11 tips to help you move on from a job rejection

Chris Ryan/Getty Images

Job rejections can hurt, but the key to moving on is not to take it personally.
The rejection can also open up better opportunities if you’re proactive.
Here are 11 ways to get over a job rejection.
Visit BusinessInsider.com for more stories.

It’s hard not to take job rejections, like any other form of rejection, personally.

But separating yourself from the situation is the key to moving on after a job rejection says Erica Keswin, workplace strategist and author of "Bring Your Human to Work." Hiring managers must look through numerous candidates at a time — assuming your résumé makes it to a human in the first place — so the tendency is to be curt when rejecting applicants.

While Keswin says companies should be as respectful to candidates as interviewees are expected to be, she recommends you don’t dwell too much on a rejection.

"The idea of honoring relationships starts with people who don’t even work there yet," Keswin says. "When it comes to some of these recruiters, there’s no excuse in how they are treating people, but try to keep it at arm’s length."

Yet even with more personalized rejection notes, the sting can be painful and lead to insecurity, says Lynn Taylor, workplace expert and author of "Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant; How to Manage Childish Boss Behavior and Thrive in Your Job."

"It’s one of the most disheartening things, especially when you think not only about the time and effort that goes into applying, but how much emotion you’ve invested in the job," Lynn Taylor said.

While talking about being rejected can be embarrassing, there are steps job seekers can take to make the most of a door closed. Here are Taylor and Keswin’s best tips on getting over a job rejection.

When you first get a rejection email, take a step back and a moment to congratulate yourself for making it this far.

Flickr/Caroline

The time immediately after getting a rejection letter can be disheartening, Taylor says, especially if it’s one you have been interviewing for. If you made it through several rounds, take the initial moments to congratulate yourself for scoring the interview in the first place, and then take a step back from your computer to go outside or distract yourself.

Rushing to crank out the next cover letter right after getting rejected can also be counterproductive, as you should wait until you are in a more positive mindset to get back into applying.

"The best way to move on is to just realize that you only need one job, and this is one of many job interview situations that are there for you," Taylor says.

Remember that if the company did not want to hire you, you probably would not have wanted to work for them anyway.

Westend61/Getty Images

Often times when applicants submit their résumés, they go into a "big black hole, never to be heard from again."

If a company did not send you a personalized rejection letter, or otherwise made you feel like they did not value your time, Keswin says there is a good chance you would not have felt welcome once you got to the company.

"All of those things speak to company values and how they treat their people," she says. "I would look in the mirror and say ‘Is that a really company I would be happy at?’"

Set up social events with close family and friends, and reach out to mentors.

ARENA Creative/Shutterstock

For those feeling particularly stung, Taylor recommends reaching out to friends or family in your inner circle who can remind you of the bigger picture. Before you hop back into the job hunt, use the first couple of days to build up your self confidence. Reaching out to mentors for feedback or support can also be helpful, Taylor adds.

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Source: Business Insider – feedback@businessinsider.com (Allana Akhtar)