Effective Ways to Bounce Back After a Job Rejection

In the face of job rejection, it is essential to maintain a positive attitude and view it as an opportunity for growth and professional development. Don't let rejection derail your job search, instead, think of it as a chance to learn, sharpen your skills, and possibly adjust your tactics. By reflecting on the experience, you can identify areas for improvement, build resilience, and increase your chances of success in future job searches.

Resilience Tip #1 - Acknowledge your emotions

Consider this nice little saying, care of a business colleague, "Rejection is protection." Don't be discouraged by rejection. It often leads you to greater opportunities and protects you from the wrong path.  You should recognize your emotions, don't bottle them up. However, don't give too much time and energy to the negative thoughts.

Resilience Tip #2 - Ask for feedback

Before requesting feedback, honestly reflect on the situation yourself and consider what you think went well and what didn't. Did you interrupt your interviewer? Were you listening to the questions and answering fully, or did you gloss over the responses? Were you too familiar with the interviewers? Sometimes we want something so badly that don't realize our own missteps. Upon reflection, then inquire about feedback. If some of the feedback aligns with your reflection, it may not sting as badly. *Also be prepared, some companies have policies against giving feedback.

Resilience Tip #3 - Update your resume

You should have an ongoing or "living" resume. A document that you continually add to and pull from to update your submitted resume (the one used for applications). If you are tracking your applications, you should also track the feedback you receive. Leverage the feedback to improve your resume and shape the message and image you intend to portray to an employer. Adapt your resume to the job you are applying for by highlighting the desirable skills with keywords and your relevant achievements.

Resilience Tip #4 - Expand your network

Networking is a mutually beneficial relationship with other professionals. There are always opportunities to network. It’s important to build and nurture these relationships by giving without needing something in return, paying it forward, and being genuinely interested in and supportive of others. This is how you not only expand your network, but you also foster stronger connections.

Resilience Tip #5 - Practice your interview skills

Do an online search, check Glassdoor, and utilize AI to find interview questions related to the job, industry, and common/general questions. Make sure to learn techniques such as the STAR Interviewing Method for thorough responses that highlight your behaviors/actions. Make sure you know your resume forwards and backwards so you can draw upon actual experiences for interview responses.

Resilience Tip #6 - Stay positive and motivated

Remember to give yourself grace. Take the time to do activities that bring you joy and satisfaction. Give back and volunteer. Helping others is a fantastic way to boost your resilience and positively recharge your energy with others.

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