We’ve all been there—applied for jobs and not been hired. Rejection is tough. But have you stopped to consider that these rejections can actually help to shape our careers for the better, just as much as the times we are successful?
Often, a job rejection isn’t personal, even though it feels like it is. There are so many factors that come into play as to why you might not be hired. As a London recruitment agency, we see it time and again in office support jobs; you may be pipped at the post, not quite match the culture of the organisation, be lacking a particular skill that another candidate has, or any other reason. It may just mean the market is volatile. The numbers in recruitment mean that there are simply too many candidates for the post and everyone else has to be rejected.
But how can you learn from these rejections to propel your career to success?
Get some feedback
Every application process is useful, particularly those which make it to interview. You can ask for constructive criticism, so that you can learn why you weren’t successful. You can then use this knowledge to shape your next application, gain more experience, or develop a new skill.
Some hiring managers are reluctant to share these reasons directly with the candidate. However, if you use a recruitment agency, then hiring managers are much more willing to be open with them. You can then chat to your recruitment consultant for honest feedback.
Take a look at successful employees
It won’t happen quickly, but if you can, learn who the successful candidate turned out to be. LinkedIn might help. You can then learn more about what the hiring manager saw in the potential candidate and again shape future applications accordingly. Similarly, you can look to see if there are other people at the organisation with the same job title that you could take a look at. See how your own professional profile differs. If you want to go a step further, you can even try to network with them to learn more.
Make a plan
Use a rejection to formulate a plan for your ongoing job search. Do you need to make changes to your CV or interview approach? Or do you need to consider applying for different roles? Add in a timeline and discuss your approach with your recruitment agency. Set fresh goals.
Refocus your efforts
Dust yourself off from the rejection and get ready to move forwards once more with your job hunt. Try to use the rejection as a way of motivating yourself, rather than feeling discouraged. Job hunts are emotionally tough, so build some resilience, dig in, and keep going. That particular job wasn’t meant to be, but the right one for you is just around the corner. If you’re struggling, turn to a mentor or a recruitment consultant for support.
Let us help
At Love Success, we are here to help you bounce back quickly from rejections and ensure the greatest chance of success in your job hunt. Call us on 020 7870 7177.
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