You’ve finally made it, through all the jobs searches and countless interviews, you’ve made it to the big interview. Going into it, you feel confident, dressed in your best attire and you’re ready to answer any questions they throw at you. Once the interview concludes, you walk out of the door with your head held high thinking to yourself “I nailed it”. Now all that is left is to wait. Wait, and wait, and wait. Finally, you get that call and… they wish to move forward with another candidate.
Getting rejected from a job can spurt all kinds of emotions. It can weaken your confidence and leave you unmotivated to keep job searching. Job rejection are not always easy but with the right attitude and mindset you can turn that rejection into an advantage.
Don’t Take it Personally
It’s hard not to take things personal but somethings are out of your control. Just because they chose to go with another candidate does not mean you have the skills and background for this opportunity. Therefore, do not compare yourself to others or the candidate the chose. Stay calm and professional because you never know what future opportunities they may have.
Ask for Feedback
Once you have received the rejection call or email, be sure to send a thank you to the person for their time and effort and ask for feedback. The best way to improve and learn from experiences is to get constructive criticism and feedback from employers. Obtaining this information will help establish your willingness to grow and thus may be noticed by recruiters and hiring managers to reach back out with future opportunities.
Review and Reflect
Taking the feedback you received, review and walk through every stage of the interviewing process. Be sure to ask yourself questions and reflect on what you did well and what you could have done better.
Develop a plan
Don’t give up! Get back out there and start diving into job searches. Focus on what you can fix and determine your personal career goals and deadlines for yourself. Make yourself known to other companies by marketing yourself and staying connected in your network. Participating in networking opportunities is a great way to stay connected. Brainstorm and do research on companies you would like to work for. Once you have gathered companies, start applying and organizing a list of ones you applied to, remember to stay persistent but professional.
It’s easy to let rejection get to your head but try to maintain a positive attitude because every interview is a learning experience, and you are one step closer to finding the perfect opportunity for yourself.