Everyone will face rejection at some point in their life, the trick is working out how to handle rejection from an opportunity that you were really keen on or possibly even sure you were going to land.
Rejection hurts and it is incredibly easy to focus on, here are some basic steps that can help you to learn to handle rejection.
Ask for detailed feedback
Nobody particularly likes feedback as it means that you would need to acknowledge that you were wrong. However, feedback can be a positive thing that can help you to move forward.
After you receive the dreaded rejection letter or email be sure to make sure that you ask if there is any scope to provide you with some feedback on where you went wrong. You will certainly thank them when you land the next opportunity due to not making the same mistake again.
Build resilience
It certainly hurts when you receive rejection after rejection, and you begin to feel like a failure. Firstly, you’re not. Secondly, try to remember that nobody can land every single opportunity they apply for.
Spend a little bit of time feeling sorry for yourself but then build yourself back up, search online for opportunities and get back out there. Resilience is vital when searching for opportunities and if you are not resilient try to begin to develop that vital skill.
Keep your options open
Due to the high number of applications places receive in the modern market, try to apply for more than one opportunity at once.
That way when you receive the dreaded rejection you can instead focus on the fact that you are still waiting to hear from other organisations, rather than the fact that you were rejected.
Stay Professional
It is easy to be upset after receiving a rejection but try not to talk negatively about the organisation. Just because you were rejected this time round does not mean that you will never work with that organisation – but if you badmouth them that may not be the case.
Thank the organisation for their time and move on, you never know if another opportunity with that same organisation will come around in the future so be sure to keep the door open.
Practice Makes Perfect
Sometimes you know that the application or the interview were simply not your best. It is absolutely fine if you did not provide your best on the day, take the negative experience as what it is an experience.
Practice your application process, ask others to help you with this if you think they can provide a better angle on it. Practice your interview technique with people who are experts in the area, such as careers advisers, assistance will help you to nail that interview.
Focus on your good qualities
It is so easy to focus on the negative aspects due to the fact that you will most likely feel like a failure as you have just been rejected. You should however try to focus on the qualities and skills that you are good at.
Nobody is bad at absolutely everything, but sometimes it can feel that way. But, by focusing on what you are good at will help you to get back out there again.
Don’t give up
One thing you must never do; give up. It’s good to take some time to reflect and recuperate if you’ve had a bad experience – let yourself heal. But once you’re back on your A-game get back out there and keep going with confidence.
And if you’re ever feeling down, there’s so much help out there, you’re never alone.