Dealing With Rejection After a Great Interview

We have all received the dreaded letter, email, or phone call of rejection. It is never a pleasant experience, especially if you have had multiple rejections during your job hunt; it is easy to feel sad and discouraged.

You may have been well-prepared for the interview and felt that it went extremely well, but the conclusion was significantly different from what you had anticipated, which can be frustrating.

Realizing how you respond to rejection is equally as significant as the talents shown on your resume when it comes to landing a new job. If you allow rejection to damage your confidence and cause you to doubt your ability, your performance in future interviews may suffer.

Here are a few things to remember if rejection emails flood your inbox to help you remain happy, hopeful, and driven.

It is not individual

It is tempting to take rejection personally and attribute one's inability to acquire a job to one's abilities or interview strategy. These decisions are rarely purely based on your performance. If you were well-prepared and gave your best effort, there was little else you could have done.

You will not be informed of the majority of employment decisions' justifications. You may have performed exceptionally well, but other factors may be at play. For instance, there may have been a highly qualified internal candidate already familiar with the organization or someone with somewhat more relevant experience than you. These circumstances are unavoidable; they are beyond your control.

Rejection is not a kind of feedback

Do not assume that everything you do is incorrect simply because you were not hired. It is completely fine to gently request more comprehensive feedback on your interview performance from the recruiter or company. Keep in mind that interviews comments can often be bland and unhelpful; therefore, wherever feasible, seek out other genuinely relevant input. You might consult an HR expert and do a fake interview to rehearse and receive helpful feedback.

As a recruiter, we strive to follow up on interviews and provide prospects with feedback whenever possible. However, we can use only employer input when we receive it, which is not always the case due to their busy schedules.

A novel approach

You should not bring interview baggage with you. Approach each new employment opportunity with an open mind and an optimistic disposition. Customize your resume for a new position and thoroughly research and prepare for a new interview. If you made mistakes or were unprepared in your last interview, learn from your mistakes, but do not dwell on them, as this will make you anxious. Every organization and hiring manager's perspective on what constitutes an "ideal candidate." Maintain an innovative strategy while staying true to your personality and experience.

Continue learning and growing

Rejection can hurt your self-esteem. Thus it is essential to maintain high levels of morale and motivation.

It is a good idea to maintain your skills and expertise current, especially if you are not currently employed. This could be a part-time training course (if applicable), a charity initiative, a mentoring, or a volunteer position with an organization of interest.

Even though these activities may take place remotely in the current job market, by remaining professionally active in this manner, you can aid in your ongoing professional development, boost your confidence, give yourself a focus outside of your job search, and provide a discussion point for your next interview.