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Regardless of your degree or specialisation, one skill will always serve you well — knowing how to deal with job rejection. Learning that the company you wanted to join so badly has decided to choose another person hurts … a lot. Especially when you’re starting out! It can even stop some from applying altogether. But if you’re willing to look past the sting, you’ll find there’s a lot to be gained from getting rejected.
You know how the saying goes — when life gives you lemons, turn them into a more refined job search! In this article, we’ll show you how to handle job rejection, keep your confidence high, and what to take away from getting turned down.
Seeing the bigger picture behind every job rejection
Before we jump into how to deal with job rejection, there are three key ideas you should keep in mind. You’ve probably heard them before, but they’re worth repeating:
- Job rejections come in many forms
- Job rejections are a rite of passage
- You simply can’t win them all
Job rejections come in many forms
The hiring process has several stages, and where your application gets cut off usually decides how you’ll get the news. For example, if you didn’t even get past the initial screening, you might not hear back at all.
But if you made it to a phone interview or even a round or two of in-person interviews, you can expect to receive the “no” through an email, or sometimes, a phone call. While neither option makes the rejection any less painful, at least you get some sense of closure.
Job rejections are a rite of passage
Many people look at job rejections as if they were some sort of personal failure. But in reality, it’s just an inevitable part of anyone’s career journey. Every professional from entry-level hires to top executives has experienced their fair share of rejections and learned how to deal with job rejection in their own ways.
To put things in perspective, even some of the most successful people were told “no”. Like Oprah who was once told she was “unfit for TV,” or J.K. Rowling whose Harry Potter manuscript was famously rejected 12 times before finally being published. What would have happened if they had quit trying?
The point is, that you need to change the way with how to deal with job rejection. They aren’t something that only happens to you. Instead, see them for what they really are — just a part of the process.
You simply can’t win them all
On average, a single job posting receives about 250 applications. And only one person ends up landing the position. So, statistically speaking, it would be a miracle if you managed to secure a job unscathed. Plus, it’s never just about your skills and qualifications.
For example, some candidates might get the job simply because the company decides to go with someone recommended by an existing employee. Other times, the hiring team may feel that another candidate would be a better cultural fit.
And let’s not forget about the human factor! No matter how professional hiring managers and recruiters try to be, they are only human. They have their own biases and preferences that can play a significant role in decision-making.
Sometimes, it really isn’t you. Sometimes, the odds just aren’t stacked in your favour.
How to cope with job rejection and not lose your confidence
According to a recent Joblist survey, people start losing their confidence around their fifth job rejection. You may think that this isn’t too bad. But let’s not sugarcoat — as a student, you probably have very little, if any, professional experience. So for you, the number of rejections received might be even higher.
That’s why you need to develop strategies on how to deal with job rejection that will help you get through the initial stage of getting turned down. But remember that everyone is different and what works for some doesn’t have to work for others.
1. Be kind to yourself
The transition from student to working professional comes with a lot of outside pressure. But for most of us, the harshest criticism comes within. It’s a bad habit to have and difficult to break. When you’re face to face with a job rejection, try to imagine that it’s a friend of yours going through this experience. Would you talk down to them? Or try to cheer them up? So why not extend the same grace to yourself? Job searching is a skill in itself. And like with any other skill, the more you practice, the better you’ll get.
2. Give yourself time to mourn, but don’t wallow
Getting rejected inevitably triggers a chain of emotional reactions ranging from sadness to anger. It’s okay to feel let down after you’ve tried your hardest to achieve something and didn’t get the results you hoped for. If you need to take a moment to curl into a ball and cry, do it! If you think that binge-watching your comfort show would make things more bearable, go for it! Just don’t let this go on for too long. Give yourself a day or two to mourn your loss, but don’t spend a week obsessively wondering how to deal with job rejection. Otherwise, you’ll fall right into the good old analysis paralysis. And you have to keep moving!
3. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket
Those new to job searching often get stuck on the idea of finding that one perfect job opening that ticks every box. When they finally manage to find it, they invest all their focus and energy into it. But placing all your hopes on one job application can backfire most spectacularly and make the job rejection feel devastating. That’s why you always need to put more irons into the fire. Handling rejection will be much easier when you know that you have more opportunities lined up. Having something else to focus on keeps you moving forward.
4. Turn to your support system
You don’t worry about how to deal with job rejection alone. Don’t be afraid to lean on the people closest to you — your family, friends, or even tutors. They’ve all been exactly where you stand. Their experience can help you gain a new perspective on things. And sometimes, just hearing that someone believes in you and has your back can make you feel ready to take on another challenge. You can also seek advice from Careers and Employability Services provided by your university or college — they’ll be more than happy to help you. And if you find that job rejection is affecting you more deeply, don’t be ashamed to look for professional help.
How to handle job rejection and improve your job search
How to handle rejection from a job? Get ready to apply for another!
Dealing with the psychological and emotional toll of job rejections is the most challenging part of the whole process. It’s that feeling of being completely out of control that causes you so much stress, insecurity, and anxiety. If you want to quit feeling like things are out of your hands, take proactive steps towards another opportunity.
1. Send a quick thank you email
Playing nice with someone who just turned you down is probably the last thing you feel like doing. But you need to realise that the professional world revolves around relationships and networking. Even when things don’t go your way, being polite and respectful is a must! So, before you give in to your emotions, take a few minutes to type a quick thank you email. It doesn’t have to be long, just make sure you cover the basics:
- Thank the recruiter/hiring manager for their time and consideration
- Wish them and their company good luck and congratulate them on finding the right person for the job (You need to make this sound sincere, not sarcastic!)
- Let them know that even though it didn’t work out this time, you’re open to future collaborations and opportunities
Industries are small, impressions last and you only have one professional reputation to protect! So, don’t burn bridges that can serve you well in the future.
2. Ask for feedback
Every student understands that constructive criticism is gold. Since you’re so green to the whole job search process, there might be things you do, or don’t do, that you’re not even aware of. Maybe your CV isn’t as compelling as you’ve thought. Or, maybe your job interview performance wasn’t quite convincing. Asking for these insights can help you see the holes in your job search approach. You’ll learn what you need to improve so that the next round of job applications is a success. But here’s a word of warning — not every recruiter will get back to you.
3. Get your resume ready for the next opportunity
If you got axed at the very first stage of the hiring process, you should take another look at your resume. The recruiters usually spend only 6 seconds reviewing each CV they receive. If they find yours difficult to skim or see that it lacks the key information they’re looking for, it will end up in the ‘rejected’ pile. If you’re not sure how to improve your student resume, you can turn to our resume checklist:
- Is your resume tailored to a specific job position?
- Does your resume have a short profile section at the top?
- Is the content of your resume divided into clear sections with headings and subheadings?
- Are you using bullet points instead of paragraphs?
- Are you showcasing both your hard and soft skills?
- Is your resume ATS-friendly?
4. Work on your job interview skills
Preparing for a job interview is always tricky, especially after a job rejection. You need to focus on presenting your abilities in the best possible light and giving confident and informative answers, all while controlling your body language and tone of voice. It’s a pressure cooker of a situation, where even the most experienced job seekers struggle with their words. It’s impossible to predict what questions you’ll get with 100% accuracy. Still, there are a couple of old faithful you can always count on:
- Why are you interested in this position?
- Tell us about yourself.
- What is your greatest weakness?
- Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
- What are your salary expectations?
- Do you have any questions for us?
If you feel like you’ve gone over these before, you can give Kickresume’s Job Interview Questions Generator a go. This way, you’ll also get ready to answer questions recruits might ask after seeing your resume.
Learning how to deal with job rejection is an inevitable part of any job seeker’s journey. The number of people who landed their first job straight out of uni on their very first try is almost non-existent. That’s why you shouldn’t look at job rejections as your failures. Especially not at this stage of your professional life. But guess what? Even seasoned professionals with years of experience and skills you’ve never even heard of get turned down. Instead of beating yourself up over a job rejection, thank the recruiters for their time, ask for feedback, make improvements, and get ready to get back in the race!