New Point Recruitment | 5 tips for overcoming job rejection

Being unsuccessful or rejected for anything never feels great. Whether it is the dreaded rejection letter, phone call or email; being rejected can severely dent your confidence especially if you have had several rejections in a short space of time.

As a candidate it is important to remember that this is not an uncommon experience for job seekers and that the right job for you could be just around the corner. By thinking objectively, actively asking for feedback, revaluating your career path and seeking external help, you will be able to best manage rejection and strategically work toward your career goals and future job prospects.

Our top 5 tips for overcoming rejection from interview includes:

Don’t take it personally

The first piece of advice for any unsuccessful candidate is to not take it personally. With a single job opening attracting hundreds of applications, even the most qualified individuals get rejected, with the probability of rejection higher than landing the job.

Whilst it can be a hard pill to swallow, you’ve been rejected for a reason. From our experience, a lot of hiring decisions from our clients have been based on the skills, experience and qualifications you have demonstrated to meet their objectives for the role. The role wasn’t created for you – they didn’t know of you at the time. An important factor is how you personally fit with the team and the people hiring – sometimes you just don’t click, that is just how things go sometimes.

By acknowledging the rejection, not dwelling on the situation and focusing on new opportunities, you will be able to maintain motivation and positivity whilst keeping the job search momentum at a maximum.

Ask for feedback from company / interviewer

Asking for feedback is a valuable tool that can be used to better understand why you have been unsuccessful in obtaining a specific role. Methods can include calling, email and face-to-face interaction dependent on the initial rejection delivery of the interviewer / company. Asking for feedback can provide several benefits including; improving future job search parameters, a heightened self-awareness, building rapport with the interviewer/recruiter, and most importantly providing closure, allowing you to move on to the next opportunity.

It’s really important to take all feedback objectively and understand that an organisation is looking for very specific candidate and that you are not going to be suitable for every role, organisation and/or industry that you apply for.

Personal evaluation

Aside from the feedback sought from the company / interviewer, it is important to personally evaluate your application and interview performance and reassess areas that could be improved. Through this process you might find that you need to work on your interview presence or upskill in specific areas to meet industry demand and outperform your competitors. By continually re-evaluating your application (resume, cover letter), interview manner and skills or qualifications, you will be able to put your best foot forward for future opportunities.

Redevelop your career path

Once you have asked for feedback and subsequently re-evaluated your application and interview performance, reassessing and developing your career path is a great way to ensure you achieve your specific career goals. By identifying your individual unique selling points (USP) you will be able to better market yourself during the job search phase and allow you to evaluate whether the career path you want is right for your specific skills, personality and strengths.

Seek help

If you are struggling with direction, or evaluating your current application, seeking help can be the best place to start. Depending on the challenges you’re facing, there area number of avenues you can take including advice from a your friends and peers, all the way through to professional recruitment services and career coaching. Assessing your own situation is the best way to better understand the level of help needed to achieve career goals.

It is important to remember throughout your search that you may be only one application away from your dream job. Remaining motivated, confident and contactable throughout the job searching stage is essential to keep momentum flowing and to be that person.

At New Point Recruitment we’re always focussed on matching the most appropriate candidate to an organisation. If you would like to join our growing database and submit your resume for future job opportunities head to www.newpointrecruitment.com.au and register with us.