Dealing With Job Rejection 8 Tips For Getting Back Out There - Work It Daily

Dealing With Job Rejection 8 Tips For Getting Back Out There - Work It Daily 8 Tips For Dealing With Job Rejection Out of work? Out of luck! That is probably how you feel as you sit poised in front of your computer, hour after hour, day after day, submitting one application after another. Maybe you even look forward to getting job rejection emails (or the occasional mailed ones) because it is SOME response at least. Related: 10 Ways To Deal With Job Rejection Even if you are still working, but engaging in a job search to beat a layoff, you may feel a strong sense of rejection when not selected for an interview or offered a job after an interview - especially if it has been a few months or you have had a few interviews without an offer. It is also likely you feel isolated (even invisible), especially if you aren’t working. At work, even if you weren't buddy-buddy with your co-workers, you were likely acknowledged in the halls or other common areas with a smile, nod, or at least a non-verbal acknowledgement that you exist. At home, alone in front of the computer, it is easy to become demoralized. Work also provides us with a large part of our sense of selves, which is something you may be missing if you are in a job search. How do you think of yourself? When asked to introduce yourself, don’t you most often say, “Hi, my name is _______, I’m a ________.”? Sitting at home alone for a few months may underscore the fact that apparently you aren’t a (fill in the blank). As adults, our work serves to structure the rest of our lives as well â€" when we sleep, eat, play, anything â€" revolves around our work schedule. If you aren’t working, you may fall into bad habits that are not helping you feel any less rejected or any better about your situation. If you are working, you may not being doing your best job. If you aren’t, maybe you have started sleeping in, not getting dressed, skipping meals, and/or not going outside. Did you brush your teeth today? How about your hair? If you aren’t working, are underemployed, or struggling in a position you hate, you may not feel as confident as you once did. This lack of self-confidence often only feeds into the sense of rejection and demoralization â€" sending you into a negative spiral that can be a challenge to climb out of. 8 Tips For Dealing With Job Rejection Think about how you feel about your current situation as objectively as possible to better plan for your future. Having a plan and some next steps can go a long way toward helping you out of this negative spiral. So, what else can you do? Here are a few tips for dealing with job rejection: 1. Set Realistic Short- And Long-Term Goals Long-term goals give you something to focus on, to look forward to. Short-term goals ensure you are moving in the right direction and moving toward your long term goals. Daily goals will get you out of bed in the morning. 2. Do Your Best Do you approach your job search by sitting in front of your laptop, hour after hour, searching for openings and submitting countless applications? Maybe you have completely given up and are just going through the motions, not even convinced you are a good candidate? Take the time to try to match your resume or application details to what the employer is looking for. That way, you will be one of the few selected for an interview (and hired!). The extra effort and time has value, and they can help you will feel like you are really doing something meaningful. 3. Change Things Up Don’t do the same thing every day. Search for jobs one day, follow up another, identify companies to cold call once a week, network one day, visit companies in person periodically. Don’t forget to eat, sleep, get dressed, exercise and go outside every day. Make your own schedule and stick to it! 4. Make Sure You Have The Skills You Need How hard can job search be? Believe me â€" you don’t know it all; no one does. Read blogs, articles, and/or books about career planning and job searching. Explore your field or potential occupations to determine if you need more skills to be competitive. Read articles related to your desired job or about job searching and interviewing every day. 5. Garner Support You may already feel bad if you are not contributing financially to your household. This makes it hard to ask for help. But you can't do it alone. Ask for help outside of the family if need be. Reach out friends, ex-coworkers, and church or community members. You need someone to listen to your ideas and give you feedback. 6. Network Chances are you probably know how to network, but maybe you are too dispirited or you don't see the value in it. Nonetheless, it is a necessity and can result in your next job if you make the time and effort to contact and maintain connection with others. Join a civic group or one at your local career placement office, or volunteer. It is most important to start and continue to get out there and meet people â€" maintain your connections! 7. Get Creative If you are just going through the motions or are focused on replacing the job you lost you might be missing opportunities. If you feel that you MUST have a specific position or salary before considering a job you may be missing out on some great prospects! Purchase a real newspaper (or look at every job board posting within a 20 mile area or less) and look at every job. If you do this intermittently, you will have a better indication of what jobs are offered and you may discover a new direction that is perfect for you! 8. Be Realistic You may own a home. You may be comfortable in your current location and may have loved ones near. But if there are fewer opportunities, you may also want to think about moving to where there are jobs. Think about places in that you would like to live or parts of the country where people you know currently live. Search for jobs in those areas periodically to see if it makes sense to start a job search in another area in addition to your current one. By employing these tips, you will reinforce the fact that you are doing everything you can to improve your circumstances, boost your self-confidence, and put you in a position to get noticed by more employers for more positions. Give it a try â€" it can only help. Good luck! This post was originally published on an earlier date. Related Posts How To Turn Job Rejection Into An Advantage How To Deal With Rejection How To Act After Getting A Rejection Letter About the author Mary Sherwood Sevinsky is a career and occupational consultant who is masters-prepared and certified. She is a business owner with nearly 20 years of experience in Corporate Management, Career Assessment Counseling and in writing Career Articles and Educational Materials. She has worked as a corporate manager experienced in hiring, firing, and managing a staff of professionals with a multi-million dollar budget. Learn more about Mary and her services: www.life-works.info. Disclosure: This post is sponsored by a CAREEREALISM-approved expert. You can learn more about expert posts here. Photo Credit: Shutterstock Have you joined our career growth club?Join Us Today!