How to Move Forward After Job Rejection: Steps to Take

Have you ever felt disheartened by a job rejection? We get you like no one else.

Right now, the challenge of finding a job is so huge and can have a huge impact on our mental health because being rejected not only lowers our self-respect but demotivates us completely.

This guide is here to offer some practical tips to help you process rejection, build resilience, and maintain momentum in your job search process. Learn how to turn setbacks into stepping stones toward your dream job, starting with 5 practical tips for overcoming job rejection.

5 Practical Tips for Overcoming Job Rejection

1. Reflect on Feedback and Identify Areas for Personal Growth

Whenever you get a “no,” don’t take it as a way that you are the problem. Sometimes, this is a nice way to start a new change that can lead you to your perfect job! Try reaching out to employers and get feedback that is constructive. 

They can always explain what areas you should enhance. For instance, if an interviewer mentions a lack of specific skills that are considered important for this position, consider taking a relevant course that can boost your knowledge and rocket your chances of getting the dream job!

Don’t get depressed so fast. Use this reflection as an opportunity to reassess your strengths and gaps!

2. Focus on Your Long-Term Career Goals

There is no doubt that when you are rejected for a position that you thought you were a perfect candidate for, you may take it personally, assuming that there is something wrong with you. But if you take a look at it from the other side, you may see that as a part of a larger journey.

Everything happens for a reason. That’s why you should try to revisit your career plan. Maybe your goals were not so clear, or your strategy was not adjusted accordingly. That’s why a ‘no’ is not an end. That’s a new start for widening your job search process!

3. Take Care of Your Mental and Emotional Health

We understand how hard and devastating it must be to be rejected, but don’t let these negative emotions absorb you. Don’t forget that a positive attitude is also very important if you want to start a new career path in your life.

Remember that your surroundings can help you to get over those negative emotions, so make sure to attach yourself to a supportive network of friends and family. 

Also, consider practicing mindfulness or meditation to cope with negative emotions. Pay attention to the fact that self-care is an essential tool that can help you overcome everything, even a rejection email!

4. Keep Improving Your Job Search Strategies

Maybe facing rejection is a way to improve the way you search for a job?

Somehow, the tools we presume to be successful may not be the most effective and can lead us to rejection. That is how to make sure to tailor your resume and cover letter once again so you can highlight relevant achievements. 

Maybe you’ve missed something or forgot to mention something that is actually important for your dream position?

Also, do not neglect LinkedIn as a tool for your job search. Leverage it for networking opportunities and insights, connect with people, and discover new abilities. Maybe your friends or connections on LinkedIn may help you with mock interviews to refine your approach and grow stronger for the next opportunity.

Try also to think about your future workplace where you will work. It can be a remote position, on-site, or hybrid. Each of them has its advantages and disadvantages.

5. Learn from Job Rejection and Build Resilience

Rejection is not the end of the road! It is a sign of change and a new breath opened. That’s why you think of rejections not as a failure but as feedback that can lead you to new openings.

Define it not as the time to put a full stop but as an experience that can help you refine your approach and grow stronger for the next opportunity. 

Maybe this is a sign that something big is waiting for you.

How to Build Resilience After Job Rejection

Building resilience after rejection is a hard process, but it is very important. That’s how you can find the courage to continue searching for a job. Also, it is the first step in achieving work-life balance.

It is very overwhelming to get constant rejections, but there are some tips on how you can become resilient and keep up with your job search journey.

Acknowledge Your Feelings and Move Forward Positively

“We regret to inform you..” – this is the beginning of a sentence that can bring up a lot of emotions. Disappointment, sadness, demotivation, or even anger are some of the emotions you feel when you see them. But it is absolutely okay to feel it as long as you know what to do with it.

Reply to a Job Rejection Letter

Even if it is hard, you should write a response after the interview process.

Professionally, by replying to a rejection letter, you show your professional qualifications and manners. When you thank the employer for the opportunity after they reject you, it’s a normal part of the job search. 

Thank your employer for giving you a chance to apply and learn about the election results. Express your disappointment courteously while mentioning the positive aspects you learned during the interview phase. Ask for practical feedback to use for improving your next application or interview. Express gratitude for their time and consideration.

Close by showing your commitment to the organization and asking the hiring manager for opportunities when new positions become open. When you respond with thoughtfulness, you show both career endurance and love for your craft while making yourself stand out for future chances.

It is Okay to Have Feelings

Not only is it okay, you must do that as long as you can work on it. You have to allow yourself to feel all the emotions that email caused you. But don’t get depressed too much. Set a time limit for dwelling on it. That’s how you are mentally safe, and you are one step closer to resilience!

Don’t Be Harsh with Yourself (it’s not the end of the road)

If you are rejected, it is not your fault. Do not use negative self-talk to yourself. It is not your fault, and believe me – you are “enough.” Try to replace your negative self-talk with affirmations. It is not a “dead end”. It is a “step closer to the right opportunity.” Even though it looks hard at first, try it! 

Use Job Rejection as an Opportunity to Improve Your Skills

Maybe a job rejection is a sign that you can explore new breadth and lengths in your area?

Try to check out some professional courses that can develop your portfolio. That’s how you can impress a hiring manager on your next interview and feel confident about yourself. 

Don’t forget to update yourself on industry trends and learn in-demand skills. That’s how you can know what steps to take when you are analyzing rejection and what trends and skills you are missing an awareness of. 

Create a Plan for Future Success

Try to sit down and think about things you have expected to achieve in job searching and what things are missing. After a few rejections, did something change, and you start to see what you want to see in your future job position?

If you have been applying for on-site or hybrid positions, think about changing your strategy by applying to remote positions. Usually, remote positions are more straightforward to begin with. However, there are more “competitors” who are also trying to get this job.

Your Goals Should Be Like You – SMART 

SMART goals stand for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time Bound.

Have your job expectations been checked with all of the points?

If not, try to work on it to make it more clear how you see your future job position.

Don’t Be Chaotic – Develop a Timeline! 

Divide everything into a proper time set. You have to develop a timeline, get applications, follow-ups, and self-improvement activities. You are not a multitool – everything has its own time, so try to work on everything properly!

Tips for Staying Motivated After Job Rejection

When you have overcome job rejection and found resilience, there is one last but not least thing left to achieve, and this is your motivation. That point is essential because, without it, nothing has a chance to get you back on track again. 

Pro Tips:

• If you didn’t get a job, ask for feedback. It’s a big part of the job search, which will help you improve. Use the feedback you receive!
• Always professionally write a response to a job rejection letter after the interview. Stay respectful. The hiring manager will see you as a potential applicant for future job opportunities.
• The hiring decision isn’t yours, but applying and interviewing is. 
• Remind yourself of your strengths. But don’t forget that constructive criticism can provide valuable insights.
• Stay focused. Help you move forward and get an offer for the job you applied for.
• Ace your interviews, and someday, you will find a better fitting role. 
• Keep on searching. Try to find jobs with an entry level if you can see that middle or senior positions are not for you.
• Demonstrate your genuine interest in the position. It’s a great way to continue completing your future interviews.
• When you get a notification from the recruiter, it is important to keep and maintain a positive tone. Replying reflects well on your future opportunities.

Take Actionable Steps to Maintain Momentum

Fixed Timetable is Important

Spending all your day in front of your laptop and applying CV to everything that suits you is not something that makes you motivated. It is something that does the opposite. Whenever you spend your whole day applying to job openings, you may feel even more stressed because ‘How come nobody replies?’. Try to set a fixed time when you are going to apply and check your inbox for replies because that is how you will still have this spark in your eyes and not a devastated look.

Break Your Tasks

Breaking your tasks can be a very efficient thing that can help you avoid becoming overwhelmed with job research. Think of the things you want to do today that are relevant to your job research and break them into smaller steps. 

Want to take up a new course? Plan it carefully, starting with the research. Of course, you want to find out to the speakers you may hear on it.

Celebrate Small Wins to Stay Encouraged

Even if your interview ended up getting rejected, whether it’s a letter or a rejection phone call, it is a small victory! 

You have gained experience from it, which is much more important for your future work than your anger at yourself. All these little things are actually making you one step closer to a perfect job. Change your point of view, and maybe you will find more motivation in it.

Last but not least, reward yourself for milestones, no matter how minor they seem. If you think that this is nothing, that is not true. It is a new chapter in your life called “looking for a job” and future job offers.