It’s a tough old world out there and when you’re up against a pretty bleak job market, you can often feel like giving up. Whether you receive a rejection email, or never hear from the company again, feeling as if you’ve failed in your job search can be a crushing experience.
But hang on in there! All is not lost when rejection hits; you can use it to fuel your quest for employment and learn from your mistakes. Here’s how:
Don’t use others as a barometer
You’re going to need to brace yourself before diving in. The jobs market is a tricky field to navigate and there are plenty of people all looking for their perfect job too.
Industries such as digital marketing and construction are booming if you’ve got the skills to pay the bills, but the same can’t be said for other sectors. It’s this fact that people often forget as they see their friends around them find the perfect new job, whilst you’re still searching.
Don’t forget, you can’t necessarily compare your job search to theirs, especially if they’re working in another sector. Seeing your friends celebrating a new job on Facebook can be gut-wrenching when you’ve just received another rejection email, but try not to compare yourself to others. Everyone’s circumstances are different, so play the long game. You could end up being better off than your friends in a few years’ time, so don’t get too downbeat.
Double check your references
Many people assume that employers don’t check their references and simply put down the details of their old managers without prior notice. This myth can really hinder you during the recruitment process. If your prospective employer calls to check and your reference is not prepared because you didn’t notify them, it can reflect badly on you.
This is a mistake you won’t make twice!
Ask for feedback
This is a common suggestion, but not many people actually take heed of it! You’re more than welcome to email your interviewer as to why you didn’t get the job. What’s the worst they can do, ignore your email?
We’re so afraid of criticism that we don’t stop to think that they might have something nice to say. ‘You were great, but unfortunately another candidate had more experience’ might just be the reason they give, but even if they do have some negative points about the interview, it’s best to know now before you head out for another and make the same mistakes!
Stop overthinking it
We know you’re made for this, but the truth is that sometimes there are better candidates. You didn’t get rejected because of how your hair looked, or based on your weak handshake; think logically about this! Beating yourself up over something like this is only going to make you feel down in yourself and wreck your confidence.
Is this what you want to do?
Passion is the one thing you truly cannot fake. If a prospective employer gets the idea that this isn’t the job you really want, then there’s no reason they should give it to you over someone that does.
Not only that, but it’s not fair on you to force yourself into a profession you don’t want to be in. Think long and hard about what you’re applying for and whether it’s really right for you. A desperate job search can lead to you applying for anything and everything, but you’re only going to cause yourself more hassle chasing jobs you don’t really want.
Adopting the scattergun approach when job hunting is never wise.
Article supplied by Forward Role. The company specialises in recruiting for all marketing disciplines including Digital, Creative and Analytics.
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