Any interview can end in a rejection, that may seem devastating for fresh graduates. However, if each rejection is perceived as the collapse of all hopes, you will quickly lose faith in yourself, and the next interviews will be even more difficult. But there is another option: turn recruiters’ rejections into a development opportunity.
Be prepared for rejection
Hundreds and thousands of people apply for jobs with good benefits and salaries. So the chance of not getting an offer is quite high. To reduce anxiety and soberly assess your fears, work with the thought of a possible rejection. Exaggerate the consequences, bring the idea to the point of absurdity. Imagine how a recruiter ridicules your last name, managers tell you off for your appearance and threaten to call your parents, and the CEO personally expels you from the building. When the scenario becomes as fantastic as possible, the tension will subside.
Rejection reduces motivation because it makes you doubt your professional worth. The fear of rejection itself increases the chances of getting a negative response based on the results of the selection.
Look at the situation from the outside
Think about whether the area where you are looking for a job is suitable for you. For example, in sales, it is important to communicate a lot with customers, to be active and energetic. The interview will end with a rejection if a quiet and thoughtful introvert claims to be the perfect seller. Having been refused, compare your personal qualities with the requirements in vacancies in your specialty.
In order for the refusal to be beneficial, find out the reasons. Take the chance to look at your experience through the eyes of an employer. If you plan to look for a job in the same direction, it is useful to know which criteria will be key to your position.
Find out the reasons for the rejection
They can be formal and informal. Usually, the recruiter writes about the final decision. In response to the rejection letter, politely and calmly ask for feedback. If you were rejected due to lack of experience or skills, it will be easier to fix the situation. After receiving the answer, you will know exactly what is worth working on.
The reasons that don’t relate to formal requirements will be more difficult to find out. But often the reasons can be guessed by the general atmosphere in the team and indirect signs: the style of communication, the tone and topics of conversations in the office, and even by the way employees look. Take a look around. Perhaps you will realize yourself that you do not fit into this company.
Ask for advice
People like to help and share their experiences. If your answers did not convince the employer during the interview, it is useful to find out what the reason is. Ask the recruiter to explain what confused him when communicating with you. Say that you have little experience in job search and perhaps you don’t notice your mistakes.
Acknowledge the justice of the refusal if you know about your shortcomings. A candidate who is able to adequately assess themselves is more likely to be given a useful feedback.
Save the connections for the future
The lack of experience is quickly filled up, so later you can return to the conversation about working in the company of interest. If you are rejected, do not hesitate to offer yourself as a reserve. Explain that you understand your growth areas and plan to work on them.
Say that a recommendation would help you a lot if one of the recruiter’s clients were looking for a specialist of your level. Recruiters often collaborate with several companies or help colleagues in the same field in their search. It’s good if your resume is transferred to another employer. It may take a while for a good offer to arrive, but you will be remembered anyway.
Work on the errors
After collecting all the reviews and understanding the reasons, draw conclusions. It may be worth looking for jobs with a different set of requirements. Or change the scope of the search.
If you did not receive an offer due to gaps in experience or an unsuccessful resume, correct what you can.
The main thing is to understand that refusal is normal, especially when you’re looking for a graduate job. You may not be suitable for one company, but you will fit perfectly into another. With any outcome of the interview, you have the opportunity to better evaluate your skills, learn more about the industry and make useful connections.
, but seeing it as a learning opportunity can change the game. Thanks for this post 