How to cope with rejection in your job search

There are bound to be times when candidates apply for numerous jobs only to receive rejection letter after rejection letter. While for many this may be part and parcel of job hunting in general, for others it may be disheartening and may turn the process of job hunting into an uncomfortable and stressful experience.

We would always say that candidates should never give up and with time you will learn how to put the mechanisms in place so that you are able to cope better with this necessary part of the job hunt cycle. Below we have listed some of the tried and tested strategies that job seekers can use to pick themselves up and continue on their way after receiving bad news.

Try not to take any rejection too personally

This is a trap that candidates need to steer clear off, as they tend to see a rejection of a job offer as a blemish on them as a person. Remember that a recruiter would have no reason to reject you for a job due to your personality if they have never even met you. Even if you attended an interview and on reflection the interviewer decided that you were not the candidate they could see putting forward, this was probably more to do with your skills or experience not matching up to the requirements. Perhaps a more suitable candidate was previously interviewed and they felt obliged to give them the job instead.

As the saying goes "as one door closes another opens", so rather than being down heartened maybe the job was not suitable for you at this stage in your career and this set back is pushing you towards a career in which you will be truly happy in.

Ignore the self-doubt and focus on your core strengths

Remember that being rejected for a job offer does not mean that you do not have anything valuable to give. There will be a company somewhere out there crying out for someone like you with your strengths and experience and they need to know about it. So before your next interview get a list together of your personal skills and attributes that show just how easily you could fit inside the culture and working environment of a business, and try to memorise it from scratch so you can impress the interviewer. 

Take the time to reflect on how you approach your job search

There are times when job seekers need to re-evaluate their job search methods especially after numerous rejections, to see if perhaps their approach needs to change. Personal reflection and adaption to a person's external environment is something that everyone needs to do from time to time. Having the confidence and the ability to then change to something when you can see one method is not working will help you to become a stronger person. For example perhaps you rushed your application form, by not filling out each section in enough detail to put the employers mind at ease. If you managed to secure an interview, then during questioning were you positive and did you manage to answer all of the questions in a confident manner? or did nerves get the better of you? If the latter case applies, perhaps you need to practice your interview technique. Conversely did you fail to tailor your resume to each specific job opening or did you use one generic one for numerous positions? Did you proofread it for spelling mistakes? Employers will be able to spot when a candidate does this which may have ruined your chances. Why would they offer you an interview when you couldn't be tasked with personalising your resume to them, how badly did you actually want the job on offer? Although some of these questions will require some soul searching they will ultimately help you to approach your job search in a more mature and sensible manner.

Remember every new job opening is another chance for you to get it right

Every new job opening that you come across is again your chance to shine and start over. It is a fresh start so any negative thoughts that you may have had should be put to rest. Just because your previous application failed to meet the grade does not mean that this one will. Remember that this could be the one that secures you the all-important role. You must be in the right frame of mind and this comes from having a positive attitude in all that you do.

Finally, never ever give up

Job hunting is not for the faint of heart, on average for every 100 applications you make, you will receive 10 interview offers. Therefore having the will power to get up and keep going despite setbacks it what will set you apart from the rest and will help you to be successful. Job hunting in this instance is certainly a numbers game. You must be persistent and be able to re-evaluate certain personal qualities like before that may be obstructing you to find your dream career. So be sure to take advantage of people who offer interview and resume writing tips, especially for free.

Written by Jennifer Megafu