Don’t Be Discouraged by Rejection in Your Hunt for a Better Job

For some, getting hired at the first job they applied to is a cinch but for others, getting employed can be a real struggle. Whether through email or by phone, receiving the message “We’ve hired someone else,” can make you feel discouraged, especially when you’ve heard the phrase for months on end. Not getting the job can be a hurtful and depressing experience, but it’s important to stay persistent until you finally do land the job you worked so hard to get.

Here are some things to keep in mind to help encourage you when hunting for a better job.

Don’t take the rejection personally. It’s easy to take rejection from an employer personally. It’s important to remember, however, you didn’t get the job because you’re not worthy, but because someone else was a better fit for the position at that time. You never know how many people you are competing against, or what their qualifications might be compared to yours. It’s likely that many different candidates would have done well if given the job opportunity. Sometimes it comes down to just the slightest differences between applicants. Instead of taking the rejection personally, use the rejection as a learning tool to move ahead and secure your next opportunity.

Have alternatives. Even if you feel you nailed the interview and the position is yours, until you sign a job offer, you have the right and responsibility as a job hunter to keep submitting resumes and interviewing with different companies. There is always a possibility that the employer could choose someone else or decide not to fill the position. Also, if you end up with multiple offers from different employers, you will have considerable leverage when you are finalizing the negotiations.

Improve what went wrong. Thinking back to what errors you could have made might be challenging, but it’s important to reconstruct your conversations and evaluate your interactions. Perhaps you said something that was taken out of context. Maybe you missed an important point during the discussion, or perhaps there were other reasons your progress was halted.

Use rejection to re-evaluate your goals. Maybe you’re wanting to make a significant career change but aren’t having any luck getting into your desired field. Use the rejection as a form of feedback to see why you aren’t reaching your goals. Perhaps you want to take some courses or become certified to make you a more attractive candidate. Eventually though, despite all your efforts, you may have to accept not being seen as a good fit for a particular career and put your efforts into a something different altogether.

Keep an eye out for your next opportunity. No matter how much you have your heart set on a particular job, don’t become so focused on it that you forget there are more appropriate positions in which you may be better qualified to fill. Recognize your strengths to overcome the rejections, keeping an eye out for tomorrow’s even better opportunities.

Call in reinforcements. No matter how hard you try to accomplish things on your own, sometimes you need assistance when trying to reach specific goals. An organization that is connected to different partners can provide many avenues to help you get ahead. Maybe you aren’t sure of where to begin looking for jobs or need help figuring out what kind of job you could be successful in. Having a coach or mentor who has experience with helping people find jobs and growing in their business can benefit you.

Get Connected to the Most In-Demand Career Fields

The Jobs Partnership offers an innovative training course, similar to a career boot camp, called LifeWorks. You’ll work with a team of friendly coaches who will help show you the steps to success through mentorship, training sessions, workbooks, and more. Following completion of the LifeWorks course, you will be connected to the people and resources needed to help you discover the path to the job you were made for. Call us today at 407-641-0755 to receive more information or fill out a LifeWorks application to begin your journey to a better future.