We all remember those painful days of our teens when rejection was an all-too-familiar experience. It seemed so important to fit in with a group or be accepted by others during adolescence. The job search conjures up similar feelings. We want to be liked by the prospective employer. We want to be accepted by the prospective employer. We are nervous about the first “date” (the interview). We are fearful of getting involved in the interview process and then getting “dumped” because we get beat out by someone more qualified. We’re convinced we do not have much to offer. The list could go on and on.
Unfortunately, fear of rejection is almost a self-fulfilling prophecy. The more concerned and uptight you are about the job search process, especially interviewing, the less likely you are to succeed. But also just like those days of venturing into the dating world for the first time, practice makes it easier. It is important to go on interviews, even if you are fairly sure it is a position in which you would not be interested simply for the practice. The more you interview, the easier it gets and the less the monster of fear chases you.
The same is true for sending out your resume to employers. Are you going to get rejection letters and emails? Yes, but each one brings you closer to an acceptance. Thomas Edison went through over 100 different designs for the light bulb until he found one that worked. What if he had quit after the 37th? Job search is pretty much a numbers game in many ways, especially if you are working primarily through recruiters. Our ResumeMachine service helps leverage the ability to contact large numbers of recruiters for one low price, thus helping you to play the numbers game.
Can you turn rejection into success? Absolutely! Just because you weren’t the perfect fit for a particular position doesn’t mean you aren’t the perfect fit for a position that is in the pipeline with the company. Stay in touch with hiring managers. Many times we have seen hiring managers create positions for candidates that are considered “gems”.
Simply put, don’t let “no” get you down. Application rejection is not something that is personal against you. Hiring managers make decisions based on how well candidates match up with requirements. Not everyone will fit the requirements. If you don’t, it doesn’t mean you are a bad person or that you won’t be a perfect fit for a different position.
