Losing out on a job can sting. Don't ruin your success! How to deal with job rejection blues.

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Applying to jobs is physically and mentally draining. There are multiple facets of successfully landing a job, and each job is unique and needs its own dedicated time and energy.

In addition to this, full-energy job hunting is a full-time affair, similar to intense training and college education.

Consider what a prospective candidate spend hours in a day trying to land a job:

• Networking for expanded career opportunities
• Adding projects to a professional portfolio to stick out
• Composing resumes for each job, fine-tuning to fit each role
• Researching job positions. their company and culture
• Applying for roles, filling out applications, questionnaires, and assessments
• Interviewing practicing, researching, doing; some companies can have more than 6+ rounds
• Studying for technical assessments, mock demonstrations, hands-on skill testing, etc.

"We have decided to go with a more experienced candidate[...]"

"We appreciate your interest, but the team is going in a different direction[...]"

"Our company wishes you success with your career search!"

"Thank you for your time to meet us. While you were an excellent candidate[...]"

How many times have you felt invested in a long job application process with a great company, camped out in your email inbox for days and weeks just hoping and praying that you move on to the next step, finally receiving communication back, only to see the dreaded words of rejection denying you an opportunity?

Let's take a step back and understand how we think about this.

We all fall into a negative mindset trap where you believe that it is your abilities, skills, and capability that was rejected. Somehow we convince ourselves that there is something wrong with us, and that is why companies aren't competing for me.

The truth is that job rejection does not equal incompetence.

Jobs, like snowflake crystal formations, are all distinct and unique.

Each individual job posting on the market have many differences between them, such as:

• Company industry
• Job roles
• Size of team
• Size of company
• Level of autonomy
• Compensation and benefits
• Managerial dynamics
• Company culture
• Utilization of tools and technology
• Team philosophy
• Cross-team collaboration
• Organizational hierarchy
• Office vs. remote work
• Skill emphasis
• Experience requirement

Since all jobs are different, rejection is not always a reflection of competence, but of a lack of a good fit or mismatch for the role. It is often out of the candidate's hands when they are not selected.

However, not all is lost. Rejection is an opportunity. Take it as such. Turn the heartbreak into a positive and rebound with energy.

Consider some different strategies to learn from a lost opportunity and improve:

• Reflect on what happened?- While it's easy to just forget about a lost job, its a good idea to reflect on the whole process, and understand any areas that have room for improvement
• Ask for additional feedback?- Self-analysis is great but is not good enough by itself. Reach out to the employer to figure out any shortcomings or insights that would have made a difference
• Tamper expectations?- There's still an ongoing pandemic, and the job market is highly competitive. Although it was never easy to get a job, the obstacles facing candidates today are as difficult as they've ever been. Since the odds are against you, The job hunt will require patience
• Stay positive?- We're human. It hurts losing an opportunity.?But being negative doesn't solve anything. Employers can tell how enthusiastic you are, and can also sense negativity. No need to dwell in depression. Instead, strike while the iron is hot and continue applying. All you need is one "yes".
• Adjust your approach?- Gather feedback from your personal and professional network to see if any constructive criticism can help make the next job application more successful

Demonstrating self-awareness and learning from rejection will keep your momentum going,

Eventually, with some practice and mental coaching, all job rejections will no longer phase you!

Written by Christian Talavera