Here's how you can bounce back from rejection and continue progressing in your job search.

Being rejected might have had absolutely nothing to do with you or how you came across. The company could have hired internally. The new CEO decided to bring in people they worked with previously. The role could have changed from what they originally went out for. They might have been pulled due to budget constraints. You could have performed excellently and under any of these circumstances still not get the role you wanted. Just remember one rejection doesn't mean you are now infinitely banned from applying. Responding to rejection is important as it keeps the door open. The new hire might not work out, they could be counter-offered, the role comes live again or a similar role comes up. Stay in positive and stay in touch.

According to my experience, bouncing back from rejection and continuing to progress in your job search involves maintaining a positive mindset and learning from each experience. Analyze any feedback you receive to identify areas for improvement. Stay proactive by refining your resume, cover letter, and interview techniques. Set small, achievable goals to maintain momentum and celebrate your progress. Expand your network by attending industry events and connecting with professionals online. Keep a consistent routine to stay motivated, and remember that each rejection brings you closer to the right opportunity. Resilience and adaptability are key to overcoming setbacks and achieving success.

El rechazo puede ser una experiencia frustrante y desalentadora, pero no dejes que te desmotive. En su lugar, usa esta situación como una oportunidad para fortalecerte y mejorar tu estrategia de búsqueda de empleo. Primero, es importante que proceses tus emociones de manera saludable. Permite que te duela el rechazo, pero no te quedes atrapado en él. Reflexiona sobre lo que puedes aprender de la experiencia y cómo puedes aplicar esas lecciones en el futuro. A continuación, analiza el feedback que recibiste durante el proceso de selección. ?Hay áreas en las que puedas mejorar tus habilidades o tu presentación? Utiliza esta información para refinar tu CV, perfeccionar tus entrevistas y prepararte mejor para futuras oportunidades.

Rejection is often just the beginning of the negotiation! After all, you already know your skills matched enough of what they need (that's why you got the interview), so maybe you just don't interview well. If that's the case, don't take the loss if you're confident in your skills! You can continue the conversation by respectfully asking for feedback. If you learn they went with a better candidate, well, what about roles on other teams? Check out their other openings and ask to be considered. Or if you failed the skill-based portion of the interview (and you really want to work there), you can reverse-negotiate by offering to start at a lower salary, forgo a bonus, etc. A rejection can often just be the start of the negotiation!

Reach out to people you know who are involved in hiring, even if they are not in your industry or seeking candidates, and ask them for feedback on your resume or LinkedIn profile. More information will help you improve how you sell yourself.

I have recently updated my resume to reflect freelance work I've been doing. The freelance per se was routine work (which I enjoyed, with people I care about), but such activities put a break in the hiatus between employments. I also made a point to delete older positions, that although relevant, were a bit long ago. In the current super unpleasantly difficult job market, emphasizing the what you can do now vs what you have been doing is a worthy strategy - provided they're related to the jobs you're aiming for.

If you received a rejection, review your resume. Did you leave something out, is all the information solid? Have a couple of peers review it. If the information is good, try changing the format, it may not be the information, but how it is presented. Sometimes, the way it is presented doesn't allow for it to flow easily, it may look cramped or busy to the eye. Double check to make sure you tailored it to the role in a way that addressed the requirements and needs of the employer and that complimented your background. Did you provide information that was contradicting the ask or was irrelevant? Worst case, as an exercise, start from scratch and develop a new resume. After all how long have you been working with the one you have?

You're first in line for the next one. This is one thing job seekers can often be quick to forget. Throughout this whole process you have built relationships with the following: - HR team - Hiring managers - External Recruiter - Those you met during the site visit So the next time you don't have to go through a lengthy process, they already interviewed you! As soon as that next role is available who do you think they will reach out to? The people who were a close 2nd, 3rd or 4th. When you stay in touch and network the right way before the job hits the external job boards you'll be considered before anyone can send their application or are even aware of the vacancy.

Networking continues to be a powerful method of landing a new role. After a rejection, reach out to your current network to request feedback and discuss what happened. Then continue to expand your network within the industry through different types of outreach. Both on LinkedIn, and through face to face activities. Develop those relationships, and engage in industry trade shows or activities, as well as other networking events. You want your name on everyone's mind as they discuss open roles in your career field.

Practice, practice, practice. You didn't get your drivers license without practicing driving, interviewing should be no different. It's a skill we rarely use, so to be good at it you need to practice. Find a trusted friend, mentor, or maybe someone that goes through the hiring process as a hiring manager and practice with them. Do some internet searches and find out what those company's do for interviewing best practices and then work on your interview skills. That way even if they ask you questions you are not ready for, you have practiced your answering format and are ready to give them the best response possible and it will feel more natural.

There are 2 types of rejections: 1 - you were rejected because you were not the best candidate, or 2 - you were rejected because you were not PERCEIVED as the best candidate And most candidates fail to identify which applies to them! For example, being rejected because you're not the BEST most likely means a knowledge gap and you need to spend more time honing your skills. While being rejected because you're not PERCEIVED as the best most likely means a marketing gap and you need to spend more time learning how to sell yourself. And that's where an experienced mentor comes in - Do some practice interviews together - Review your resume, LinkedIn, or portfolio together And identify in which direction you should be spending your energy

Part of the intervieweing process is research. I take substantial notes, and make a cheat sheet to glance from during the interview. Also, I tricked my brain to swap "interview" for "chat". That way the back and forth feels less stunted, and showing the recruiter that you know about the company and ask relevant questions enhances the engagement. For the end of the interview, when the fateful "so, you have any other questions?" happens, I come prepared with 15 pre-set questions that usually stretches the interview as now YOU are the one interviewing the interviewer. I use Chat GPT to aid in the questions, read them to myself to see how I sound, and use variants that make the most sense. And most importantly, ALWAYS send a thank you note.

When you're rejected it's easy to fall into a pit of despair and lose your motivation. To get out of that funk, I like to remember that the emotions are not moral! Meaning, they are not "good" and they are not "bad" Emotions are just how our body communicates it's needs. It's just information! Similar to how our body tells us, We're hungry (so go eat), or We're tired (so go to sleep) When we look at our emotions, if our body tells us we're sad after a rejection, it could just be our body saying, We're not validated (so go talk to a friend), or We're not loved (so go spend time with your partner) The moment you recognize that, it's so much easier to take care of yourself and keeping moving forward, even in the face of rejection.

The current job market is tough. Rejection will always outnumber interviews. Find your support system and ask for help. It only takes 1 YES.

Rejection is a process, a loss so to speak, that requires its measure of grief. Ever since I got laid off, I had the opportunity to interview plenty of times, and the outcomes have been mixed: being low-balled, habing the job pulled, or rejection. Aside from having a structured routine, it's important to practice mindfulness and understand that the "NO" isn't personal. It's particular disheartening to research about a company (something I actually enjoy), to then not be chosen. Part of my structured routine, outside of looking for work (my #1 "job" now) consists of physical and mental exercise. The physical to keep me away from the doctor, and the mental is to keep the mind happy, even if for a modicum of time. Being kind to oneself is key.