Your Job Application Just Got Rejected

A very small percentage of people rarely encounter rejection. That may seem strange but it’s true. Others meanwhile, the vast 99.9% of the population, seem to face get turned down with some frequency if not regularity. That’s the reality of life. The key is what happens next.

With job application, big job or small, for a full time role or for a project or task, if there is a possibility of not getting selected then you need an SOP (standard operating procedure) for that moment when you are told that you didn’t get chosen.

Most immediately, it should be a priority for you to find out why you were not selected. It is possible that the recruiter may not respond (that happens), or may not tell you (that happens too) or if they tell you, they may spin you a story which allows them to wriggle out of telling you the truth. They will likely say something like “your application was very impressive but the field was extremely strong on this occasion” which implies that basically others were somehow more qualified or just ‘better’ than you. They may be kind and say that they will keep your resume on file so that if a similar opportunity arises soon, they will contact you. They might really do that but don’t count on it.

Whatever the recruiter does in response, work to find out what happened because it is the only way that your future efforts can be improved. Some recruiters really will be very honest and direct and brutal as their response might be, they are the true gems in the business because they are actually trying to help you. Don’t get angry or sulky when you get their comments; absorb and understand, and appreciate the time they took to share vital feedback with you.

The second thing you should do – regardless of whether you get feedback from the rejecting recruiter or not – is an honest post-mortem of the experience with that organization. What went well, what went less well, how could you do it differently if you had the chance to do it all again? This is also valuable, but only if you are honest. If you are in denial or you are arrogant about it, you will not improve your chances of success the next time to apply for anything. Every experience, good or bad, should teach you something. Whether you ever get the chance for a replay or not, learn and improve.

The third thing and most important thing to do after all this, is to “get back into the saddle” and re-start the process of searching for opportunity and re-applying. But take what you learned and adjust your approach. Even that one degree of change is sufficient to possibly make a difference.

This is easier said than done, especially in a tight market, because it means that you will likely experience more failure and rejection than success but there is no alternative. You have to keep at it. But using what you just learned. Remember: it is impossible to keep doing the same thing the same way and expect a different outcome.

“Learn, adjust, re-do and push on.”