How to deal with job interview rejection

No one likes to feel rejected in life. Whether you were rejected from a sports team at primary school, your dream university at 18 or a nightclub at 35 for wearing the wrong shoes, it can sting at any age. Perhaps worse than any of these examples is being rejected for a job you were convinced you were perfect for.

There’s the initial excitement of being invited for an interview and the days or weeks of planning as you prepare likely interview questions and research the company. You work out how long it will take you to get there (or log on if it is being conducted remotely) and plan an appropriate outfit. Then the day arrives, everything seems to go to plan and you leave the interview feeling confident that they will offer you the job.

And then, maybe later the same day, or a few days later, the rejection email pings into your inbox. Depending on the company, it may be a few standard lines or it might offer you detailed feedback as to why you didn’t get the job. Either way, you may now be feeling completely dejected, especially as it may mean you have to start the whole job search process again.

If any of the above sounds familiar, then read on for our top tips for dealing with job interview rejection.

Try to remain positive

The chances are that there are plenty of other similar jobs available at the moment, especially as vacancies are currently at a record high. You will be offered a job at some stage, even if it takes longer than you would like. In the meantime, perhaps think about the jobs you are applying for and whether you are being too restrictive about where you want to work, what the hours are or even what salary you are prepared to take. Listen to feedback

If you received useful feedback from the interviewer then think about how you can use the comments in future interviews. Perhaps you need to think about giving more detailed answers or using more specific examples about your previous job history. If you didn’t receive any feedback, perhaps consider getting in touch with the interviewer and asking for some. You might also discover that you interviewed perfectly, but unfortunately they felt another candidate was a better fit for the role. If this is the case, then please don’t take it personally! Have your CV professionally written

Your current CV might have been good enough to be selected for an interview, but is there anything missing from it which could help you land your dream job? Perhaps you are also applying for more jobs than you are receiving interviews for. If this is the case, then it might be worth having your CV professionally written. A professional writer, either someone independent or as part of a recruitment company, will be able to help you with formatting, layout and making sure you’re not missing out on future job opportunities.

Update your cover letter

Do you always include a cover letter or email when you are submitting job applications? If you don’t then perhaps you should consider adding one to every job application you submit. Your cover letter is likely to be the first thing a recruiter or HR Manager reads about you so make sure it stands out and is relevant to the role you are applying for. This is your chance to sell yourself and make sure you have the best chance of getting that all important interview.

Utilise LinkedIn

When was the last time you updated your LinkedIn profile? If you haven’t looked at your profile in months (or maybe even years) then we would definitely recommend you log in and make sure your information is up to date. Social media can be a fantastic tool for finding out about the latest job vacancies and business news. Depending on which jobs you are applying for, you might also find that your prospective employers will search for you on LinkedIn to see if you are worth inviting in for an interview.

Get in touch with a recruitment consultant

Job hunting can be a demanding and time consuming process, especially if you’re also working full time and have numerous family commitments. This is where getting in touch with a specialist recruitment consultant can help to save you valuable time. Whether you are looking to progress in your current career, or are looking for a change of direction, a recruitment consultant will be able to help. A good recruiter will also be able to help you to perfect your CV and cover letter as well as helping you with your social media presence.

Here at Perfect Candidate, we have decades of experience in recruiting within the Aerospace, Defence, Motorsport, Energy, Property and Industrial sectors. If you’re currently looking to take your next steps within any of these industries, then we would love to hear from you.