With so much of our value and self-identity wrapped up in our job, when we find ourselves without one – we can feel lost, down and without a purpose. Couple this with what can now be longer than anticipated job searches due to a competitive job market, and repeated rejection, and you’re bound to be feeling unmotivated and disheartened.
So, how do you keep persisting through multiple rejections to improve your job search approach and maintain your confidence, motivation and passion for your career? Here’s some of our best ideas from the Sherpa’s at My Career My Move
1. Preparation is key
If you haven’t already, make sure you prepare in advance for your job interviews. Research the company and the people in it. LinkedIn can be a great tool to use to get to know the company, key staff and person or people who will be interviewing you.
But don’t stop there, read their website, familiarise yourself with their vision and mission and find out the kinds of customers that they work with. Think about how you could add value to them through your skills and experience. By doing this research you will not only give yourself the best chance at interview, but you will also be learning more about the industry you’re in and each of the players in it – information you can utilise in future interviews and jobs as well.
2. Ask for feedback
If you feel you’re doing everything right, but you keep getting only so far – ask for feedback! This is valuable learning you can take into the next job application and interview. The only way we grow is to identify our mistakes or areas to improve and what better person to offer you some constructive advice than someone who is looking at job applications all day long!
Granted, not every employer will provide feedback, but it’s worth asking. When it comes back, thank them and look at their input in the right perspective – it’s not a personal criticism that you need to get defensive over, but rather an opportunity to do better the next time round. This can also leave a good impression with the employer you were unsuccessful with, and you never know where this could lead in the future.
3. Work your network
Networking is crucial through the job search process – but don’t burden your contacts with finding you a job, leverage them for learning. If they are in the same industry as you, catch up with them to get at temperature check on the industry. Just remember that no one owes us a job, and your network will pitch in and help, but keep it focused on information gathering.
Questions to ask could include:
- What frustrations, opportunities, and challenges are you finding in the industry?
- Who are the key players at the moment?
- How did you get into this industry?
- What knowledge gaps do you see within organisations that will be needed in the future?
- Is there anyone else you’d recommend I talk with to find out more about what is going on in the industry?
You may also like to ask what their organisation looks for in new hires to get some input into other recruitment processes.
4. Remember it’s not personal
There’s no denying that rejection and knock backs hurt – put bluntly they suck! However, remember the recruitment process is designed for a company to find the best fit for them. You could have the right skills and experience, put forward a great resume and even perform well at interview – but someone else might be perceived as a better fit for the team. It doesn’t make you any less of a person than the successful candidate – just different.
This is where feedback can be so valuable – so don’t skip over it in fear of more rejection. It really is essential learning, and in some cases, confidence building. Often what we imagine has happened, is far worse than the reality.
5. Get job search training
Doing well through the recruitment process takes a specific skillset on its own – skills that we weren’t born with, but we all need to refresh or even to learn. This is why we founded My Career My Move and the Start Out, Start Over and Start New programs. These online courses show you precisely what to do through every step of the recruitment process, to get noticed by employers in a sea of applicants and be more successful in your job search.
