MAKING A GREAT FIRST IMPRESSION
2
Ask for feedback
When in doubt, ask. If you went through several rounds of interviews and various assessment tests and still come out short, ask the interviewer for feedback and decide how best to tweak your next application. Was there a better qualified candidate? Did they think you weren’t the best fit for their company culture? Look for opportunities to gain relevant work experience. The information you receive may seem vague at times – “we decided to go in another direction” – but ask anyway. You never know if you’ll get something constructive! However, don’t be overly persistent if recruiters take a while to respond or don’t get back to you at all.
3
Trust the system
The job-hunting process isn’t as straightforward as you might think, so dwelling on something that isn’t within your control will only do you more harm than good. Instead, count every rejection as a learning experience and let it hone your hunting skills. Remember to respect the recruiter’s decision – it’s possible that you simply weren’t a good match for the role on offer. Don’t forget that paper qualifications and excellent interviewing skills aren’t enough to secure a position with an organisation; it’s also up to the recruiter’s discretion to ascertain if you’re the best possible fit for the company. So be humble and take this as an opportunity to do some realistic selfanalysis on the type of role and work environment you’re most suitable for. Once you’ve gained some perspective on the recruitment process and some self-awareness on what you can offer, you’ll be able to better market yourself to recruiters at your next interview. With a bit of patience, you may possibly end up with the right role for your skill sets and personality.
4
Move forward
Once you’ve fully come to terms with your first rejection, work on getting back into the game. At this point, you should be armed with a stronger resume, be more adept at handling interviews, and have a more realistic expectation of the process. Don’t give up on other applications. Resilience throughout the job-hunting process is necessary as it’s common for an applicant to receive several rejections before securing a job offer. There’s no fixed rate of success or shortcut, so you might get accepted for a position after the first few tries, or find yourself sending out dozens of applications before finally getting a foot in the door. Have faith that your tenacity will pay off in the long run. Also, keep in mind that it’s more than likely your friends are going through the same experience – sharing your feelings may help diffuse your frustrations. Don’t be discouraged if your peers get job offers before you do. Focus your energy on improving your situation instead. If you’re in need of guidance, don’t shy away from seeking the counsel of your school’s career advisors. Their pool of resources and expertise may help you move in the right direction.
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