So, you’ve found what sounds like the perfect job and submitted your application. You soon receive the good news that you’ve scored an interview. Happy days! In preparation, you do your research about the company to learn as much as you can and reach out to the Curtin Careers team for a mock interview. The big day arrives and, while you’re feeling nervous, you feel pumped and you’re as ready as you’ll ever be…
Despite acing the interview, you receive an email in your inbox a week later to advise you were unsuccessful in securing the role. Feeling gutted, you rack your brain trying to work out where you went wrong. The rejection may make you feel deflated or angry, meaning you lose your motivation and desire to keep interviewing for other opportunities.
How do you move on from disappointment and not allow your confidence to be completely shattered moving forward?
Here are some top tips on how to bounce back even stronger:
Ask for feedback
Instead of ruminating over where you went wrong, consider reaching out to the employer and asking for feedback. While they might not always be able to give you details, it doesn’t hurt to ask. Be sure your request is respectful and optimistic. Follow this up with an email thanking the employer for their time and providing you with insight into the company. You can also highlight that, although you are disappointed to have not been offered the role, you are excited to see how the company develops and would like to be considered for any future opportunities that may become available.
It’s not always about you
There may have been absolutely nothing wrong with your interview and you may have ticked all the boxes in what the employer was looking for, but maybe they already had someone in mind for the role. Sometimes companies must follow due-process and advertise a position, even though they already have a preferred candidate in mind. You’ll never know if this was the case, so try to not to take the rejection personally. Instead, view every interview as a learning opportunity – recognise what went well and reflect on areas where you might have approached a question differently. This will help you be even better prepared next time.
Understand you are not alone
Getting turned down for positions during your job search is inevitable – there will always be more unsuccessful applicants than successful ones! If you’re feeling rejected, deflated or even angry, reaching out to others who have shared similar disappointment can help. They can help you with how to deal with your emotions, and you can ask them what they did to overcome this phase. There are also various books, podcasts and YouTube videos on how to handle job rejection. Hearing how others were able to bounce back from a significant disappointment can help you feel less alone and more confident when you are ready to start reapplying again.
Don’t give up
Rejection pushes many individuals to give up on the things they’re seeking to accomplish. Briefly quitting your job search might force you to miss out on a variety of opportunities. Keep applying for positions, customising your resume, and working your network. Successfully handling rejection can have a positive effect on your job search. Your ability to grow from the experience, remain optimistic, and drive connections might put you at the top of the list for the next opportunity.
