How to Make Rejection Hurt Less

You applied for jobs and got rejected! They don't like you? GOOD! And believe me I get that it momentarily hurts. In fact, it hurt me for about 10 min over the weekend when I got unfollowed by 30 people.

But the truth is, not everyone needs to like you (and you only need 1 offer) to land a job you love.

In fact, as long as 20% of the jobs you apply for turn into an interview you're on the right track with your personal branding (which includes your résumé and Linkedin profile).

Here are 3 ways rejection is NOT a slap in the face:

1. You're narrowing your niche.

We all know that when you try to build a product that pleases everyone, you end up pleasing NO ONE because chances are if your grandma loves that dress, you'll hate it.

So what makes you think your product manager résumé that focuses on directing teams will work for a scrum master role, a coaching role that does not involve directing teams and encourages self-organization?

Narrowing your niche results in a confident brand where you're clear about what you want and why you're the best fit for that role.

It means you'll attract recruiters that are hiring for your ideal role and it also means you get unfollowed by recruiters that don't align with your brand (which is a good thing).

2. You're making space for the "RIGHT FIT"

Nothing is more insulting than going through a ton of interview rejections (for jobs you hated in the first place). Getting unfollowed or rejected earlier in the process frees up your time for opportunities that are a better fit.

It also saves you from having 10 different résumé versions, since you are clear on what that ideal role is.

3. It's nothing personal

It's easy to take a rejection personally, whether it's an interview or an unfollow. We internalize it and end up thinking it's a lack of skillset or that we're not good enough.

Chocolate ice cream isn't "better" than strawberry ice cream. It's just a matter of preference and needs.

And while I teach my clients NLP techniques to build rapport with hiring managers,

if you're going for roles that are not aligned with your sweet spot or interviewing for a role at a company with a toxic environment...then you definitely dodged a bullet!

During a recent coaching session on how to deliver a compelling presentation, my clients were surprised to hear I purposely create social media content that deters job seekers who are not a right fit for my program. My niche is hidden gems, go-getters, and people with a growth mindset. This allows me to focus my time on people who are a fit and need my help.

So unless you are getting a ton of rejections, don't immediately assume it is a "bad" thing. Pleasing everyone is NOT the solution.

Take a step back and look at the BIG PICTURE and ask yourself the following questions:

• How many applications have you sent out in the past month?
• How many of them converted into an interview?
• How many of the interviews turned into rejections?

Depending on your answers, you may realize you're fixing the wrong things and doing more harm than good...like not knowing what your career sweet spot is.

So before you start butchering your résumé and stuffing it with keywords, I'm happy to offer a free career diagnosis to help you understand the root cause of the problem.

DM me 'GROWTH'.