How To Stay Motivated After Job Rejection

Around 75% of resumes are rejected before they even reach the hiring manager because they don't get past new applicant tracking systems. Aside from that, the average job search lasts around five months. So, ultimately, rejection is unavoidable.

Thousands of people can apply to a single position — Elon Musk, for example, said Tesla received three million job applications for about 2,000 roles.

If you're going through a discouraging patch of your job search, stay the course. Inevitably, you're going to find the right role for you.

Honestly Assess the Role

Usually, when a job doesn't work out, there is a reason — maybe it was a skill set mismatch or culture misalignment. Whatever the reason, you don't want to accept a job that's not the right fit. That can lead to even higher job dissatisfaction, second-guessing your entire career, and even burned relationships if you leave a company quickly.

A hiring manager has a perspective you don't, and they can better assess if you'll be a good fit for the company, team, and environment. However, if it's a company you really love, it's always a great idea to stay in contact with either the hiring manager or HR if a role ever opens up that is much better suited for you.

At Advantis Global, we recognize the talents and skills the candidates we connect with possess. If the first opinion isn’t a good fit, there’s always 5 more to explore. All it takes is a LinkedIn message or resume submission to start the conversation.

Stay In Contact

Even if you don't end up working at that company after a job rejection, you may find another opportunity through networking. Roughly 60% of new roles are found that way. The people you met during the interview process can be valuable contacts for the future.

Stay motivated after job rejection by realizing you still made valuable new relationships in your field. You had the opportunity to polish up your interview skills, tighten up your answers, and learn what different companies are working on. One day, you just might have one of those contacts recommending you to another promising job.

Ask for Feedback After a Job Rejection

While it might feel scary, asking for feedback after a job rejection is one of the clearest ways to get motivated again. Hiring managers can possibly give you some great advice or shine light on the part of the interview you may have thought you aced when in reality, you could answer differently.

As for how to ask for feedback after a job rejection? Simply email the company thanking them for the chance to interview and say, "As I'm always looking to improve, is there anything I could have done differently, highlighted more about my experience, or answered better?"

Maybe some of your examples missed the mark, or you didn't really detail previous work experience in a way that connected to the current role. Either way, feedback is key in working through a disappointing job rejection, and many recruiting or hiring managers are happy to provide critiques.

Work With a Recruiter to Find More Opportunities

Working with a recruiter is one of the fastest ways to stay motivated after job rejection and quickly find an ideal role. First, a staffing agency can work with you to polish your resume and optimize it for applicant tracking systems. For specific positions, they can advise on projects, skills, and certifications to leave on or off and help you tailor your résumé to different job postings.

Recruiters have hundreds of open jobs on their radar, searching for the perfect fit for their clients. They can send your résumé to the front of the line for dozens of roles, and connect you directly with the hiring managers, saving you time.

Also, recruiters have a wealth of knowledge when it comes to interviews. At Advantis Global, we support you before all interviews, making sure you're well-prepped and prepared. Our recruiters provide mock interviews, critiques, tips, and more. Last, recruiters can keep your resume on file indefinitely for any future roles that pop up. If you're only relying on sending in your résumé or relying on connections, it can take a long time to find the perfect new job. Have the jobs come to you instead of you seeking them out.

Working with Advantis Global means we're championing you before, during, and after job interviews. It's our highest priority to get you your dream job, so don't feel discouraged if that doesn't happen on the first try. Getting rejected isn't the end of the world — it may instead lead you to the perfect opportunity.

Our recruiters are your true career partner. We're in it for the long haul to help you find your perfect contract or permanent position, and we're ready to support you before, during, and after that job. Job rejection is never the end of the line with Advantis Global.

Future jobs might be truly better suited to your needs, wants, and skills, and with companies constantly hiring, there are always new jobs to apply for.

Browse open job positions or contact one of our recruiters today.