What to Do When Your Dream Job Rejects You?

So, you’ve been preparing for that job interview for a company that you’ve set your eyes on. You’ve done your research on almost everything about them, so you can get on their good side and answer every question that they throw at you. Your resume is sleek, clean and it showcases your best skills, what you can offer to the company and the achievements or awards you’ve made along the way.

You’re all excited as you get to the final interview and you think you nailed it! This is in the bag, right? You wait and wait for the email only to see… 

You are not accepted.

The only emotion that you now have is pure sadness. Who wouldn’t be sad being rejected by that job you only had eyes for? Rejection is a hard thing to take in, especially in something as major as your career. Do not worry though, this isn’t a life-ending event. Rejection is common and there are things you can do to ease the pain a little… or a lot.

FEEL THE PAIN

Just cry your heart out or give time for yourself in the meantime. Give yourself the time to be completely sad about this rejection. You may cry while watching your favourite movies while eating your comfort food… no one is judging you. You can scream or probably dance around your room like no one is watching while belting out your loud music playlist. Letting yourself feel the emotions about this event also lets you come into terms with the fact that it did happen. Trust me, this is the only part where it’s messy.

Having a support system is also great to have during these times. You can try talking to your parents or friends and ask for their advice and thoughts. They might even tell you their own ways of dealing rejection and how they overcame the emotions that they felt during these times. It’s not bad to reach out to people who will support you.

KNOW WHY IT HAPPENED

You know what happened, you got rejected but have you taken time to think why you did? You may try to reply to your employer’s email asking for feedback on how you did. You would think that you would not like to associate with a company that already rejected you but do know that this can be beneficial when you decide to start looking at other job applications. Employers can think of it as having excellent professional ethics and having the ability to take a failure as a learning experience.

Here is an example you can you when making that email:

“Hello [Name],

I appreciate the time you had given to accommodate me during this process. Even though I am disappointed in not being able to be part of [Company Name], it still is an honoured opportunity to have been given a chance for [Position].

Would it be a possible to hear feedback or reason for your decision? I believe that whatever shortcomings I had is something that I can further improve on. Your feedback will be sincerely appreciated. 

Thank you again for the chance and time. I wish all the best for [Company Name] in moving forward.

Best regards,

[Your Name]”

You can ask which specific part of the whole application process the company had an issue with which resulted in your rejection. This is the crucial part. 

To be able to get better is to know where you need to get better on. Do not only ask for negative qualities though. You can even ask for the qualities that they absolutely liked. This can help you know what qualities you are best at. Be it your charismatic and confident speaking skills, your way of being an attentive listener or your way of being always on time.

This is a key part to moving on from being rejected is knowing where you went wrong and doing something to prevent it from happening again. Do not be afraid to ask! There is nothing wrong with knowing your strengths and weaknesses. It is your tool to utilise in making your way through life.

TRY AGAIN

Not getting your dream job doesn’t mean other offers are closed forever. You might even be surprised at the other opportunities that are waiting for you. It could even be better than what you were expecting at the company you got rejected on.

The important part is that you never let that one rejection stop you from pursuing a career that you absolutely would love to do. 

Take your rejections as stepping stones or ladders that can help you get to the places you want to go. Know that some things are out of your control and accept that certain things might not be at the right time yet. In the meantime, you can use the information you have learned to better improve your job application approach. Be straight to the point, short and concise with your resume. No need for all the added design to your resume. A one-page resume would suffice as long as it contains all the necessary information that you are qualified. 

If you have multiple skills, you can put emphasis on your resume the skills and achievements that can be greatly beneficial to the position that you are applying for. You can make it straight to the point.

During your interviews, take note if you have small habits. Be it tapping on the table or constant fidgeting. You can look into these habits and practice on how to do it less or get rid of them completely. Sometimes, these habits can be distracting and annoying to your interviewer. It can also come across as being unconfident and unready. 

REMEMBER

Do not dwell and overthink on this event. It does not define who you are. You can always get back up and do a lot more especially after the improvement you had. Always learn from your actions, be it good and bad and use it to your advantage in achieving amazing things! 

As long as you continue to improve and try your best in everything you do, you will be able to conquer what the world throws at you. You will learn a lot more as you journey further to life.

Embrace rejection. Think of what you can do and not what you can’t. Good luck on your endeavours!