How To Handle Job Rejection
Ugh, it’s the worst to get turned down from a job you really wanted, and even more so from one you’ve done a lot of preparation for. It can be harder still to accept the rejection.
This is when the right professional mindset matter most. You don’t know it yet, but that rejection was meant to be. Meant to be because it places in line for the next great opportunity and should be used as the fuel to project you into an even better position.
Here’s how you can turn the experience into a career development opportunity…
1. Review & Reflect
Truthfully, this often has to happen after a good scream and cry or even a punch to the wall - all of which are totally warranted.
The key thing to do after a rejection is to think about how you can learn from it. Self-analysis consists of reviewing and reflecting on key components of the interview process and which items you feel could have been improved on. If the process took place in stages, rank your performance for each part and determine where there is room for improvement. Ask yourself: What did I sense went well? What could I have done differently? Could a presentation have been prepared more thoroughly? Could you have worked harder to build rapport with your interviewer(s)? Did you focus too much on technical competence at the expense of showcasing your softer skills? Were there any questions you feel you could have answered better?
But, self-review won’t paint the whole picture.
2. Ask for detailed feedback
Asking for and listening to feedback is the most valuable thing you can do when faced with a job rejection. Start by gathering all the feedback you can from the recruiter – and through them, the employer. If the feedback feels a bit superficial or generic, don’t be afraid to ask for a more detailed assessment. You put a lot into the process, after all, and you’re entitled to get some actionable insights.
There is always room to improve, so use any setbacks to shine a positive light on these areas. Re-review and reflect using the questions above if feedback is presented.
3. Build a personal development plan
Think about the feedback provided and from the positive appraisals you have received. Are there any recurring themes? Where should you celebrate your strengths? Where should your development priorities be?
Make a note of any weaknesses or issues that you can do something about, and use them as a focus for the way you approach your preparation next time.
Turn these requirements into a plan. What can you do to fix the gaps in your performance? Depending on the issue, there may be some training or informal coaching you can undertake to help you develop. Or it may simply be a case of working harder on some of your answers, and finding someone to practice them with. (If so, consider us!)
4. Be optimistic
Feedback can also help you to recognize that sometimes rejection is simply out of your control – and ultimately in your best interest. If the interviewer prefers someone with extensive client management experience (which you don’t have) or they want someone who speaks the local language (and you don’t), then it pays to be focus on the things you can realistically change. Chemistry plays a vital part in any successful working arrangement. So even if you’d felt your interview went perfectly, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the role within that specific company was perfect for you.
5. Refine your job search
Sometimes the interview and/or feedback process can make you realize that, although it’s disappointing to be rejected, the role didn’t, on reflection, feel like quite the right fit for you either.
Look back over the job specification and ask yourself if you could truly see yourself in that role on a day-to-day basis. If there were aspects of the role that didn’t excite you, the interviewer may have been able to see this too.
Use your experience to help you refine future job searches. Are you perhaps looking at keywords that don’t quite match your ambitions and aspirations? Did the role that went with the job title not quite match your expectations? Did the interview make you realize that this is not quite the right sort of job for you? And if not, then what is?
6. Be resilient
In today’s rapidly changing workplace, as technologies accelerate and companies transform themselves with great agility, developing a mindset of grit and resilience is essential for long-term success.
See each setback as a challenge to grow both your self-understanding and your ability to bounce back and deal with disappointment. Overcoming obstacles on your career path will increase your chances of landing the right role. So make a point of staying constructive, and do all you can to learn from the experience to help you get ready for the next opportunity.
After all, getting turned down from a job happens to everyone, the most important thing is what you learn from the experience.
