Don’t get discouraged, you can use this experience as a career development opportunity...
We’ve all been there. The rejection call. It’s not a nice experience, especially if it’s one in a series of rejections you’ve had recently. You may have done your preparation for the interview, perhaps it even went well. So it’s even more disappointing when it doesn’t turn out the way you want. It can leave you both frustrated and disheartened. It is, however, important to remember that you can not let this rejection demotivate you or knock your confidence. This could impact your future job interviews in a negative way. Here are a few steps you can take to ensure you keep motivated and positive after that dreaded rejection call.
Don’t take it personally
You’re not going to land every job you apply for, especially at the beginning of your career. A lot of people feel frustrated or shocked by rejection at first, but don’t take it too personally. It’s hard not to be disheartened when you are constantly being told no or you are not good enough. Make sure you reevaluate why you are getting these rejections. Take some time to reflect on it. Take the time to talk it out with a friend or colleague and then, when you are ready, start applying for jobs again!
Ask for feedback
When you’ve been rejected from a job, your initial thought might be “why?”. You can spend hours or days analysing it. Stop and make sure you ask for feedback. It’s perfectly acceptable to ask, although you might not always get it. Feedback can genuinely help you with your future job applications. Some hiring managers will be happy to give you constructive feedback and by asking you’re showing them you’re interested in personal development. This could reflect well with them for future job opportunities in the team.
Don’t burn bridges
It is important to realise that your industry may not be as big as you think it is and being rude or disrespectful after getting rejected from a job, may not be the best idea. It is frustrating but giving yourself a bad reputation in the industry could harm your future job prospects. The digital marketing industry is small and everyone does know everyone. You’ll find people talk to each other and you don’t want to get a bad reputation as a sore loser. If you do get rejected from a job, be sure to thank the interviewer, be polite and respectful. Try adding them on LinkedIn, building up your network and contacts is a great way to keep up with the company’s future hires and shows your interest in the company too.
Think why you didn’t get the job?
What could you have done better? Interviews can be a nerve-wracking time. Maybe they got the better of you during the interview process. Maybe you didn’t do enough research into the role or ask enough questions. Take a step back and reevaluate what went wrong. Review your CV and cover letters. Really think about what went wrong during your interview. It will help you for future interviews, identifying what your weak points are is important so you can work on them and better prepare them for your next interview.
Take the feedback and learn from it
It’s not easy to hear you haven’t gotten the job you wanted. However, when you have processed and evaluated your interview skills and perfected your interview techniques, practice them with family, friends or even colleagues. If you are struggling with interviews, we have a great article to help in your job interview preparation. You will come back stronger and be more motivated to get going again and start applying for your dream jobs again!
Applying for jobs is hard and getting rejected from one is even harder. If you don’t reevaluate your application and interview technique your chances of improvement for your future interviews are not going to get better, and not a lot will change with your job applications.
Give yourself time after you get a rejection, work on your CV and your applications. Make them better and practise your interview skills, practice and be more confident to go into your next job interview and secure the career move you really want!
If you’re looking for more job seeking tips, we’ve got you covered:
- 💡 Job Search Red Flags You Should Pick Up On
- 💡 Think you’re under-qualified? So what?
- 💡 8 Ways To Prepare For A Digital Marketing Job Interview
If you’re looking for help to find a great new digital marketing job, email your CV to our recruiters at jobs@clockworktalent.com. We can then arrange a discreet call, so we can discuss your experience, skills and ambitions; along with details of the jobs, we’re hiring.
