Job rejection from a job often goes hand in hand with the Job search. You have to be mentally and emotionally ready for possible job rejection whenever you’re applying for a position. While this may be heart-breaking to some applicants, who have been preparing for weeks, there are ways of changing that into an opportunity instead of a disaster; hence the saying, “Every cloud has a silver lining”.

It may sound odd, but a job offer rejection letter should be handled with optimism and a growth mindset.  With this approach, you can see your areas of improvement and evaluate your skills as per market standards.

The blogs tends to provide a guideline to change the challenge into an opportunity through certain steps that are supposed to be taken after a job rejection.

What to do after a job rejection?

1. Acknowledge your feelings

After a job rejection, it is natural to experience a roller coaster of sad emotions. Give yourself some time to process your emotions but do not dwell too much in them. It is important to understand and accept your emotions. It is the first step towards coping with a job offer rejection letter and towards moving forward.

It is important to remember that a job rejection does not mean that your capabilities are not remarkable. The job market is very dynamic, and complicated. Some applicants might be rejected due to over-qualification while others might incur disqualification as result of under-qualification.

Hence, it is paramount not just for a job seeker to assess his or her resume with the prerequisites of the job one had applied for but also to inquire about the reasons behind rejection. Always remember that self-doubt will only serve as a monotonous indulgence; hence endeavor to eschew it.

2.     Ask for feedback.

Overcoming your shortcomings is one of the vital things to do after a job rejection. The only way forward to thrive in today’s competitive market is to learn from mistakes. And in this case, you have to find out your mistakes yourself by revisiting your interview experience and think what could have gone wrong.

However, self-analysis will neither be enough nor perfect to paint the whole picture for you. Therefore, you should also ask for feedback from your recruiter and your employer.

While seeking feedback, always remember to be confident and open about it. Don’t be shy. If you feel that feedback is generic step forward and ask for a detailed assessment. Often recruiters and employers are indeed very busy with their schedules as handling hundreds of resumes at a time is not an easy task. But as a rejected candidate you have nothing more to lose. If the employer responds, you will know your shortcomings which will greatly help you elevate your career trajectory. Thus, feedback after job rejection from a firm is always encouraged.

If you’re wondering about how can ask for feedback, don’t worry! We’ve got you covered. Simply, just send a gratitude email to the recruiter and thank the person for taking the time to review your profile. In the following paragraph, humbly ask the recruiter for feedback on your profile so that you can improve yourself in the future.

3.     Evaluate your job search strategy

Before setting out on your next job hunt it is better to critically evaluate your strategy for a job hunt. Think hard about any red flags about a company you had ignored during the evaluation or interview process such as nepotism, frequent resignation of its employees, etc.

In addition, you need to update your resume by learning skills as per your desired industry. Vitally, updating your LinkedIn account and connecting with industry professionals is the key. Particularly for job seekers in UAE, you should connect or get in contact with a recruitment agency in the UAE and benefit from their expert services.

4.     Skills enhancement

Skills and qualification enhancement are another way of increasing the probability of acquiring the desirable job position. Nowadays, the employment market is extremely challenging, so you must be able to grab attention not only from the recruiter but also from the employer if you want your dream career. Therefore, getting relevant certifications makes a lot of difference.

In this regard, recruitment consultants in Dubai advise candidates to stay updated with market and industry trends.   

5.     Expand your network

Network expansion is key to getting a job position in your dream company. To expand and diversify your networks it is vital to engage with industry professionals online and physically at industry events.

Additionally, make efforts to make an acquaintance or connection with recruiters, especially if you are looking for employment in Dubai, connecting with the best recruitment agencies in Dubai will benefit you a hundredfold. Having networks in recruitment agencies in Dubai will open new doors of opportunities.

6.     Consider leveraging RPO services offered by recruitment agencies

For job-hunting candidates, recruitment process outsourcing is a very good option. RPO services streamline the process of job search and make it easy to apply for job positions.  

They offer resume writing services and provide interview coaching. RPO service providers like RFS HR Consultancy have extensive networks that can connect you with potential employers.

7.     Stay persistent and reflect on your career goals

Job rejection is part and parcel of the job hunt. You have to stay positive and persistent. You should develop an optimistic approach and while applying you should be ready to face a job offer rejection letter. With this approach, you will not disheartened and will remain persistent.

In addition, when you are unable to secure employment, use it to ponder your career goals. Consider if you are looking for the correct positions or if your skills and experience match; only then should the roles be pursued

In this regard, you have to see your long-term career aspirations and search for job positions accordingly.

8.     Use professional guidance

Engage with a professional recruitment consultant providing personalized support. Recruitment consultants in Dubai provide expert advice on job market trends and help you align your skills with current job opportunities.

9.     Reflect and think about what you could have done differently

After giving every interview sit down for a few minutes and reflect on yourself. Try to remember the questions and answers that you gave, and then ponder over whether you gave satisfactory answers. Think about the areas you could have done better or questions that confused you. This self-analysis includes a range of things from answering interview questions to your posture. Your body language and sitting posture must reflect your confidence in your abilities. Even if you do not feel much confident in yourself, during interviews you should learn to exhibit such confidence to your employer.

Additionally, if you struggled to answer some questions during the interview, write down those questions and do some research on them later on. So that you can respond better next time. In this exercise, you can also follow some renowned recruiters on LinkedIn and other social media platforms and follow their advice on answering interview questions.

Take job rejection as an opportunity to be your improved and better version in the next interview.

10.     Highlight your strengths

Just because you received a job rejection does not mean that you are not good. Every candidate has some expertise in some particular area. Analyze yourself, identify your areas of strengths, and highlight them in your resume and cover letters.

Similarly, when thinking about what went wrong in the interview, also write down what went well during the interview. If by chance you got any feedback during the interview, ask recruiters and an employer about areas you excelled.

11.     Apply again with a better version of yourself

After facing job rejection, it is not easy to remain optimistic and gather the energy to apply again. But if you have taken all of the above-mentioned steps and overcome your weaknesses, you have enough energy and motivation to apply again for better job roles.

Additionally, this time you will not have to spend hours writing cover letters again and fill out interview forms. You can refer to your previous cover letters and resume, and use them by making slight alterations to outline your strengths.

Although it is strongly advised by top recruiters in UAE to write a new cover letter for every new job application. This is to ensure that your cover letter is curated according to the role and company you are applying for. But recruiters also recommend saving your previous cover letter as a reference for writing stronger ones in the future. By making slight modifications to the existing cover letter, you can save an ample amount of time and create a better version of the cover letter tailored to new job opportunities.

Conclusion

If approached with the right mindset, a job rejection can be a stepping stone for you towards your dream position. By taking appropriate measures you can enhance your skills and qualifications and can target the right roles for you.

RPO services by RFS HR Consultancy

RFS HR Consultancy provides RPO services in the UAE. If you are on a job hunt and looking for job opportunities in the UAE then get in touch with RFS HR Consultancy. Contact us today and find out more about our services and get your dream job position.