Mentally Preparing For Job Search Rejection

Starting a new job search takes a lot of careful preparation. From cleaning up your documents, contacting references, and researching the ideal target companies, the search is an involved process. One additional preparation job seekers need to make is to learn how to deal with the inevitable rejection that will occur.

With the sheer amount of open positions available and the ease of applying for jobs online, rejection isn’t just a possibility—it’s an inevitability. You will face some rejection in your search, and that’s alright. We’ve previously covered how to handle compounding rejection. We’ll take things a step further and analyze how you can mentally prepare for rejection down the road so you can tackle your job search with a clear heart.

Understand outside factors

The first key to facing later rejection is understanding that there are plenty of outside factors that will lead to rejection that have nothing to do with your qualifications. Realizing that your rejection isn’t personal will go a long way toward a healthy mindset.

Team Interview Kickstart mentions that internal candidates may already be the favorite for a position or that another candidate may have already impressed the team. Someone may have a connection in the building you don’t.

“Try not to take it personally! I know that’s easier said than done, but it may have nothing to do with you. Lots of companies have internal candidates these days and are simply required by law (I think) to post publicly.” –Jocelyn Lyons

The only thing you can do is be as prepared as possible and hope you’re getting a fair chance. Update your resume, talk to your network, and find answers to any interview questions you think might come up.

Be deliberate

Job seekers will often attempt a volume-based approach and heavily rely on Easy Apply methods to try to get their foot in the door. This can actually be counter-intuitive and set you up for needless rejection down the road.

Career coach Emily Liou refers to this technique as “throwing spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks” and says that it can eventually lead to discouragement down the road. More applications mean more chances, but it also means much more rejection.

It’s better to take a targeted approach in your method. Liou says to ask yourself deep questions about yourself and what you’re looking for in your next job and to narrow down your focus to jobs that mutually fit both parties. This allows you to take a more meaningful approach and target your resume to those jobs.

Accept the challenge

We all handle adversity in different ways. Some people can thrive in the face of rejection and overcome obstacles while others struggle. Thankfully, it’s possible to change your mindset and approach the challenge.

Forbes’ Jack Kelly says to learn how to let rejection stoke your passion for your work. A rejection could challenge you to try harder next time or to find new ways to showcase your passion. It can challenge you to be better in your next interview so that when you find the right job, you’ll be the best version of yourself. Learn how to go the extra mile, and it will benefit you in the long run.

“A Jedi-type mind trick is to feel that if you can rebound from a setback, still feel fine and have the people you love still care for you.” –Jack Kelly

Build resilience

Life is going to throw plenty of curveballs your way, and not just at work. The past few years have been particularly challenging as we’ve dealt with the pandemic and the follow-up. Resilience is one of the most sought-after skills by hiring managers, and it’s a key component of learning how to overcome rejection.

Jess Amy Dixon says that the best way to build resilience is to learn how to build yourself up. Even if you’re naturally a pessimist, there are simple activities you can partake in to remind yourself of your accomplishments and build confidence.

As a starting point, Emily Loiu recommends creating a “brag list” of all of your accomplishments so that you can look back on it when things are feeling rough. Having tangible reminders of what you bring to the table will help you internalize those accomplishments and feel stronger.

Wrap up

Rejection may be inevitable, but it certainly stinks! But understanding that you will face rejection and learning how to face it head-on is crucial to finding success down the road. These mental strategies will help you overcome rejection, but, ultimately, you have to do the work and find what works for you.

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Coping With Job Search Rejection

In many ways, the internet is a godsend for job seekers. You can use copy and paste or auto-fill to upload your information, you can find jobs anywhere in the world, and you can track your applications. But the digital convenience means there is more competition than ever, and at times, it can seem like a job search is like screaming into a hurricane. More competition leads to more rejection, and that’s never fun.

With the sheer amount of competition out there and inconsistency between job-seeking strategies, rejection is extremely common, especially for entry-level jobs. You may even be ghosted completely by many companies. Rejection is something we all have to live with, but constant rejection can take a toll on your psyche.

“During the job search, you’ll be met with rejection and it’s even worse now. As companies are concerned over what will happen in the future, it’s hard to get noticed at the office, especially as everyone’s fighting to hold onto their jobs or get a better one.” –Jack Kelly, Forbes

If the rejection is getting the best of you, fear not! You can follow these steps to reframe your mindset and resume your search with a rejuvenated spirit and new strategies.

Take time to process

In spite of the frustration, it’s important to remember that others are experiencing the same rejection you are. The pandemic shook up the availability of jobs and was followed by the Great Reshuffling/Resignation, leading to more job seekers than usual.

Remember that, unless your application or resume was relentlessly hostile for some unknown reason, your rejection wasn’t personal. The University of Washington reminds us that your rejection isn’t a reflection of your skills.

“Most successful people have faced disappointment in their lives, and it’s a strength to remember that it’s rarely a reflection on you, your skills, or prior work experience. In fact, there are myriad other factors why the organization might have gone another way. This unfortunate experience may actually be setting you for a better opportunity in the future.” –The University of Washington

Still, the experience of being rejected can be disheartening. Understand how your brain reacts to bad news and adjust accordingly, Indeed states.

“Human brains generally remember challenging situations and painful feelings better than positive ones to help us avoid difficulties in the future. While this evolutionary skill can be useful, it’s often necessary during a job search to remind yourself of the positive aspects of your career and actively focus on those rather than the rejections.“ – Indeed

Be sure to immediately thank whoever sent you your rejection letter, but then don’t be afraid to take your time processing the rejection.

Look for feedback

Once you’ve taken some time to process, start looking for feedback so that you’ll be hardened and more prepared for your next opportunity. Once you’re in a good headspace, reach out to your interviewer, hiring manager, or recruiter and look for feedback on your application or interview. A request for feedback doesn’t have to be lengthy, a quick few sentences in an email should be enough, according to career coach Kyle Elliot.

The Idealist’s Alexis Perrotta wisely advocates keeping your feedback request on topic. The conversation isn’t meant to further sell yourself as a candidate or create a long dialogue. Make sure you are sincere and want the feedback to move forward, not as an excuse to talk to the manager once again. Sincerity makes it much more likely the hiring manager will take time from their schedule to offer their advice.

If you aren’t comfortable reaching out, or you don’t hear a response, ask a friend or colleague to look over your documents. They may be able to provide details you were too close to the situation to have noticed.

Look into new strategies

Your rejection was merely a setback. Having taken time to process the rejection and armed with new knowledge, you can prepare for the next leg of applying.

You can adopt new mental strategies so that each rejection stings less, and you can keep your spirits high. Forbes’ Jack Kelly discusses the idea of creating positive mantras for yourself to remind you of your self-worth. Capital Placement recommends focusing on your strengths.

“By focusing on your strengths and highlighting them in future interviews, you’ll be able to show employers why you’re the best candidate. It can also help you improve your interviews and even help you land your dream role.” –Capital Placement

If the rejections seem to keep piling on, perhaps you need to change your job-seeking approach altogether. CNBC Make It’s Morgan Smith suggests a three-pronged approach of setting job alerts, knowing what you’re looking for and how to define it, and expanding your network. Meanwhile, LinkedIn’s Bob McIntosh offers eight reasons to may not be landing a job and how to fix them.

Wrap up

Rejection hurts, and it’s hard to not take them personally, especially when rejections pile up. It’s important to remember you aren’t the only one in this situation, and you may need to take time to process your thoughts and refocus. Gather feedback if possible so you can tackle your next challenge with more vigor, and don’t be afraid to use new mental or job searching techniques to enhance your search.

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