For job seekers, patience and perseverance are important, but you’ll also need a bit of thick skin and GPS to stay the course and keep your eye on the prize. The odds of you going on a long string of interviews with different companies and having every single one lead to an offer are rare. Here’s how you can bounce back from rejection quickly and professionally.
[See: The 8 Stages of a Winning Job Search.]
Accept rejection. Believe it or not, it’s common for rejected candidates to adamantly push back. While it’s easy to understand their frustration and disappointment with not getting a job they really wanted, their emotional approach comes off as unprofessional and can ruin their chances for any future positions with the company or any other for that matter. In fact, this often confirms that the decision not to continue with this candidate was the right one. This type of behavior demonstrates a lack of maturity and poise you tend to look for in strong candidates.
Always take the high road. Accept unforeseen delays and realize that, in many cases, passing on your candidacy for now may not have even been due to your performance. Some candidates are rejected because budgets are slashed, the position may have been put on hold or maybe it was filled internally. These factors have nothing to do with you and your interview performance, so it’s important to not take things personally, but rather be gracious and cordial to the hiring manager. Remember that when a similar position becomes available, it’s not uncommon for recruiters to reach out to candidates who interviewed well and left on a positive note — even though they had been rejected for a position.
Ask for feedback, but keep expectations in check. Yes, it’s OK to ask for feedback and you probably should. While you may not get feedback from all recruiters or hiring managers, there are some who will offer a candid response. In these instances, use this as an opportunity to tweak your approach and delivery based on what you’ve heard so you can nail the next interview. But don’t be discouraged if you don’t receive requested feedback. There are a few reasons why hiring managers and recruiters don’t respond to these requests, one of them being the sheer volume of applicants for the role. A recruiter will want to treat everyone equally during the interview process — so if they gave feedback to you, they should technically give feedback to everyone else who interviewed for the position. So, if you ask for feedback and don’t get it, don’t take it personally.
[See: The 25 Best Jobs of 2018.]
Maintain a positive attitude. Even those of us with the thickest of skin can start feeling deflated, so it’s important to stay positive. To help, look at accolades you’ve received from previous positions, review your resume and don’t be shy in saying, “Wow, I’m impressive!” Encouraging self-talk, surrounding yourself with positive people, reading uplifting books and listening to inspirational podcasts will put you in the mental state of mind to carry forward and help ensure you’re exuding confidence in your next interview. Be sure to retain your sense of power in evaluating the employer and realize that, yes, you are indeed in demand.
Keep a kudos file. Prior to your next interview and during the ongoing job search process, create a folder in your email or on your desktop and use it to store positive recommendations and praise from colleagues. Even if it’s incredibly informal when somebody commented on your speedy work or diligent work ethic, keep it on file — having these on hand and referring to them (when needed) will help delete any recent rejection from your mind and only keep your eye on the prize: your next job offer.
Evaluate and move on quickly. For candidates who take rejection personally or have their heart set on a specific job and haven’t heard back in a week, two weeks, then three, it sometimes seems to take them longer to bounce back and get back out there. Taking a minute to acknowledge what you’re feeling is important so you don’t carry it into the next interview, but don’t wait long before moving on from it — you may miss out on an incredible new job opportunity because you were still concerned about a missed chance. Remember, when one door closes, another one opens.
[See: Tips for Surviving a Career Transition.]
Take a minute to evaluate the situation — if you do get feedback, ask yourself if it’s objective, seek input from mentors, conduct mock interviews; do what you need to do on your end to up your game and maintain a polished and professional approach. It’s a continuous (and sometimes daunting) process, but it’s important to accept rejection, tweak what you need to work on and move on to the next one.
Rejection may be hard to navigate, but there are countless other opportunities out there for you. The sooner you pick yourself up, the sooner you can land a job that’s right for you. All it takes is thick skin, perseverance, patience and a little searching.
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How to Bounce Back During the Interview Process originally appeared on usnews.com
