Rejection can be an incredibly scary idea. You put in the long hours perfecting your resume. You go in and use all the interview tips you’ve learned. You craft the perfect follow-up e-mail. And then, you receive a letter saying someone else was hired. It can be a crushing blow, but it doesn’t have to be. Rejection can be the perfect learning opportunity, and usually will be if you let it.
First off, rejection teaches you that you have more to learn. Maybe you graduated top of your class. Maybe you were dynamite at your last position. Maybe you have the best letters of recommendation that you’ve ever seen. And yet, you were still rejected. What this means is- there is still plenty of room to grow. Just because you excelled, in previous stages of your life, does not mean that you will always get what you think you want.
Rejection also reminds us that we don’t always have complete control over our lives, which is really good to remember. Maybe you had a stunning CV but your personality wouldn’t gel with the rest of the workplace. Or, maybe you had a perfect personality, but you lacked the proper skill-set. There are usually a number of factors that go into an employer’s decision, and you cannot possibly control all of them. Rejection can be a good place to reflect and remember what it is that you can control, and what it is that you can’t.
It is also important to remember that almost everyone gets rejected at some point- especially those who go on to do great things later in life. Albert Einstein had his first doctorate rejected. London-based record company RSO rejected U2’s first single. The Museum of Modern Art in New York would not even accept a drawing done by Andy Warhol as a gift! All three of these figures went on to be wildly successful, despite (or because of) their rejection. If you have been rejected recently, remember that you are not alone, rejection is an important part of growth. The other great thing about being rejected is that you are free to ask for feedback. With no job on the line you can be open about your weaknesses, and look to find out more about them. No one is stopping you from responding to rejection letters with questions about why you weren’t selected. Find out if it was because of a gap in your resume, or if it had to do with an interpersonal interaction. It never hurts to ask.
When you really strive to get what you want in life, and then you get it, it feels a lot better than when it just lands in your lap. Treat every rejection as part of your journey, and when you finally land your job it will feel that much more fantastic. Rejection is tough, but if you fight through the negative aspects you will be amazed at how positive the experience can be.