This week, our Guest Editor Scott Bryan is exploring the theme "Reasons to be Cheerful" – and nothing feels less cheerful than being rejected. Unfortunately, rejection is inevitable, so Scott has put together a guide to seeing the bright side of it...
“Your application has not been successful.”
The sentence that every single person who has applied for a job, or work experience or has attended an audition, dreads to read. UGH.
There’s no “You were this good, but you were just pipped to the post”. You just see these dry corporate words, leaving even the most optimistic individual feeling demoralised. You just think that the employer is sitting there in their office cackling, shoving your application into a rotating paper shredder, while drinking a glass of port.
So what do you do next? I’ve been asking you guys in the IdeasMag Twitter community for your experiences of rejection, as well as the experts.
1. Face the facts
The problem with applying for different opportunities is that it feels totally one-sided. You assume that it was all down to your application and it was your ability that stopped you from getting that job.
The fact is, even if you did the research and did a top-notch application, it can be impossible to know how many people you were up against and what the employer was really looking for. A recruitment consultant, who wished to remain anonymous, told me that, “Even someone who misses out by a hair and is a really close second may well not get much more than a simple ‘thanks but no thanks’”.
An obvious choice is to get feedback. It can work, but remember, getting feedback may not be possible either. You are not a priority. Mr Anon Recruiter again: “These days you'll be one of many applications, so giving any kind of detailed response is nearly impossible… It's nothing personal!”
2. Seek advice
Contact your mates or parents – text them, ring them, scream and vent: it is why they are there.
They also might be sources of inspiration. Frit Sarita Tam turned to her mother. “She was unemployed for over a year and at over 50 she was being constantly rejected.” Frit found it admirable that her mother was able to overcome her obstacles and later became a CEO, which gave her the energy to give the applying lark another go.
Connecting with people working within the industry can be invaluable. “It will help you keep faith in yourself and your aspirations, as you can find out if you are or aren't on the right track”, says Huw Allen, a wannabe theatre producer. It also might address issues of how you are selling yourself.
So, how can you do this? Ask around – connect with members on IdeasTap or with experts on Twitter and LinkedIn. Just remember the two golden rules:
- Don’t blitz people for feedback. Take the time to share your interests and develop relationships by interacting with them, before you’re even at that stage.
- You are on the internet. Don’t bitch.
Seeking help now might help you to avoid rejection next time, or the next five times, or the next 50 times.
3. Get distracted
Taking your time on distractions might actually be an advantage. Projects can help you show off your creativity and give you the time to consider other options, if you find that your current strategy isn’t working.
“I think side-projects are where it's at – [they let] you continue to develop your skills [and] show that you're independent to employers,” explains Joe Burnham, a writer from London. “And [they give] you something to talk about when people ask about that eight-month gap on your CV!”
4. Always try to stay positive
Whatever you do, whether it’s battle on with another application because you’re in the mood, seek help from a potential employer or expert, or spend 18 hours alone in your flat in your underpants, just remember not to beat yourself up about it.
Having a positive mind-frame can also be an advantage in an interview, or an audition. Will Davies, who runs the Spa here at IdeasTap, says, “If you are feeling down or negative, you do yourself a disservice. You end up selling yourself short.”
Do you have any more advice you wish to share? Let us know in the comments or tweet at Scott.
Read more How to articles.
Image: Not Yet Another Failure by Behrooz Nobakht, available under a CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 license.
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