How to Navigate Job Rejections
Imagine coming across a position at a company you admire and reading the job description. After thinking about your experience and skills, you feel that you have a fair shot at being considered for an interview. So, you carefully tailor your resume and cover letter for the position you’re applying to, and hit submit. Then you wait anxiously 2-3 weeks for a response from a recruiter or hiring manager.
Finally, you check your email one morning to see a response from the company you applied to. You excitedly open it only to see something along the lines of:
Dear [name],
Thank you for taking the time to apply to [position]. Unfortunately we have chosen to move forward with another candidate whose skills were a better fit and will not be considering you for this role. We wish you luck in your future endeavors/job search.
Sincerely,
[Name]
Although you read the “thank you” and “we wish you luck” within the email, all you can focus on is “we have chosen to move forward with another candidate whose skills were a better match.” After looking over your tailored resumed and cover letter, self-doubt begins to rear its head. You begin wondering if your job experiences and skills are still not good enough, especially if you receive this email from countless companies during your job search.
Between the high volume of layoffs in media and tech, it’s not rare to see individuals detailing their job search woes on LinkedIn. Although I haven’t detailed my own experience yet, I can identify with the frustration and self-doubt that comes with having your application rejected. Between you and I, I’ve personally felt irritated with the narrative that people don’t want to work yet job seekers are being passed over left and right with no explanation.
Now that I’m personally in a better space, I’m choosing to channel my own frustration into something a little more positive by sharing a few tips with you. Granted, they aren’t a magical elixir and won’t guarantee that your life is going to change overnight but, they’re meant to help keep you encouraged if you’re feeling discouraged about the job market and/or your job search.
#1 Let Yourself feel your emotions
We live in a society that praises ‘bouncing back’ and/or not letting anyone see us sweat. The problem with these things is that they erase the moments we find ourselves truly struggling. Everything in life isn’t as simple as ‘bouncing back.’ In fact, sometimes we need to step back but I’m getting ahead of myself.
Like I mentioned before, having an application you put effort into rejected sucks. There’s no way around it. It can be hurtful to know that a company or several companies don’t feel like you hit every single mark they’re looking for. It can make you question whether you’ll ever be considered qualified.
Instead of pretending that it doesn’t hurt to be rejected from a position you were interested in, sit with whatever feelings come up. If you experience everything from being hurt to feeling sheer irritation, it’s okay. Your emotions aren’t dirty things meant to be swept under a rug, They’re a part of what makes you human.
#2 Take a Step Back
I’m all for aggressively applying to positions but, sometimes it’s okay to step back so you can reassess a few things. For example, when you tailored your resume and cover letter, did you proofread it to make sure it was free of grammatical or spacing errors? Did you use an easy to read font? Did you address your cover letter to a specific person instead of using the generic ‘to whom it may concern?”
Once you’ve gone over your resume and cover letter with a fine-toothed comb, start asking yourself what position you truly want to apply to. You may find that you’ve been applying to jobs, even ones you’re not thrilled by, in an effort for anyone to take a chance on you. That’s understandable, especially given certain circumstances.
However, think of applying to different jobs like swiping left or right on Bumble or Tinder. Did I just liken job hunting to dating apps? Yes, I did. If you wouldn’t date every single person you came across then don’t worry about applying to every single job that crosses your path. Sometimes, unwittingly, you can end up sending a lackluster resume because, deep down, you may not really care about a position or company.
#3 Don’t Give Up on Yourself
Is this easier said than done. Of course it is. Sometimes things like this feel like shouting into a dark abyss, but it doesn’t take away from the fact you still need to be your biggest cheerleader. Sure, landing a job that you’ve applied to can affirm that your experience and skills matter. It’s just that you still have to know who you are with or without a certain company/job title backing you up.
As cliche as it may sound, you may have to write yourself affirmations. Affirming yourself on a daily basis helps quiet your inner critic, who may sound like the tone of the rejection email you received or a former bully/frenemy who doubted you at every turn. In order to get through this time in your life, you have to be willing to be your own best friend. To see your own worth.
#4 Build your network
Before you roll your eyes, hear me out. This may sound like more work but there’s a reason why people encourage others to do this. Something I’ve learned in the past month I decided to end my first long-term freelancing role is that you never know who’s watching. After becoming more active on LinkedIn and sharing an article I wrote that went viral, I began building connections with people in the marketing and media industries.
The best part about building your network is that you may find people who share free resources related to your industry. Whether they share their own curated newsletters filled with job opportunities or courses you can take to learn new skills related to the industry you want to work in, it truly helps to connect with different people.
#5 Create a portfolio and add to it
Having a portfolio is another thing I didn’t think was important until I created one. It’s meant to showcase your relevant work [samples] for potential clients or future employees to view. So, what happens when you’ve yet to receive so much as a job interview?
You continue adding to your portfolio by creating solutions to problems that you see in your given industry. For example, a few of the pitches that have gone unanswered have been repurposed for Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts or TikTok videos. Also, I’ve been writing about entrepreneurs who are placing diversity at the forefront of their companies.
Instead of waiting for someone to give you your next opportunity, sometimes you have to create it. Maybe you won’t be paid for this but the fact you’re continuously adding to your body of work means you’ll have a range of projects for future employers to consider. This helps showcase the range of your abilities and indicates that you know how to build a functioning table if need be.
I’m sure I’m missing more tips but I’m not an actual career expert. What I am is someone who is in the same boat as you and can relate to the tedious task of job hunting. My goal is to help encourage you on your journey while also encouraging myself because life is too short to completely give up. Will you and I hear more “no’s” in our lifetime? Probably.
But all it takes is one yes to propel us forward even if it’s in our own voice for a period of time.
