6 Steps To Take When You Don't Land The Job

There’s nothing quite as disheartening as hearing the word “no.” While rejection happens every day, it still hurts, no matter how many times you’ve experienced it. In the professional world, rejection can dampen your spirits, especially if it’s from a dream job.

When your skill-set matches and the interview goes well, but you don’t get the job, you may feel confused. Your mind may race with questions as you pore over each moment trying to figure out what went wrong.

Although a bit of reflection is always needed, it’s not healthy to trap yourself in a negative cycle of pity and self-doubt. Instead, you should try to learn, professionally grow, and move forward from that experience. Not quite sure how to do that? Well, here are six steps to take if you don’t land your dream job.

Find Out Why Your Application Wasn’t Selected

The difference between a hard ‘no’ and a soft ‘no’ can be surprising. Granted that sometimes that ‘no’ is absolute; however, in other cases, it’s possible that a couple of fixable, minor things kept you from your dream job. If your situation is the latter, you may still have a chance of signing that contract.

These are a few situations in which you might be able to reverse a rejection:

Over two weeks later, they are still advertising the job
The company has an opening for a similar position with less required experience
You’ve added new skills since you last applied

Sending your interviewer an email to thank them and ask for feedback can prove to be useful. If your feedback is on minor things, you can always correct them and try reapplying.

Utilize Any Feedback You Received

On the other hand, if the feedback you received touches on larger areas, then use it to your benefit. Plenty of candidates ask their interviewers for suggestions on how to improve but not all of them utilize those suggestions. Perhaps if the interviewer pointed out a lack of skills, sign up for a course for those skills.

Regardless of whether the ship has sailed for that dream job, strengthening your abilities is never a waste of time. Improving your skill-set isn’t just about looking better on your resume; it also shows that you are dedicated and will encourage you to become more resilient to any future rejection.

Write Up a List of Pros (Not Cons)

After it’s all said and done, you’re likely to feel demoralized by the entire situation. Your mind may gravitate towards and focus on the negative things you thought that you said or did. That self-deprecating behavior will probably do you more harm than good. So, why not circumvent it and try to look on the bright side? Take some time to identify any successes you felt you had during the process. Maybe you were one of a select group of candidates out of hundreds of people who got a callback, or they were highly impressed by a certain project you submitted. Whatever pros come to mind, be sure to make a list of them and congratulate yourself!

Analyze The Job and Keep Searching

It’s tempting to idealize jobs and agonize over how much we wanted them. Although, did you ever think about what it was exactly that made you want that job in the first place? By taking the time to analyze what made it your dream job, you can cultivate strong self-awareness. Understanding who you are and what you want will help you decide what drew you to the position and keep those aspects in mind as you continue your search. And who knows, those elements could very well be included in other jobs you may have initially overlooked.

Give Yourself a Break

At the end of the day, you’re only human. While being positive and proactive will help you move on from the rejection, you also need time to heal. It’s vital to give yourself time to process what happened and just feel your feelings.

When you give yourself a break, you’ll be able to release some of those emotions. If you ignore them or bottle them up, they may bubble up a later time. Repressing your feelings is never a good idea. Be sure to carve out some time for self-care, meet with friends, or do anything you like.

Improve Your Resume

By this point, you may feel like getting back on the horse and trying again. With any feedback you’ve received and the knowledge you’ve gained, update your resume to reflect your growth. Keeping your resume in tip-top shape is essential regardless of whether you are job-hunting or not. Also, consider having your resume looked at by professionals on academic writing sites or resume services. They often offer a free review that could help you find ways to improve the copy or overall presentation.