Facing Repeated Job Rejection? How to Bounce Back & Keep Moving Forward

The job hunt can be brutal, especially if you’ve faced rejection after rejection. Fortunately, we have some tips and tricks to help you regain your confidence, along with some things you could do differently going forward. If you think you could benefit from a staffing expert in your corner, get in touch with our team at SURESTAFF today!

Take a Break

Rejection hurts. When you are rejected, take some time to honor your feelings. Cry it out, hit the gym, or take a hot bubble bath. Trying to pretend it doesn’t matter will only make you feel worse. Repeated rejection can cause stress that gets worse over time. Review these anxiety hacks to calm your nerves.

Get Some Support

Meryl Streep was told she wasn’t pretty enough for the movies. Steve Jobs was once fired from Apple. Twelve different publishers rejected the manuscript for Harry Potter. Rejection is something we all face, which makes it easy to find others who understand how you feel. Talk to your friends, consider other careers that build on your strengths, listen to podcasts on overcoming rejection, or make an appointment with a therapist.

Thank the Interviewer

It sounds counterintuitive, but you should always send a thank you note after being rejected. You can ask for feedback to help you improve or simply turn it into a networking opportunity. Either way, you will leave a positive impression.

Reflect on the Situation

Job rejection feels personal, but it almost never is. Maybe you were overqualified. Perhaps another candidate had a very specific skill that the company was looking for. The position could have been eliminated or the CEO’s daughter may have needed a job.

You’ll never really know exactly what happened, so the best thing you can do is determine whether you felt shaky or not confident with any part of the process. If so, focus on improving those skills.

Target Your Strengths

You can’t avoid all rejection. But you can take some time to analyze your strengths and make sure you are highlighting them at all points of the process. Are they clear from your resume and your cover letter? Are you presenting them and your soft skills confidently during interviews? Lead with your strengths and the rest will follow. Are you using all the job hunting techniques to your advantage? Are you working with a temp agency to help with your job search? If you’re new to working with temp agencies, review this guide.

Grow Stronger

If you go through this complete process every time you are rejected, you will gradually grow stronger. You’ll get better and better at analyzing each situation, without your emotions clouding your judgment. Eventually, you will hone your skills to the point that you land your next job.

Ready for a new job?

If you want expert help with your job hunt, start your search with SURESTAFF today! Contact us today! We can help you find a light industrial position in Illinois, Indiana, or Wisconsin.