Receiving a job rejection email is never an easy thing for job seekers. Whether it was from a dream company you’ve wanted to work for or a position that matches your career goals, rejections always sting and can put a damper on your self-esteem. When this happens, it’s normal to feel discouraged, unmotivated, and possibly even angry. After all, you’ve poured in so much time and effort in the application process—only to be rejected in the end.
No doubt, rejections can cause self-doubt to creep in. You think, “Will I be able to have a successful career?” or “Will any company accept me?” You start asking yourself these questions which begin to undermine your confidence. While this is totally normal, it’s important not to let negative self-talk and fear take over, or you may have a harder time competing for more opportunities.
To help you recalibrate your mindset, here are tips on dealing with a job rejection. It might not seem like it right now, but trust us when we say you can bounce back even greater from this experience!
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Advice on Recovering from a Job Rejection
Dealing with the aftermath of a job rejection can be challenging, but the reality is that it’s a natural part of the job search process. If you feel like you’re stuck in a rut and struggling to move on, here is some useful advice to help you get through these challenging times.
Take time to work out your emotions
You may get overwhelmed with all sorts of emotions after getting rejected from a job opportunity. It is important to understand that there is nothing wrong with taking time to pause and process your thoughts and emotions. Your feelings are valid, so it’s essential to give yourself a reprieve before you get back to the search. This way, you can approach your next application with a clear mind and more positivity.
Don’t take the rejection personally
It’s easy to think that you’re not capable enough if you didn’t get the job, but this isn’t necessarily always true. Your application or interview result isn’t an accurate measure of your skills, strengths, and talents, so don’t take it personally.
While emotions can be high after a job rejection, it’s essential that you also keep some perspective and be realistic. Many factors can affect your application result, and some of these will be out of your control. Employers and staffing agencies in North Charleston, SC all have different considerations in the application process, so if they reject you, it doesn’t necessarily reflect on your capabilities.
This is especially true with the current pandemic. Finding a job is much harder during this time as the economic recession has led companies to lay off employees or reduce their hiring intake. There’s still a lot of uncertainty about how the job market will progress, but this just goes to show how some things are beyond your control when looking for a job.
Know that you’re not alone
You may not know first hand what anyone else has experienced but you should always remember that you aren’t alone in this. Countless other job applicants have gone through the same thing. Remember, there can be only one candidate selected. The bottom line is that everyone goes through some kind of rejection at one point in their career, so don’t dwell on the negative when it happens.
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Focus on the future
Finally, once you’ve had time to process the rejection, you can let the experience become the past and focus on future job opportunities. It’s understandable to feel discouraged, but you shouldn’t let this experience stop you from pursuing your career goals. So give yourself time to process your emotions, and when you’re ready, you can move forward with your head held high and a renewed determination to land your next job.
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Ways to Bounce Back After a Job Rejection
Once you’ve recovered from the rejection and renewed your mindset, it’s time to work out your game plan. Take this experience as a stepping stone to learn from your mistakes and improve yourself so you can come back stronger and more prepared.
Do something you love
Kickstart your job search in a positive light by doing something that puts you in a good mood. For those with an active lifestyle, you can head over to the gym or do your favorite workout at home. Exercise or any form of physical activity can help you feel happier and reduce the risk for anxiety, putting you in a great headspace to search for a new job.
It doesn’t have to be exercise. You can do anything you love, whether this is watching your favorite TV series, listening to music or grabbing a book from your shelf to read. As long as it reinforces a positive mindset and lifts your spirit, this will be an effective way to bounce back from a tough rejection.
Evaluate your performance
Before you jump right back in the job hunt and send applications to companies or employment agencies in Charleston SC, take a step back to evaluate your performance. How do you think you did in the application or interview process? At which step of the search did you get rejected? Reflect and look back at your performance to see if there’s anything you can improve.
While some factors are out of your control, others can be changed, so think of whether you could’ve done any of these differently. Here are some key things you can assess in your self-evaluation:
- Resume. Is your resume written and formatted properly for easy readability? Or did you optimize it with relevant keywords? The latter is particularly important these days as more companies are using applicant tracking systems (ATS) to filter through submissions. So next time, try to inject keywords from the job description you’re applying for to increase your chances of passing through the robot recruiter. Always keep in mind the quality of readability.
- Interview Performance. Try to recall how your interview with the hiring manager went. Do you feel like your nerves got the best of you? Or were there any questions where you struggled to give a clear response? If so, try practicing your speaking skills in front of a mirror or family and friends. You can even ask someone to give you a mock interview with common job questions, so you can be more prepared for the next real one. If the question you could not answer showed you a skill you are lacking, take steps to gain the necessary knowledge to be better prepared.
Social Networks. In case you didn’t know, your social networks can largely influence your application outcome as companies are now becoming more selective with their hiring processes. According to a 2018 report from CareerBuilder, around 70% of employers evaluate candidates’ social media profiles, and 60% of them have rejected a candidate upon seeing negative content. Thus, you may want to do a quick check to see if your profiles are free from offensive materials to ensure that they don’t hurt your chances of acceptance.
Refine your job search
As hard as it may be to face job rejections, these experiences can sometimes enlighten you on your career choice. In some cases, you might realize that the role you got rejected for wasn’t the right fit for you. Or perhaps the industry that you were applying for didn’t have the work environment or culture that you envision yourself in.
Essentially, use your experience to refine your search for future opportunities. At times, it’s easy to get carried away with a company’s prestige or how nice a role sounds without thinking about whether it matches your goals or interests. If you aren’t fully invested in an application, it will show in your performance—which may have been a factor behind past rejection.
So before you jump back in the search, reassess your career goals and think about what you really want to do. You never know—you might have been looking at the wrong places or for the wrong jobs.
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Tips to Ace Your Next Job Search
Job searching is no easy feat, especially with all the competition in the market today. So if you’re worried about potentially facing rejection again, here are some tips to help you ace your search. Of course, they won’t guarantee a sure acceptance, but they can increase your chances of standing out from the crowd and receiving a better outcome the next time around.
- Organize your search efforts and keep track of applications.
- Read job descriptions thoroughly.
- Customize your resume to match the qualifications of the job you’re applying for.
- Quantify your work experience and accomplishments.
- Research about the company and role before your interview.
- Identify the company’s pain points that you can address with your skills.
- Build your professional network within LinkedIn.
- Find opportunities beyond online job postings.
- Use the STAR method to answer interview questions.
- Follow up after an interview by sending a thank you note.
Find High-Quality Careers in 2022 with Bridges Staffing
If you’re not sure how to get back on track after a job rejection, Bridges Staffing can help you. As a premier staffing agency Charleston SC, they work with a network of business owners and connect them to qualified candidates to fill vacant positions. In turn, job seekers can get in touch with them to find lucrative career opportunities.
Don’t let that one rejection stop you from achieving a successful career. Allow Bridges Staffing Agency to assist you through the search and connect you to opportunities that match your needs, skills, and capabilities. You can call them at (843) 612-8414 or visit their website to look for relevant job opportunities.
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