Failing to secure a job can be extremely frustrating and disheartening, especially if you have put in a lot of hard work doing your research, preparing your cover letter and CV, and have little reward to show for your efforts.
Whether you are struggling to land an interview or are falling at the interview stage, going through the process of securing a job can be extremely disheartening. But it is important to remember the competitiveness of the application stage, and to be prepared for some knockbacks. Instead, you should view them as an opportunity to improve.
With the right attitude and techniques, you can turn your rejection into a useful springboard to reassess your goals and revise your application process.
Contact the employer
Whilst the idea of getting in touch with the person who rejected you may be a little scary, getting feedback can provide you with useful information for both the short and long-term.
Get in touch with your contact – either via email or via phone if you are feeling confident – and politely ask them for some feedback. Remember to ask what you did well and what it was that got you to that stage in the process; do not always focus on the bad.
Make sure any communication is professional, brief and positive. Explain you are disappointed not to be selected, leaving any potential employer with a positive feeling towards you may leave doors open in the future.
Some employers may not give you feedback at all, whilst others will give you a generic piece of advice. If that is the case there is no harm in asking for some more information, as long as you are polite.
Utilising the time to improve
Job hunting can become extremely time consuming, however it is important to keep your eyes open for any opportunity. Look for areas where you can boost your skills in areas you feel your application may be a little lacking, using the feedback provided to you as a guide.
Perhaps you could sign up for an online course or look to secure some time on work experience somewhere – it may prove to be all the difference between securing a job and not.
If you feel you failed to answer an interview question well enough, practice and think about your answer for the future; you can even do mock up interviews with a friend or family member.
If you’re a graduate looking to kick-start your career, have a chat with Discovery graduates and see how they can help get you started.
