I have heard many people say that they never interviewed for a job they didn’t get. I say, they haven’t interviewed for enough jobs. Everyone gets rejected sometimes.
Rejection can happen at multiple times during the job search:
- In the application process. Whether you get a formal rejection— or don’t receive any response at all — this is the most common stage of the job search to experience rejection.
- After a job interview. If you interview for a job opportunity and are not selected, feelings of being rejected are common.
Here are some tips to help you overcome rejection in the job search.
Don’t Take Rejection Personally
With the ease of applying online, many organizations receive hundreds, if not thousands of applications. I spoke to one colleague recently who shared that she received 12,000 applications for one job posting! Of course, only a handful of people will be invited to interview. Even if you are selected to interview, there are no guarantees. Maybe someone had more experience than you did. Perhaps there was a favored internal candidate, and the application and interview process were a formality. None of that has to do with you or your skills, education, or experience.
Learn From the Experience
Conduct a post-mortem on your job interview.
- Was there anything you could have done better to prepare? Were there any questions you were asked that you weren’t prepared to answer?
- How well did your qualifications match up with the job opportunity? If you interviewed, there was a fit. But how close of a fit was it?
- Did the interview raise any opportunities for you to improve? Are there specific skills, courses, certifications, or other training that you can complete to be better prepared for your next role?
If you’re not offered the job, it’s fine to reach out to the interviewer and ask for feedback about why they selected another candidate. You might not get a response — but if you do, it can be very helpful to receive reassurance that you were a strong candidate, but there was another candidate who was just a better fit for that specific role.
Also take a moment to reflect on your previous successes. How have you been successful in getting previous job opportunities? If you got your most recent job because one of your networking contacts put in a good word for you, think about how you can incorporate that into your current job search. If you were placed by a recruiter in your most recent role, but this time around you’re applying for positions directly, consider whether you should reach out to a few recruiters to explore opportunities.
Prepare For Your Next Interview
One of the best things you can do to overcome the sting of rejection is to keep moving forward in your job search. Don’t dwell on the job or jobs you don’t get — instead, see every “no” as getting you closer to your next “yes.” This isn’t always easy but spending time “doing” instead of “thinking” is not only going to help get your closer to your job search goal, but it will help you develop a more positive attitude. After all, dwelling on the rejection isn’t going to change anything. Getting interviews for other opportunities can.
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