Why You Shouldn’t Take Job Application Rejections Personally
For many people, looking for a job during Covid is extremely challenging: more competition and fewer vacancies being advertised. It can be very scary not knowing when you’ll be in work or have a source of income to rely on.
It isn’t surprising to hear on the news about people feeling depressed and anxiety levels increasing. My work predominantly involves supporting people who are at risk of losing their jobs or have gone through redundancy. It is a hard time for many people, so I thought I’d reach out to share my thoughts, being a career coach and having supported hundreds of people going through transition.
A girl, let’s call her Amy, carefully prepares her application form, investing hours of her time to match her skills and experience, highlighting her achievements on the form. Once she’s written a couple of versions of her supporting statement, she reads and re-reads to ensure it is as good as it can be, then presses ‘submit’ hoping that this application will lead to an interview. She waits. A few days go by, but she remains optimistic. A week goes by and she hopes maybe they will get back to her next week. Then another week goes by and it dawns on her that she hasn’t been selected. Depressed, she goes back to staring at the laptop screen, feeling frustrated.
When people are applying for jobs, many, like Amy, invest hours completing an application form or tailoring their CV, only to receive a rejection or, even worse, they don’t hear back from the employer at all. This leaves them waiting in limbo, with a glimmer of hope, that maybe, just maybe, the employers are sifting through the applications and will get back to them. I find that people who like to receive feedback can find it personally rejecting whenever they get a negative or no response. I understand how disheartening it can be, and I wish there was a nationwide policy stating that all applicants receive a reply and, ideally, feedback from the hiring managers as to why they weren’t selected. People can work on feedback, but they struggle to know how they can improve if they don’t hear anything.
When people submit their CV or application, it represents a physical document of their hope. They know the application could lead to opportunities; it could change their life. However, the weight that the job candidate places on an application isn’t equal to how some employers may perceive the application, especially if there are a high volume of applications to sift through. This is why I try to reassure people not to take it too personally if they haven’t been successful. To keep applying for positions and, where possible, match their application closely to the job advert to help increase their chances of being shortlisted for interview.
If you are a jobseeker, here are three key things I want to share with you to help you with your job-hunting, especially if you are feeling low at present:
1. Recognise Your Abilities
Too often, especially if you’ve worked in the same role for a long time and have recently been made redundant, it can be hard to acknowledge what you are good at. This could partly be because we are brought up to be quite modest, or because the nature of your work didn’t allow you time for self-reflection on your skills and achievements. Talking about yourself at interviews can be a challenge. This is where preparation is key. Asking family, friends and colleagues for examples of your qualities and skills can help provide you with feedback on what you are good at. Refer to appraisals or any professional development you’ve undertaken. Think about the challenges you’ve experienced at work that you successfully overcame. What are your achievements? Practise talking about what you can do so you become comfortable at it. I know it isn’t easy, but getting into the habit of communicating what you can do will help to develop your confidence, and it reassures the employer that they can have faith in your ability to do the job.
2. Create a Plan and Structure
If the industry you work in has been significantly hit by the Covid situation, it is very likely businesses will need time to recover. You may need an interim job to cover the practicalities of day-to-day costs whilst the economy is in recovery. There isn’t any shame in taking a job that isn’t what you’ve trained in or at a lower salary if it helps support your priorities in other areas of your life, such as providing for your family. Also, with job loss, not having your usual routine can sometimes lead people to fall into habits, such as spending longer periods in bed, not feeling motivated enough to carry out activities, or postponing job hunting for another day. Give yourself a break if your body needs it, because taking time for self-care is vital for your mental wellbeing. But if you know deep down that you are procrastinating it might be useful to have a weekly plan and schedule activities that incorporate self-care time, such as talking to friends, walking in nature and job-hunting activities. If you are really struggling, ask yourself “what is the one small action I can do today (for my wellbeing or my career)?”
3. Connect With Your Support System
Work is a major part of your life but it isn’t the only part. Being overly focussed on outcomes and goals set in the future can sometimes cause tension and anxiety. Chasing tomorrows rob you of today. That’s where mindfulness — being aware of the present — can help with appreciating and focussing on what you have now. Change can be exciting yet scary, but calling on your support network or finding supportive professionals to assist with the transition can be a huge help when making a change.
