You have done everything you can to shine bright in the job market. You’ve fixed your resume, written a great cover letter, and called to put yourself on the employer’s radar before you’ve applied.

But then, one or more of the following scenarios happen!

1. You have applied for dozens, even hundreds but have only gotten rejection letters or heard nothing back at all.
2. You have made it to the interview stage, and have gotten so close to the job you could almost smell it, only to be told they have decided to go for someone else.
3. You are a recent graduate, fresh faced and bright eyed to the job market, only to be turned down and told by numerous organisations that they are looking for someone with “more experience”.

Don’t stress. Everyone has experienced one of these situations at some point in their career. And it is not a fun or pleasant experience. So how do you handle the rejection in any of these scenarios?

Firstly, just remember you are allowed to feel disappointed, angry, frustrated and just plain upset that you are getting nowhere fast in your job hunt. We are only human after all. So give yourself time to let these emotions sink in and talk to your partner, friend or a family member about how you are feeling. If you allow the rejection to get to you, your confidence may begin to dwindle and you may begin to doubt your abilities. This in turn could make you cynical towards future interviews or unintentionally rude to other employers. Try to keep up your morale and motivation by keeping active not only physically but also mentally!

Try and think positively. For instance, if you got to the interview stage, you realistically beat hundreds, even thousands of applicants to get to the final interview stages. This in itself is a great feat.
Please remember not to take the rejection personally. Try to remember that employers are not attacking you as a person. They could have just seen another candidate as a better fit either in regards to the culture of the business or experience. Also try to think that “everything happens for a reason”. If you did not get a call for an interview, or did not get a position, it may not have been the right fit for you, and that something bigger and better may just be around the corner.

If you do not get a response for a job that you thought you would be great for, or if you got the “not enough experience line” for a graduate position, do not be afraid to call the business or recruitment company to gain feedback. Take it as an opportunity to revaluate and learn, so you could either improve your resume or know how to better present yourself at interviews.

The key is to not give up. Your dream role is just around the corner. Try to give yourself breaks in between applying for jobs. Walk your dog, take 10 minutes out to make yourself a cup of tea, or spend time with your friends and family to refresh and come back to those job sites with a clear head. You can get so caught up in applying for jobs that you may misspell names of businesses or forget to touch on key selection criteria in your application. Also, keep active professionally too, even if it is volunteering or signing up for a training course. This will ensure your skills are up to date, keep your mind sharp and boost your confidence to tackle the jungle that is Australia’s job market.

If you are looking for work, feel free to contact elle belle recruitment who may be able to assist you in finding your next role.

Written by Natassja Ford