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HOW TO MARKET YOURSELF TO EMPLOYERS
How to Cope with Retracted Job Offers Getting your first job offer is a truly exciting moment – until the other shoe drops. While having a job offer withdrawn is typically rare, it can still happen. And if it does, it will be up to you to know how to handle the situation.
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verything was in place just before you graduated – after numerous internships and a lengthy interview process, you managed to land a role before graduation. You then enthusiastically rented your graduation gown, planned the outfit you would wear underneath and even picked out the most suitable pair of shoes to walk in across the stage to receive the proof of your degree. Then the pandemic hit, turned the economy topsy-turvy and reduced physical convocation ceremonies to rushed virtual goodbyes over your last days in school. And if that was not enough, your future company rescinded their offer. The best-laid plans can go awry. But the combination of your security blanket being tugged out from above you so quickly, coupled with the uncertainty prevalent in everyday life, means that you are not coping well. You may have even fallen into a rut. How can you get out of this funk? Here are some tips to help you.
Take time to deal with the shock Even if you were aware that your offer might be revoked – you saw fellow graduates have their own offers rescinded – getting the news itself may still lead you to the six stages of grief. And if you were mere weeks or days away from reporting for your first day of work, the surge of adrenaline and shock you got from the news may even leave you feeling emotionally drained and unable to think straight. Give yourself the chance to calm down. Sit still for a few minutes and wait for your brain to start working rationally again. Once you have processed the shock, you can think about your next step.
Grieve so you can move on Suddenly finding yourself adrift without your job offer anchor is jarring and will leave you feeling off-kilter. To make matters worse, in the middle of this new normal where change often comes at the drop of a hat, your feelings of rejection can be intensified several times. Understand that it is okay to grieve for the role you never got the chance to fill. Take some time to retreat from the world and wallow for a bit. Work on getting rid of any self-defeating scenarios in your head, take some time to re-focus and get ready to jump back into the game.
Some common symptoms of shock • • • • •
Rapid and shallow breathing Feeling lightheaded or nauseated A foggy mind A tight feeling in your chest Irregular heartbeat
SIM CAREER GUIDE 2022
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