Bouncing back from a job rejection

Although looking for a new role can lead to an exciting new stage of your career, the process might have a few bumps in the road, so it’s important to stay optimistic until you get a job offer you are happy with.  Hearing a rejection during your job search can be difficult but don’t be disheartened, there are a lot of positive steps you can take and valuable advice that can help you move forwards whilst you find your next job. 

We’ve collected a handful of steps you can take to turn a job rejection into a positive part of the process: 

Ask for feedback 

You may be tempted to just keep moving forwards with your search however, going back to ask for feedback can be valuable. Feedback can be an easy way to highlight areas your need to address and where you might be able to improve. However, it’s important to realise that employers can come to the decision for many reasons, some that will be out of your control and therefore getting feedback might make you feel better despite any disappointment. Often the decision is made by multiple people not just the hiring manager, so differences in opinion, company politics, existing employees looking for promotions and former candidates can all complicate the decision – not to mention if there are budget or role changes. 

Act on any weak areas 

If your feedback flags up your approach to answering interview questions, or a lack of work experience, developing your skill set, your approach to interview questions, or even candidates being more qualified for the role, there are actions you can take to position yourself as a stronger candidate for the next position you apply for.  

Taking an online course to gain evidence of new skills learned or becoming accredited for training in an area currently missing from your cv can be one of the easiest ways to develop into a stronger candidate. There are lots of courses you can choose from and if you find yourself lost for which one to do, ask your working connections who are in similar roles to you or look at their LinkedIn profiles to spot the courses they might have already completed and found valuable. 

Gaining work experience might seem like a bigger area to address but with temporary work, industry experience and building working connections couldn’t be easier! Temporary work can offer you shorter projects where you can continue to network with professionals in an industry you want to develop and gain more understanding of the roles and responsibilities required. 

Review your CV 

Maybe your cv needs updating or doesn’t contain the information the employers are looking for.  A CV should always be clear and easy to read but you throughout your job search you should be adapting your personal profile to suit each job you apply for. By tailoring your CV, you can then demonstrate what competencies you have which the job requires and appear a better suited candidate to that employer. 

Your family and friends may be able to help you spot obvious errors but asking a recruitment consultant for their advice and support can help speed up the process and give you more insights to help what employers really want to see from the candidates applying for their roles. Recruiters can be fantastic resources as they have a better perspective on the job market and would have seen hundreds of cv’s over a wide variety of industries and roles. They will be able to give you an honest insight into what employers are currently looking for and ensure you are applying for appropriate roles for your experience positioning you better against other candidates who are interested in the same vacancies. 

Remain positive and try again 

Keep going with your job search and don’t take rejection personally! It might not have worked out for this role, but you will find something even if it’s not as quickly as you were hoping. 

To ensure you feel supported throughout your search we have a three-stage candidate promise which you can read here which includes us keeping in touch at least once a month until you have your next job (whether we find the position for you, or you find the role yourself). 

If you are struggling to secure the next stage of your career or looking for additional support whilst considering a new role or please get in touch with our experienced teams.