Handling Job Rejection - remember Wilhelm!

Today I am looking to cover a key aspect of job search.

Rejection.

There are a ton of articles on LinkedIn covering job search, but an inevitable part of the search for jobs is dealing with job rejection especially as job search is hard. Giving up crosses our path daily...

Rejection is a part of life.

But it's still not easy being rejected when applying for what you might perceive as a dream job or a position that you are more than adequately qualified for.

The main problem with job rejection is that we never get a straight answer as to why we were not successful.

The part most hate about HR and Recruitment process is that we get automated responses that at best thank us for our efforts in application, these emails "understand" our frustrations and disappointment... Wow, really?

So emails have emotional intelligence and exhibit mindfulness?

So why does job rejection hurt?

The problem from a psychological perspective is that as humans we like answers, authenticity and honesty. Also we want resolution, finality and a way forward.

Job search and applying for jobs is at times a very soul destroying process.

So take the emotion and passion out of the equation! Um that's not me, and in all probability that's not not you either!

So who is Wilhelm and what does he have to do with this topic...?

Well before you read on I want you to say to yourself: "Wilhelm who?".

Exactly!

As most of you, I know who I am and what drives me. I am a bit "different". I am proud that I do "weird well".

You have a job need that is a mix of team building, business analysis, systems and data analysis, stakeholder leadership and telling a story of change and leading everyone on a unknown journey to a better world of doing things better... Well I am your man...

You are a micro manager? We will not get on, so let us move on.

Leave me to my devices, time box me and I will deliver.

You want degrees, certificates and "paper" to prove my skills? Let's not waste our collective time.

You want a different approach, an odd ball generalist path to delivery success and really want "out of the box", we will get on like a house on fire...

You want charisma? I have in spades.

You want a wall flower, a yes man? Let's "date" other people.

So who is Wilhelm? Why should you remember him?

Wilhelm is lost to history. He is unknown. And he is, well, nobody.

But this nobody rejected probably someone we know very well...

Read the below rejection letter. Then read it again. Save it to your phone or print it out and every day as you search for work and get rejected, read it and move on to the next application.

Next time you get a job rejection, don't ask why. That will kill you, demoralize you.

Just think that the person rejecting you is "Wilhelm", lost to history and of no consequence to your ultimate job search success...?