There’s always an excitement that runs through you every time you get called for an interview. That is followed by nervous energy and then weeks of anticipation. And what if, after all this, all you get is an interview rejection “Thank for you for applying…”?
It feels jerked around – you were given a chance and then it got snatched, just like that. This leads to an array of emotions being set up, ranging from disappointment to despair.
But as much as we’d want to avoid it, it’s a part of our life. And an essential one, if we may. It brings with it an immense potential for your personal and professional growth. So, if you’ve experienced one (and were unable to sanely deal with it) or if you’re going through one – keep the following few things in mind. These will not only stop it from affecting you beyond a limit, but also ensure that you learn from it, and eventually bounce back stronger.
1. It doesn’t define you
Despite knowing that a job rejection shouldn’t be taken personally, it’s often difficult to do so. If the rejection (or the thought of it, for those who’re untouched yet) makes you wonder about your capabilities as a whole, you’ve pretty much let it define you.
And that’s okay. We all have been there.
But, if we put things in perspective employers generally pick the candidate that fits their precise needs. That counts for a lot of things, including your qualification, experience, skills, and many more.
In fact, if there are 10 people sitting for an interview and if they chose just 1, are the other 9 any less?
And to place your entire self-worth in the hands of people is self-sabotaging. When you are turned down for a job, it is not your value that is being rejected; rather, the interviewers may perceive you as not meeting their needs in some way. Perhaps you lack the experience they were seeking, or maybe you were missing some idiosyncratic trait they were looking for. Or just maybe you were off that day and said something goofy. Either way, none of it reflects your self-worth.
2. Knock the job off its pedestal.
No matter how lucrative a job may seem at first, every job has its drawbacks. And if you were turned down for a position you were so eagerly wanting, consider that the job may not be good for you either.
Perhaps there are some skills you need to acquire that the job may not have given you, or there is another position or job that will actually take your career higher. Keep giving other interviews a shot and don’t let any job role/position get to your head. At the end of the day, it’s just a job, and there’s always a learning curve when it comes to interviews.
3. Get good at rejection.
If you’re the one to want to improve your life by putting yourself out there and taking risks, you’re likely to face rejection. Nothing is smooth, and there will be hurdles along the way. Facing rejections is a sign that you’re actually on to something. Of course, this isn’t something that you’ll say to yourself immediately after being rejected – that is the moment of introspection. But, if some time has passed, and the rejection still disturbs you and the only thing it has taught you is sorrow, you need to consider that it’s forcing you to learn to accept it while moving forward.
4. Make the interview process work for you.
When you’re rejected from a job interview, it tends to feel like you put in so many efforts just for them to go in vain. Especially if the whole process was long, gruesome, and drawn out. But, if you really think that you can make the interview work in your favor, you are less inclined to feel like you are left with nothing.
The best way to get the most out of any interview process is to consider that you’ve learned a lot from your experience. Further, you can use that learning to enhance your career pursuits. Just by taking part in the interview process, you are practicing interview skills, and also clearing the concepts required to bag a job. And believe it or not, you’re also building a lot of connections this way. Use all these to make the future interviews work for you.
So, if you’ve ever been rejected, or if you are afraid of rejection – keep the above-discussed points in mind. They will not only help you overcome the rejection but also ensure that you bounce back stronger, much stronger. Also, if you’re looking to get started with tech interview preparations, Coding Ninjas offers online interview preparation courses where you can get yourself enrolled to cover all bases.
To read more about tech interview preparation, click here.
