How to deal with rejection

We’ve all thought a job we’ve applied for seemed perfect and then been disappointed to hear the decision had gone another candidate's way. You have every right to feel despondent, but it is how we deal with it that can create the best learning opportunities to move forward with your next application.

Rejection comes at two stages of the job searching process and learnings can differ as a result. The first stage is after you apply for the role, and the second stage is after the interview stage.

At the application stage:

• Technology makes advertisements easy to apply for. This is where you put a lot of effort in customising your CV to the job ad and writing a compelling cover letter. You fill in all the fields on the form and click apply. A week later you find that you weren't successful in getting an interview. What went wrong?

Things to consider when applying

• Did you meet the brief? Candidates typically apply for roles based on title but sometimes don’t read the full advertisement. By not understanding the brief, it is difficult to know if the role is quite right. If the ad doesn’t give you the right context to decide for yourself, recruitment consultants are always happy to help decide with you by understanding your background and.

• Could you answer yes to 75% of the key requirements? Whilst not a scientific measure, by being able to answer yes to approximately this sort of measure will help decide if you have enough scope to grow in the role as well as be challenged. If you answer yes to over 90% the role may be too junior, and if you answer no to less than 50% of the key requirements, then the role is likely to senior, or beyond your current capability.

At the interview stage:

• You manage to get an interview, perhaps even a second interview, you think you’ve performed well. A few days later you hear from the hiring manager that it came down to you, and another candidate, and unfortunately for you, the other person got the job. What do you need to do to make you the number one choice?

During the Interview stage:

• Did you prep for your interview well? Did you research the interviewees, take advantage or ask for interview prep (from the consultants who have met the client and taken the brief) and have you thought of questions that make you stand out from the crowd? Did you visit the job listers website, and research the company.

If yes…

• After the interview, specific feedback can be invaluable. Though it can sometimes be hard to hear, feedback may reveal areas for improvement - such as tone, engagement, or the types of questions asked (or not asked) - that could make all the difference in your next application. By reflecting on these experiences, you can transform rejection into an opportunity for growth, equipping yourself with practical job application tips and strategies to land your next role in the future.