You’ve found your dream job and you seem to be the perfect fit for it. You prepared for the interview and did your research on the company. But for some reason, you didn’t get a job offer, and the interviewer told you that they decided to go with another candidate. Now, what do you do?
Getting rejected from a job stings, and when this happens, people tend to blame themselves. Worse, most people even start doubting their abilities and are less eager to find opportunities in other places. However, there are ways to bounce back from job rejection, and here are some tips on how to get back in the game.
Remember that a person does not land every job he applies for
It’s all part of the process. Remember that no matter how competent or experienced a person seems to be, no one gets accepted to every job that he applies for. Many qualified people will apply for the same job, but only one will get hired.
It’s also important to remember that your worth as a person and as a professional has nothing to do with the job rejection. According to The Everygirl, on a scale of zero to 100%, a job rejection should probably be equivalent to about zero of your self-worth.
Look at the bright side
Think back to the whole application process, from handing over your resume to the final interview. It’s likely that there are a few things that you learned from it. So what’s the bright side to being rejected from your dream job?
The takeaway from this experience is that you learned some do’s and don’ts when applying for a job. Moreover, you are armed with more tools to prepare yourself for your next interview as you now have a general idea of what to expect the next time around.
Take the time to review and hone your interview skills
Even the most articulate person makes mistakes during interviews. Are you downplaying your accomplishments, or are you bragging too much? Do you give vague answers when asked about your role in your previous job?
See if there are any areas you need to work on, and have clear answers to the most-often asked questions, such as:
“Tell me something about yourself.”
“Why should we hire you?”
“Why have you left your job?”
“How do you handle pressure?”
“What was your greatest accomplishment in your previous job?”
Remember that your responses to these questions will have more impact if you prepare in advance. There’s no need to memorize the answers, but having a general idea of what to say will help you get the point across on your next interview.
For more, check out Jobs & Hire’s report on how to make the most of being unemployed.
