Definition of Rejection
So I started my preparation for this blog on interview rejection by looking at the word ‘rejection’. What does it actually mean and I found two interpretations of it…
‘the dismissing or refusing of an idea’.
‘the action of spurning a person’s feelings’.
Quite different takes and translations of the same word and somewhat representative of how, as individuals, we handle interview rejection. One quite transactional and matter of fact and the other very emotive and personal. To me that sums up how people deal with interview rejection. To some of us it’s all in a day’s work. Yet to others it’s deeply personal and hard to deal with.
The Recruitment Consultant’s role
As a recruitment consultant giving a candidate a no is most definitely the hardest and dirtiest part of our job. But also I believe it to be one of the most important parts of the process. If we are doing our job properly we have the opportunity to feedback to the candidate the true areas of concern from the client; the real reasons why they are in a situation of having to deal with this rejection. It’s our responsibility to relay this to the candidate in a candid, constructive, positive and helpful way, that will hopefully enable them to see it for what it is in a measured way. (The first interpretation of rejection) as opposed to a deeply personal matter (the second interpretation of rejection).
See it for what it is
I think, armed with the reasons why you didn’t get the role you are truly empowered. If the reasons where down to your experience not being quite right well that’s completely beyond your control. If it was something to do with your actions or behaviours in the interview well, you have the chance to change that in the next interview. One single interview is not the start and finish of the job-hunting process. For a lot of people, it’s a process, a journey that we get better at as we go along.
It’s also important not to carry any ‘interview baggage’ into your next interview, bit like relationships, I guess. Nobody wants to sit and interview somebody who is coming across as battered and jaded because they have had a few rejections. Let your positivity shine through. No shame in letting the interviewer know you were unsuccessful for a role. But let it shine through that it was probably for the best because it has got you closer to what is right for you and got you sat in front of them.
Positive attitude towards rejection
So, I suppose as with many things in life it comes down to having a good positive attitude about interview rejection. In fact, I would really like to call it something else because the word rejection is all wrong in respect of not getting a job. If we are doing a jigsaw and the piece doesn’t quite fit, we don’t view it as rejected; we just focus on finding the part of the jigsaw that does fit in don’t we? Same with job hunting. If the first ones don’t quite fit, we just keep looking until we find the right place, the right fit.
Written by Jo Hood, Finance Principal Consultant, Eventus Recruitment Cheshire.
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