Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Handling Rejection After a Great Interview

Yesterday's article focused on how to SHINE at an interview. Today's article will focus on how to cope with the disappointment of rejection.

It is really tough to have what seems like the best career opportunity have its door shut firmly in your face. You put a lot of effort into writing the perfect resume and cover letter that garnered their attention for the interview. You researched the company as all advice books and websites advised and turned out appearing confident as ever. You overcame the interview jitters, answered the difficult questions effortlessly, and built up a great rapport with the interviewer who congratulated you for a great interview.

Then a week later you are informed that you were unfortunately not selected for the position of your dreams.

Your natural reaction might be to blame yourself and ask what you did wrong. DON'T!

No matter how seriously and thoroughly you prepare or how carefully you plan, there is no guarantee that all your hard work will always end happily. There are going to be times when you are not successful. This is when you have to be your strongest and most positive. Do not think that you were unsuccessful, but that another candidate was successful. That might seem like no comfort, but remember the time will come when you will be offered the job ahead of someone else. It was not meant to be... at least not this time!

Keep your chin up, dust yourself off, and learn how to separate yourself from the rejection.

The most important thing to remember is that you have not been personally rejected. Someone else has made a decision that they believe is best. It is a judgment call that you can only start understanding if you accept the news in a positive manner. Did you know the other candidates? Did the person who got the job have better qualifications or more experience than you? Was there an internal candidate who knew the company inside out? There are too many possibilities for you to consider.

Rather than spending your time pondering, contact the company or interviewer. Politely ask for positive feedback from your interview and any suggestions they may feel could be beneficial to you. If you are working with a recruiter, contact only your recruiter for this feedback. This will be a great help to you for any future interviews.

Maintain a positive outlook. View the rejection as an opportunity to secure a job that is more suitable for you.

Even though you have just received bad news, believing in yourself is the best way forward. It might seem easier said than done at this frustrating time so perhaps think of your favorite film star, sporting star, model or entrepreneur. Most will tell you of the rejections they have faced, had overcome, and how it made them stronger.

The novelist J.K. Rowling is the perfect example. She wrote a book, was unsure whether she could get it published, and suffered rejection on more than one occasion; finally, someone recognized her skills and believed in her. The rest is history.

Adopt the same approach and you too will succeed.

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