Preparing for No: How new grads can deal with rejection when seeking a new job
By EmployDiversity
After investing many hours on your application and interviews for your dream job, hearing ‘no’ can be frustrating and demotivating. Regardless of your qualifications and preparation, sometimes you won’t be selected for the job. As difficult as it is, rejection can be beneficial if you take the time to learn from it. Once you’ve regrouped your morale, here are some things you can do to bounce back from rejection:
1) Don’t take it Personally
Even though you’re well qualified and aced your interview, you’re not always going to get the job. Companies are interviewing many candidates for one job and one of them may just be a better fit than you. Feeling surprised, frustrated, and angry is completely normal, but take time to process your emotions and keep them in check. Venting to a friend is a much more responsible way to deal with your emotions than writing an angry follow-up email to the hiring manager. Finding a healthy way to let out your emotions will let you approach the next opportunity in a better mindset.
2) Ask for Feedback
Asking why you didn’t get the job can give you some insight into why you weren’t selected. It can also provide you with areas to improve upon. Asking for feedback also shows the hiring manager that you took the process seriously and were genuinely interested in the job and the company. It can also help keep you top of mind for future positions that come available. If the hiring manager refuses to provide you with feedback, don’t take it personally, as it can be a standard policy at some companies.
3) Tap into your Network
A strong network can be powerful when it comes to your job search. Don’t be afraid to tell your network that you’re looking for work and ask them for recommendations of people or companies to talk to. It’s likely that many people in your network would be happy to help you with your job search.
4) Practice your interview
If you find that you’re getting through to the final interview stage and getting rejected multiple times, consider practicing your interview. In the actual interview, you want to be natural and avoid seeming too rehearsed, but you don’t want to be unprepared or stumble over your answers. A good friend, family member, or colleague can help you practice your interview skills and provide pointers on how to improve. If you’re normally a humble person, they can also tell you how to sell yourself better and help you land the job.
The most important thing after getting rejected is to not give up. Just remember that although your instinct may be to put your job search on hold, the sooner you get back at it, the sooner you’ll hear ‘yes’. Don’t let one ‘no’ get in the way of finding your dream job.
