If you’ve recently completed your qualification and are about to start the job search, there’s loads for you to look forward to. Whilst you’re probably focused on landing that dream job, you should also remain realistic. Whether you’ve completed a few business administration coursesor a degree, rejection is reality when it comes to looking for work.
Not landing a position you set your sights on can be brutal. How you deal with it is very important. Believe it or not, coping with rejection is a necessary characteristic for a successful career. It can be painful but there are several ways that you can handle it in a healthy, positive way. Sadly, learning how to navigate rejection can’t be learned in the textbooks of business administration courses or in any theory on business principles. Luckily, we’ve compiled a short guide that you should keep in mind.
Turning rejection into a positive, character-building experience starts with being in tune with your feelings. By understanding what you are feeling in response to the “no” you just received, you’ll be able to process why you feel that way. For starters, if you’re feeling disappointed, recognise that and get to the root of it. You could be feeling that way because you really wanted the job and not because you weren’t good enough for the position.
Try not to take the rejection personally because this makes it even harder to overcome once you have convinced yourself it was your fault. For all you know, there was someone more qualified or the recruiters were looking for someone different to you. In understanding that circumstances can determine the outcome of many situations in many different ways, especially where recruitment is concerned, you’ll bounce back faster.
Despite the setback you might have just encountered, you should know that it’s only temporary. Consider other times in your life where you have failed at something or not gotten what you had wanted. How far have you come since then? A few months from now the same will apply. Give yourself a pep talk and no matter how much your inner voice might be telling you that you aren’t good enough, tell yourself that you are.
It’s important to remember that with rejection comes learning, and with learning comes success. No great leaders have ever come from never failing. Richard Branson built his empire on a multitude of failures, which only seemed to fuel his desire to succeed.
If you feel knowing why you were overlooked will help you grow, then it might be worth asking the recruiter why. This information can be used to better yourself and your approach to future interviews. In order to use this feedback constructively, you need to be open to it and not respond in a defensive way. Try to listen instead of responding and remember that the person delivering the feedback is only trying to help you. Dealing with criticism is one of the business practices that help to build incredibly successful careers.
You’ll get the job that you deserve
Just because you didn’t get this position doesn’t mean that you won’t get the next one. With an IIE Higher Certificate in Business Principles and Practice business management qualification, you’ll be off to a great start. By gaining an impressive skill set and an understanding of the business world, you can make your mark on the industry. If you’re ready to embrace new opportunities and put yourself out there on the quest for greater things, there’s no better time than the present. For more information on this popular programme, please visit our website by clicking here
Varsity College is an educational brand of The Independent Institute of Education (The IIE). South Africa’s leading private higher education provider that’s registered with the Department of Higher Education and Training and accredited by the British Accreditation Council (BAC).