Do you keep getting rejected from jobs? Been rejected for a job that you were perfect for? Job rejection isn't something you can always just "brush off". 

When you really want or need a job, and it's just not happening, it can be enough to cause you to spiral into a deep depression!

If you're feeling down, confused, or stressed about getting rejected after a recent job interview, fret not. Our recruitment experts have seen it all, so trust us when we tell you that job rejection is actually a good thing.

Don't believe us? We thought as much. That's why we've devised this guide delivering our top tips to help you handle job rejection, pick yourself back up, and realise the positives of getting the big N-O.

How to deal with job rejection - the smart way

Sure, you could wallow in self-pity and tell yourself there's something wrong with you, and you'll never land a job you love. But how is that helpful? The best way to deal with job rejection is to turn it into an opportunity. And here's how you can do that. 

Ask your interviewer for feedback

This may feel strange at first, but asking your interviewer for feedback following a job rejection is a hugely beneficial thing to do. If you want to make the most of a bad job situation - this is how you do it. 

Ask your interviewer questions like "why wasn't I chosen for this job" and "how can I improve my interview skills" as feedback requests can offer you great insight into what you can work on to ace the next interview. 

On acing your next interview - we have some great interview tips for you in our previous blog, so don't forget to check it out!

Learn from the job rejection experience

If you're feeling particularly depressed, sad, or embarrassed about your job rejection, it might seem counterintuitive to dwell on the whole experience. But the thing is, it's quite important that you do. 

Reflecting on how your interview went, what you could've done better, and any questions that threw you off can help you decide what you need to improve for your future interviews. 

For example, in the interview, let's say you faltered on a simple question like "what does our company do?". For your next interview, now you know that researching the company and what it does is something you must do to prepare for it properly.

Work on your job rejection response plan

Take all the interviewer feedback you receive and what you learned from assessing your strengths and weaknesses. Using this information, design a job rejection response plan that identifies what areas you need to target to impress future interviewers. 

Perhaps you fell short when describing your soft skills (collaboration, communication, listening skills, etc.) or feel you haven't developed them enough. Or maybe your interviewer highlighted your lack of appropriate qualifications for the role.

List the things you need to develop in order of priority and create an actionable strategy to help you improve your knowledge, skills, and qualifications. Maybe it's picking up a book, attending an online course, or getting some experience through an internship.

Reflect on if that job was really "perfect"

Getting rejected for a job that you feel was "perfect for you" can hurt so much more than a job you weren't as excited about. To handle this type of job rejection, it's a good idea to ask yourself if the job was really all that perfect.

Try to pick out elements of the role or the company itself that you weren't super pleased about or that didn't feel like a great fit for you. Then, try to imagine yourself in that position dealing with these elements on a daily basis.

Through this exercise, you can put the job into perspective and realise that maybe this job wasn't the perfect one for you, after all. And by getting rejected from this job, you've now opened yourself up to better opportunities. 

Hype yourself back up - or ask others to!

It can be easy to focus only on the negatives rather than the positives; it's human nature! And when we get rejected from a job opportunity, it can be challenging not to take this to heart and let it knock our confidence. 

The best way to build back your self-belief? Hype yourself up by focusing on what you're great at, what you've accomplished in your life/career so far, and think of times you've conquered obstacles in the past. 

If you're too sad about the job rejection to think of these things, why not ask a family member, friend, or even previous employer to list some of your good qualities? This may be just the confidence boost you need to sail through your next interview!

Our best tip? Reach out to a trusted recruitment agency!

Now that you've read through our strategies for handling job rejections, we hope you're feeling a little more relaxed about the whole situation and optimistic about what the future holds! 

Sometimes, we just need that extra reassurance, guidance, and support when navigating job interviews and rejections, and our recruiters are here to give it to you!

From helping you value yourself to navigating the interview process, you've nothing to lose by getting in touch with a recruiter today!

You don't have to navigate your career alone. Our expert recruitment consultants are here to nurture you from job applications right through to interviews and onboarding. 

At Buchanan Search, we help UK graduates, entry-level workers, and trainees navigate the next step in their professional journeys with helpful advice, attentive support, and ongoing access to the best job opportunities out there. 

Get in touch with us today to carve out your dream career path, step by step. 

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