How to Stay Motivated in Your Job Search After Rejection

A job search can become a long slog — one that comes with a large amount of rejection. Think of it like a marathon combined with a dating app. Yes, a truly exhausting experience.

If you’re out of work, data suggest that it could be months until you land your next position. The median time of unemployment is about 13 weeks. Meanwhile, during that time, you’ll likely receive dozens of rejections.

It’s enough to sap your confidence. But, to land your dream job, you need to keep a positive attitude. Here are a few steps you can take to stay motivated after each rejection:

Stay in a Professional Mindset

Any salesperson faces rejection. In the case of a job search, you have a very particular product: yourself. This can give every rebuff a personal sting that you need to ignore.

Think about the structure of a job search. The process is all about marketing your skills and background, convincing an employer that you fit into their organization. No wonder you view each “no” as a rejection of you as a person.

But you can’t take the professional decision as a personal snub. You aren’t getting spurned as an individual. Rather, you need to stay in a professional mindset and move on to the next potential opportunity.

Don’t Get Too Excited about Any Opportunity

We’ve all been there. You’re so sure you’ll land a particular position that you stop your job search, waiting to hear back. Then the company shocks you with a negative reply. Not only did you lose the particular job, but you’ve also sacrificed your momentum on what you thought was a sure thing.

Don’t let this happen to you. Rejection falls hardest when you care too much. No matter how promising a prospect, keep pushing forward with your job search. Stay level-headed and skeptical about every opportunity until you receive a firm offer.

Make a Plan

One of the scariest questions in a job search: what next? Each rejection narrows your career choices by one position. Beyond the near-term emotional hit, this feeling that you’re running out of options can contribute to a feeling of stress.

Counteract this by continually developing your job-search plan. Keep thinking about your next move, so you always have another step forward if you suffer a rejection.

Learn from Each Experience

Even rejection can push your career forward. Each “no” provides information you can use to improve your approach next time. Meanwhile, you’ve met new people and added valuable experience that you can leverage as your job search continues.

Keep Talking to Your Network

Most people know to contact their professional and personal networks at the beginning of a job search. However, you shouldn’t stop there. Keep talking with your web of connections as you proceed with the process.

This includes sharing your rejections with those around you. Provide updates of your job-search experiences and continually ask for advice. This will increase your chances of finding a position through your network. At the same time, you’ll get the emotional support that will help you through the rejection.

Tired of rejection? A top staffing agency, like SmartTalent, will let you skip that part of the process. You’ll find an ideal position for you with less hassle.

Contact SmartTalent today to get started with the next phase of your career.