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Job searching can be an absolute pain. After actively looking for a full time role for months, I’ve had my fair share of countless rejection letters and worst of all, being ‘ghosted’!
The most important thing through my journey was to always maintain a strong mindset, which wasn’t as easy.
So how do you deal with constant rejection while maintaining a positive attitude? Here are practical tips.
1. Work on your Mindset
This is probably one of the hardest but, not an impossible skill to cultivate. No matter what anyone says, rejection letters do hurt. If you're not careful, most of the time one negative thought ends up building to an endless spiral of ‘what ifs?’, ‘why me?’ and so forth. Try keeping a journal to write your thoughts down or if you’re not into writing, find a way to let out the frustration. Accept the hurt, find a way to deal with it and move forward. You can also find tonnes of articles, podcasts, videos etc that can boost your motivation.
2. Don’t take it personally
I don’t know about you but when I receive rejection letters, the first thing that comes to mind is ‘maybe they didn’t like me’ or ‘I did something wrong’. However, in most cases, companies have other reasons to objecting. Regardless of the situation, do not take anything personally! Say thank you, NEXT!
3. Use the experience for development
One thing I’m grateful for from the months of uncertainty and constant mind battles was gaining personal development skills. Some include adaptability, problem-solving, communication, work-ethic, interpersonal skills and so much more. When you're under constant evaluation and feedback, you’ll have no choice but to actively work on your skills. In a way, it keeps you on your toes! So if you’re looking for a new role, use this experience to grow.
4. Always have a plan B-Z
Don’t depend on one role. Keep your options opens and have a backup plan. Until you sign a contract, you’ve got nothing! Even if you've got to the final stage of the interview, don’t stop there. One thing to keep in mind is that the world does not owe you anything. Just because you have a degree and a bit of work experience doesn’t mean you’ll get the job. So be smart and analyse the variables to your advantage.
5. Know you’re not alone and it’s not the end of the world
It gave me great comfort when I met other people who were facing the same adversities during my job hunting days. Go to networking events, there you will find people with similar work situation. You can even get contacts that will come in handy while looking for a new opportunity.
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