Rejection is not a sign of failure. While it is one of the most heartbreaking episodes in the life of a job seeker, you can turn it to your advantage. Failing to achieve your dream job can be an instrument for self-improvement and a way to find better career opportunities. Here’s how you can move on from this unpleasant experience:
1. Respond professionally
So you’ve spent hours asking Google about your dream company and how to craft an extremely appealing resume. You learned that the company is one of the best employee benefits providers in the UK, making you an even more hopeful candidate. But after the interview, you get an e-mail saying that the position has been filled and that they regret not being able to give you an offer.
It’s normal to feel devastated after getting a “no thanks” e-mail, but you must handle your frustration professionally. Respond to the rejection and ask them for feedback, which you can use in your future interviews. By writing a professional response, you are leaving the door open for future consideration the next time an opportunity in the company opens.
2. Focus on the positive experience
Rejection is painful, but great learning usually comes with pain. You don’t get stronger when everything smoothly works for you. You develop resilience when you need to face the unpleasant and the unexpected. Repeated rejections make it easier for you to deal with a “no” with grace and poise. Eventually, you will try and try again because you know that rejections hurt, but you’ll be fine. You will have the courage and become bolder to give excellent opportunities a shot.
Job rejection is a powerful force that helps you learn and grow. The entire application process teaches you valuable lessons about your strengths and weaknesses. You learn how to tweak some aspects of your personality so that you will not appear too self-assured in your future interviews. By learning from your experience and correcting your shortcomings, you’ll make it harder for your next prospect employer to refuse you.
3. Remind yourself that rejection does not define your worth
You thought you aced the job interview, but you were turned down. So you feel demotivated and lose your hard-earned self-confidence. But your job interview does not equate to your professional worth. The company considers specific criteria when hiring. Frequently, job rejections are not a question of whether you fit the job or not. Maybe they hired an internal candidate, a vital referral, or a more qualified aspirant.
Stop overthinking about what went wrong because it’s a waste of time. There might be another candidate who’s an excellent match for the role, but it doesn’t make you less of an outstanding professional.
When you get rejected from a job, do not stare at the closed doors. Do not dwell on your frustration and continue your job hunting journey. Take a step back, make necessary adjustments, and seek for open doors. Staying positive despite hurtful rejections is difficult at first, but you should be able to master it because it’s the only way to thrive.
