When one door closes...

"Thank you for your application. Upon review of your skills and experience against our requirements, we have decided not to progress you to the next round of interviews."

"Thank you for your interest in the position. Unfortunately you have been unsuccessful at this time."

"Thank you for your e-mail, but the position has already been filled."

The above messages are all from actual e-mails I've received from companies and recruiters during my career.  

Have you ever received a similar e-mail? How did it make you feel?

I've always felt rejected and disappointed. And I didn't feel very good about myself afterwards.

But I know deep down that there's usually something else waiting around the corner.

Here are three examples from my own career.

-A few years ago, I interviewed for and was offered a role with a law firm in the Caribbean. Palm trees, white sandy beaches, cocktails with little umbrellas... Yep, the whole shabang. However, before I signed on the dotted line, the law firm wanted me to fly over and visit the islands at their expense (which sounded like an excellent idea to me!). A couple of days before I was meant to book my flights, I declined the offer for personal reasons. A few months later, a huge Category 5 hurricane wreaked havoc across the islands leading to significant damage and loss of life, and the semi-permanent relocation of the firm's staff.

-A little while ago, I applied for a regional role at a global and very well-known Fortune 500 company. After two interviews over the phone and a week of waiting, the recruiter informed me that my application has been unsuccessful. A few months later, I read in the newspaper that the company had been acquired by a competitor, and most of the staff would lose their jobs.

-Many years ago, I applied for a role at a leading Magic Circle law firm's office in a particular city in the Middle East. The food, the culture and the travel... it was too good an opportunity to pass up! The Skype interview had been tentatively lined up, but a few days before the call, the firm pulled out. Two months later, a huge bomb blast went off in the centre of that city, and the country descended into significant political turmoil for the ensuing few years.

OK, those examples were pretty morbid. But you get the idea.

Just because something hasn't worked out as you had planned doesn't mean that it's the end of the world.

We've all been there.

Keep your chin up and stay strong.

Because when one door closes, another door (or window) usually opens!