Coping With Rejection In Your Job Hunt

For many people, job hunting causes more anxiety than a first date. The stakes are a lot higher, and the job seeker is aware that they are likely to receive many rejections before actually receiving an offer. Sometimes, job seekers begin to dread the BIG NO so much that they stop pursuing additional interviews, effectively quitting the job search and cutting off hope for the future. This is how you find so many stories of people living outside of their means, stuck in jobs below their capabilities years after a recession has ended, or living unemployed long after unemployment benefits have run out. Job hunting is rough, and those with a thin skin and a low morale can get lost in the shuffle when finding work is at its most imperative - remember, fear of rejection doesn't have to paralyze your job search efforts. And the more you experience rejection, the better you'll handle it.

In dealing with rejections, and keep the following in mind:

It isn't all or nothing. If you don't get this particular job, it doesn't make you a failure. It just means there's a different job out there that the universe has in mind.

Depersonalize the interview. The interview has nothing to do with you as a person, and the interviewers are only doing their job by asking the hard questions. If you feel you didn't ace the interview, focus on what you can do better next time.

Don't live in past mistakes. When you dredge up past job interview failures, your nervous system kicks in and you experience all the feelings that go with that sense of failure. Don't drain your confidence when you're going after a new job prospect - you'll underestimate yourself and your ability to get the job.

Sell your skills, not yourself. Remember that you are at the interview to be a problem-solver - present your skills as an answer to the company's problems. Show how you can work together to solve them. Have confidence in your skills.

Visualize yourself in your new job. Athletes, movie stars, and musicians often talk about the power of visualization. Visualize yourself at the interview, succeeding, then visualize the handshake that gives you the job. Form a mental picture of how successfully you'll do that job as you make your way through the interview.

If you're not a good fit, it may be for the best. Remember, if the vibe doesn't feel good, chances are that the company culture may not work for you. After all, would you want to work side-by-side with the people interviewing you ever day? You are looking at them at the same time that they are checking you out. Listen carefully and read between the lines - this job may not have really been the right place for you - they were the only ones who were ready to admit it. It's okay to let this one go. There are many other opportunities available if you keep an open mind, and focus on that next appointment, phone interview, or virtual job fair, so move on to that next appointment calendar time and date.