Not Rejected, Just Auto-Rejected

So, you’ve just received an automated email from that dream job you were so certain you’d get. Your qualifications match the job perfectly (you even copy-pasted the bullet points) but it wasn't enough.

The subject line reads something like: "Thank you for your interest," which is HR-speak for, "We actually don't want to get to know the real you." But don’t worry, my fellow job-seeker, because guess what? You weren’t truly rejected. You were barely glanced at for about 5 seconds by an often-overwhelmed and disengaged recruiter before being sent an automated "no thanks."

Need a bit of a pick-me-up after the only replies from your job applications were "rejections"? Read through the top three reasons why you need to stay motivated, confident in your skills, and keep playing the job application game.

1. You Were a Blip on Someone's Radar

Let’s face it, it wasn’t a person who spent hours deliberating over your application—it was a busy HR rep, often entry-level, who skimmed your resume for a few seconds before moving on or just an automated scan into the "no" pile. Format off? Didn't like your name? Resume didn't load quickly enough? Or better yet, someone internal or a friend was selected for the role? You didn’t fail to impress a human; you were just another name in a stack of thousands. And isn’t that a little comforting? After all, who cares about a fleeting 5-second judgment?

2. They are Probably Looking for a Unicorn

Even if someone did look at your resume, they may be looking for the "ideal" candidate. This mythical creature has ten years of experience in a technology that’s only existed for two, has a title a level above the position they are hiring for, and worked for three of their competitors. It's impossible to know exactly what the company is screening for, and with the job application process as personal as direct mail, you aren't able to explain why you're the right fit.

3. The Job Application Process is Broken

We’ve all heard of the resume black hole, that mysterious place where applications disappear, never to be seen again. Your resume is floating somewhere in space while you're sitting at home wondering if they are going to call you for an interview. The general rule of thumb is to apply to at least 150-200 jobs in order to see any results. The rate of response for resumes that have been done professionally is approximately 2%. Unless every single business professional in the world is being "rejected," this is just the norm and part of playing the game.

At one point in my career, I was interviewing for a position and made it past the second round. I was scheduled for my third and final interview when I received a "rejection" email. Guess what? It was automated and just something the system did regularly. I was still scheduled for the role, and the team was embarrassed. No one looked at my application prior to that email being sent to see that I was actually a final candidate.

A rejection email is someone or a computer saying, "Thanks for playing." The only way to actually lose the game is to give up. You have to keep trying, learn the right cheat codes, and eventually, you will get a job.

Remember, a rejection email isn't a rejection. They didn't spend the time getting to know you, and you didn't spend time getting to know them either. Maybe that perfect job isn't so perfect anyway.

Interested in how a coach can help you create a fulfilling career? Schedule a time to chat here .

- Ben

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