Written by Rebekah McVey – Student Writer
Regardless of what stage you’re at in your career, rejection never feels good. You did everything you could to prepare for the interview but you just weren’t what they were looking for. That email ‘we regret to inform you…’ can cause an emotional avalanche if you let it.
Let’s face it, job rejections are a bit like those relationships that never materialised. It might never have been official, but the pain still feels real. You got your hopes up and maybe even fantasised about what your first day in your new job would entail. The very thought of it may have put a smile on your face.
A pang of disappointment strikes you when you realise your hard work didn’t pay off this time. Sometimes this is expected, other times it takes you by surprise. Either way, it is never a pleasant feeling. It feels like every second you spent researching the company or practicing interview questions was all a waste of time.
Like those unofficial relationships, you’re back to square one again. People always say there are plenty more fish in the sea when a person breaks your heart. The same mentality applies to job hunting.
Even if it was your dream job, don’t dwell on it for too long. It’s easy to obsess over things you should or shouldn’t have said. You can’t change the past, but you can grow from that experience. Just like there isn’t necessarily one person we are destined to be with forever, there are more than one dream jobs out there for us too.
Dreams can change but if you are certain this one job is for you, you haven’t ruined your chances. It may take time before that vacancy appears again but that means there is plenty of time to prepare. We don’t always achieve our career goals from the get go. It doesn’t matter how long it takes you to land that job, what matters is that you never give up.
On a first date with someone new, you wouldn’t talk about every failed first date you’d ever experienced nor would you let it show that it brought you down. Being salty about rejection isn’t appealing whether you’re dating or looking for a new job.
Nobody ever expects you to welcome rejection with open arms but sooner or later they will expect you to pick yourself up and move on. Having a resilient and positive attitude are always more compelling personality traits over holding grudges.
See rejection as a character building opportunity rather than a failure. If you know what let you down the last time, you know how to get better next time. Just because it didn’t work out on this occasion doesn’t mean your inbox is always destined to receive rejection letters.
When the next opportunity strikes, focus on being the best possible version of yourself. Apply any given feedback from the previous interview and don’t give up on that end goal. Always remember, don’t be bitter – get better.
