Staying positive during your job search is not only advised, it is essential! Here’s why.
So you have taken on board all the advice and acted on it. You created a great CV and wrote a powerful cover letter that did the trick and got you an interview. You researched the company as the books and websites advised you to, turned up looking smart and confident.
You overcame your interview nerves, answered the difficult questions and built up a great rapport with the interviewer who congratulated you for a great interview. Then a week later you are informed that unfortunately you have not got the job.
Your natural reaction might be to blame yourself and ask yourself what you did wrong. Don’t! It’s during these times that you need to stay positive.
Here’s why knowing how to deal with rejection after an interview is a sad part of the job search process.
No matter how seriously and thoroughly you prepare or how carefully you plan, there is no guarantee that all your hard work will always end with a happy ending. The honest cold facts are there are going to be times when you are not successful.
This is when you have to be your strongest and most positive. Do not think that you were unsuccessful, but that another candidate was successful. That might seem like no comfort, but remember the time will come when you will be offered the job ahead of someone else.
Staying positive by separating yourself from rejection after an interview
The most important thing to remember is that you have not been personally rejected, someone else has made a decision that they believe is right. It is a judgement call that you can only start understanding if you accept the news in a positive manner.
Did you know the other candidates? Did the person who got the job have better qualifications or more experience than you? Was there an internal candidate who knew the company inside out?
There are too many possibilities for you to consider. Rather than spending your time pondering, contact the company or interviewer and politely ask for positive feedback from your interview and any suggestions they may feel could be beneficial to you. This will be a great help to you for any future interviews.
Staying positive despite an interview rejection
Even though you have just received bad news, believing in yourself and maintaining a positive outlook is the best way forward. It might seem easier said than done at this frustrating time, but staying positive does work. So perhaps think of your favourite film star, sporting star, model or entrepreneur. Read their life stories.
Most will tell you of the rejections they have faced and overcome and how it made them stronger. The novelist J.K. Rowling is the perfect example, she wrote a book, was unsure whether she could get it published suffered rejection on more than one occasion, but finally someone recognised her skills and believed in her. The rest is history. Adopt the same positive approach and you too will succeed.
Staying positive after an interview rejection by moving on
If you have been unsuccessful after an interview, do not beat yourself up. That interview has gone. Use your experience in a positive way to prepare you for the next interview.
Consider how you answered some of the difficult interview questions you faced?
Should you have given a different answer to a popular interview question?
Go over the ones you are not confident about and the chances are you will do much better next time.
Perhaps using the services of a good professional Interview Coach will help you reduce the chance of facing rejection after an interview.
Working together, you will gain confidence by developing interview techniques that work for you. You can get great advice and eliminate areas of concern.
Their advice should not apply for one specific interview, but will give you the tools to approach further interviews positively.
How do you cope with interview disappointments. Have you got any tips, comments or questions that you would like to share with our users? Please use our form below and we will review then add them to the site where possible.
