Job rejections are hard! I know because I have been there too. It is probably impossible to not face some rejections in your professional life but this doesn't make job rejections easier.
It hurts when a job you interviewed exceptionally well for and felt was going to be the next big thing in your career slips through your fingers or when you have bills to pay with no source of income. It is easy to feel the weight of the world crashing on you and staying hopeful and positive becomes increasingly harder to do.
Despite this, you have to courageously choose to view these rejections from a different angle. Truly, it is not easy to do but it is totally worth the effort and can help you discover opportunities you would have missed otherwise.
Here, we have compiled a list of 4 ways to turn a job rejection to your advantage.
Firstly, do not beat yourself up for being upset over your rejection. You are only human after all. Allowing yourself to be sad, angry, or disappointed is an important step to take to recover from a job rejection.
Do whatever it takes to let it all out. Get ice cream, watch a movie, talk to someone, read a book, cry or scream. It will help ease some of the pain. However, do not dwell on these emotions for too long. It’s fine to be emotional for a day, a few days, or even a week but after that, it’s crucial to pick yourself up and move on. I know this is easy to say but feeling sad and sorry for yourself will not get you the job you want. Truly, you were rejected but you will only remain unemployed if you do not get over your rejection. There is a great offer for you somewhere but it will not come to knock at your door. You have to find it.
Remember to not see a job rejection as a personal attack even if you made it down to the final stage. To see a job rejection as a personal attack is to set yourself up for failure as you may begin to have all kinds of negative thoughts about yourself. To help yourself view things differently, you could think of a time you rejected someone for a task. Did you reject them because of who they were? Was it personal? Was it something you hated about them? There, you have your answer. You may have thought you put in your best when applying to the job in question but the truth is that your best was probably not enough. So pick yourself up and begin to figure out how to turn those lemons into lemonades. This leads us to our next point.
Requesting feedback from the hiring manager after getting rejected for a job you applied to may not be your priority at the moment. You may want to put it behind you and move on to other things. However, receiving feedback is a crucial step in turning your job rejection to your advantage. By reaching out to the hiring manager after getting rejected, you can improve your chances of getting other jobs as you could obtain information on how to improve your skills and how best to highlight your qualifications.
Moreover, requesting feedback from the hiring manager after getting rejected demonstrates how invested you are in bettering yourself. The hiring manager may see you as a dedicated person who could truly be an asset to the company if hired. And who knows, you may be considered if a similar position opens up at the company or recommended for another outside the company since the hiring manager is likely to be familiar with various positions in their field.
To request feedback, contact the hiring manager through the same channel they contacted you, thank them, state your reason for reaching out, and politely request the advice you want.
If you do not have one already, create a personal development plan. If you do, update in accordance with the feedback you got. A personal development plan is a detailed strategy that allows you to be proactive and productive during this delicate time instead of sitting around, sulking, and waiting for things to happen.
It helps you take the initiative to make yourself better even if it is just to prove to the hiring manager that they missed out on a great candidate. It is a great step in the right direction as it may help you find the answers to all your questions about the job rejection while helping you plan and move ahead. See it as your road map to a better offer.
To create a personal development plan, start by identifying your current position in your professional life and what your intended destination is. What are your personal experiences? What are your skills and talents? What would you like to get better at or learn? Answer these questions honestly then proceed to set and achieve small attainable goals. An example of a small attainable goal would be ‘complete a course on product management on Udemy in the next three days' or ‘earn a certification on marketing by March’. Schedule a date to meet these goals. It makes things easier. Update your goals and do a self-evaluation regularly then make improvements where necessary.
After you have created and adhered to your personal development plan, it is time to decide what kinds of jobs you would like to pursue next and go for them, and what better way to get those jobs than to utilize your social connections. A study done by LinkedIn showed that 80% of professionals consider building their networks crucial to ascending career ladders.
Step out of your comfort zone and meet new people. Attend social gatherings, professional events, collect business cards and connect with people in the same field as you on social media. Regularly comment, like, and share the posts they make. Before you know it, you would have formed a relationship with them that could lead to a great job opportunity. Just remember that building your network involves gradually converting cold leads to warm leads. Do not jump straight into asking for a job opportunity. It is a total turn-off for most people. Instead, build a relationship first and make real connections. It may take some time, but it is worth the wait.
