How to Deal With Rejection During a Job Search

The job search process can be lonely and full of rejection. And rejection can be difficult to take on a continued basis, regardless of how far you get in the interview process.

Yet, rejection comes with the territory of looking for a new job and many times job seekers do not even get an opportunity for an interview.

So, how do we deal with all this rejection? Here are five ways to deal with rejection during the job search.

Understand what it means that you didn’t get the job and what it doesn’t mean. There are many reasons an applicant might not get a call for an interview or might not get the job after the interview. The company could have been looking for someone with a specific skill or experience managing a particular kind of team. Just because you didn’t have the desired skill set for one position does not mean you were not a good candidate for the job, despite how discouraging the rejection can be. It’s important to avoid reading too much into things when you do not get that job offer.

Build a network of support. Surround yourself with people who encourage you and believe in your skills and strengths. This is not the time to deal with negative people. Find your team of supporters and consult with them during your job search.

Use the experience to build resilience. This is primarily about your mindset. Of course, many times in life we have to face rejection and hardship and we can use difficult times to develop the skills and resources necessary to build resilience in our lives.

Focus on what you can control. Consider the aspects of your job search that you can control: the jobs you apply to, the presentation of your resume, your cover letter, and improving your interviewing skills. Let go of the things you have no control of, such as if the company chooses to interview you for the job or offers you the position.

Keep at it (and perhaps take a risk). Don’t give up. Stay after it and the right fit between your skills and what the company needs will come along. Or perhaps this is the time to take a risk and start your own company. Maybe the boss you need to offer you a job is you!

Daily Leap Career Video of the Week: Be Willing to Be Uncomfortable

Each week we present our Daily Leap Career Video of the Week. The video we share presents news or advice related to career development, searching for a job, the economy and employment, and other career-related topics.

In the video below Evan Carmichael and T. Harv Eker, author of Secrets of the Millionaire Mind, discuss the importance of taking risks and being willing to be uncomfortable for success in life and in your career.

High 5 Weekly Career Transitions Roundup: Taking Risks and Standing Out

This is our weekly roundup of some of the best career-related articles, interviews, blogs, etc., we've read during the week. We share these every weekend so you have some great resources to prepare you for the coming week. Enjoy!

© Bellemedia | Stock Free Images & Dreamstime Stock Photos

• Finding a Job Through Networking Groups: "You might not hear about a job opportunity day one in networking, but if you pay attention and make your intentions of finding a job known,opportunities will find you."

• Why Getting Comfortable With Discomfort Is Crucial to Success: "[A]s every successful person will tell you, it’s only by being willing to make mistakes and try something new that you can ever accomplish more than what’s been done before."


• How to Stand Out in a Crowded Job Market--Forget the Traditional Resume: "[F]or those who are willing to stand out, there is still a ton of opportunity. The first step to standing out and getting your dream job is to start thinking of your resume as one of many tools that you may use to get a job. Then, you must find a novel way to approach companies that you’d like to work for."


• How to Get Hired for Your Dream Job: "
  Your employment career will be a journey not a final destination. Furthermore, what may be your dream today may change tomorrow. A dream job is a job that is helping you progress toward your dreams

  .
  "


• Preventing Rejection at Work: "[W]e all thrive on being connected to others. Don't let your office become a place where people feel threatened by rejection. Instead, bring your conversational intelligence to work." 

High 5 Weekly Career Transitions Roundup

This is our weekly roundup of some of the best career-related articles, interviews, blogs, etc., we've read during the week. We share these every weekend so you have some great resources to prepare you for the coming week. Enjoy!

1. 9 Things Successful People Do Differently
"It’s not surprising that getting specific about what you want to achieve is a good thing, what’s surprising is how good it is ... It turns out that you’re multiple times more likely to reach your goal if you get very specific about it."

2. 7 Things You'd Better Do If You Want to Get Promoted 
"If you want promotion you need a clear goal of where you want to be promoted to – in some companies you could be promoted to a job where you are doing the same work for more money."

© Bellemedia | Stock Free Images & Dreamstime Stock Photos 

3. 8 Work Habits That Will Kill Your Career
"Your work might be fantastic, but if no one knows about it, it won't help your reputation, your salary, or your advancement opportunities."

4. Managing Risk in Career Decisions
"Any new job offer is an opportunity. But with opportunity comes risk. Deciding whether to take the new role or stay where you are is a tough choice."

5. 10 Phrases That Are Holding Your Career Back 
"How you phrase and frame your message colors the way people perceive you. The words you choose may be the difference between being thought of as problem-solver or a problem."

High Five Weekly Career Transitions Roundup

This is our weekly roundup of some of the best career-related articles, interviews, blogs, etc., we've read during the week. We share these every weekend so you have some great resources to prepare you for the coming week. Enjoy!

1. 5 Ways to Rebound from a Layoff
"When you get laid off, it hurts. You're thrown completely off-course, and usually at the worst possible time."


2. How to Explain the Gap on Your Resume
"If you’ve been downsized or jumped from project to project with some noticeable gaps in the timeline of your resume, you’re not alone."

3. Don't Like Your Job? Change It (Without Quitting)
"Maybe you're in the wrong field, don't enjoy the work, feel surrounded by untrustworthy coworkers, or have an incompetent boss. Most people would tell you to find something that's a better fit. But that may not be possible."

4.  Second Job Interview: 5 Ways to Seal the Deal  
"Congratulations -- you've landed a second interview with your dream employer ... Now you just need to win them over. Here are five great tips that will help you snag the job."

5. Embracing Risk in Career Decisions
"If you want your career to take off, you may need to do the opposite of what risk managers try to do: Instead of focusing on how to reduce risks, you may need to embrace and enhance them."

High Five Weekly Career Transitions Roundup

This is our weekly roundup of some of the best career-related articles, interviews, blogs, etc., we've read during the week. We share these every weekend so you have some great resources to prepare you for the coming week. Enjoy!

1. 8 Steps to Build Relationships after a Networking Event
"These eight steps should be started and worked through immediately. The timeliness of follow-up is critical. You will want to get back to people while you are both fresh in each other’s minds."

2. Step Up to Advance Your Career
"Go after those projects that are valued by company leaders where you can flex your muscles, showcase your strengths, and demonstrate that you’re the right person for the job."

3. 18 Proven Ways to Help Recruiters Find You on LinkedIn
"LinkedIn is an excellent resource for improving a job search by allowing job hunters to make new contacts with recruiters and companies that might not have found them otherwise."

4.  Beware the "Tell Me About Yourself" Job Interview Question  
" The 'tell me about yourself' question is certainly not a request for a brief personal biography! Your answer to the question definitely should be laser-focused on the specific task at hand."

5. In the Job Search, Your Comfort Zone is the Danger Zone!
"Trying to accomplish what needs to be done while only doing those things that are easy and comfortable for you is a recipe for mediocrity or failure!"


AND one Bonus for the week!


6. 10 High-Risk Sci-Fi/Fantasy Careers
"Explore the galaxy, meet interesting people, and capture them for cash money! There's never been a better time to get into bounty hunting."