personal. Typically there is simply another candidate who is either more qualified or willing to take lesser pay. If you feel like you had a great interview and a great connection you probably did. Just because you didn’t get the job doesn’t mean you don’t have a great personality and a lot of wonderful professional experience.
Second of all, don’t reflect back on past failures. If you lump this rejection in with past rejections you’ll feel overwhelmed and the magnitude of this rejection will be unnecessarily multiplied. Treat each experience individually and learn to lay the past to rest.
It is also important that you focus on your strengths. Remind yourself that you have a lot of marketable qualities. There is always going to be an infinitely long list of things that you cannot do, focusing on those things will only bring you down. If you focus on what you can do and what it is you can improve on, then you are more likely to make progress in your career.
You’ll also want to ask yourself a few questions. What have you learned from this experience? Is there anything you would have done differently? Based on what you learned from this experience, how will you handle yourself differently the next time you go through the process of interviewing for a job? By asking yourself these questions you are allowing yourself to grow and improve. That is why even a failed job interview is a good experience to have under your belt. The more you interview the better you are going to get at it.
You also need to make a point of trying to accept the reality of the fact that rejections are a natural part of life. This is not the first or last time you will be rejected. Everybody is rejected from time to time. The more you come to terms with this fact the better suited you’ll be going into future job searches.
Additionally you should try your best to avoid blaming others. This rejection may have been out of your hands but that doesn’t mean that the fault lies on somebody else’s shoulders. Accept responsibility for the things you could have done differently without putting too much pressure on yourself and recognize that sometimes these things just happen.
Remind yourself of the fact that you are not alone in feeling this way. Every day a lot of people are rejected by potential employers. Pretty much anybody you talk to is going to have a similar story, so seek out advice and support from others. People typically take pleasure in giving advice and you may find that you have a few valuable lessons to learn.
Robert Boroff Executive Profile Managing Director Reaction Search International
• Uses over 17 years of industry experience to provide clients with proven recruiting strategies that garner results
• Leads a team of Executive Recruiters in fulfilling clients important hiring needs in a time and cost-effective manner
• Keeps abreast of business and market trends in order to effectively consult clients on their hiring requirements
• Skilled at using traditional and contemporary recruiting practices
• RSI recruits top executives from around the country in a wide range of professions, including: Accounting, Advertising, Aerospace & Defense, Biotechnology, Banking, Board and CEO Services, Computer Hardware, Construction, Consulting, Consumer Products, Computer Software and Hardware, Education, Energy & Utilities, Entertainment & Sports, Financial Services, Food Products, Government, Human Resources, Health Care, Hospitality & Tourism, Insurance, Industrial, Internet & New Media, Legal, Journalism & Publishing, Marketing, Manufacturing, Medical Device, Non-Profit, Pharmaceutical, Real Estate, Retail & Apparel, Sales, Technology, Telecommunications and Transportation.