Rejection is an integral part of the job search process
When looking at rejection as part of the job search, first things first… don’t take it personally.
It doesn’t matter how qualified you are, how much talent and experience you have, you are going to be rejected at some point during your job search. The data bears this out. According to the L.A. Times, the average job seeker will be rejected by 24 decision-makers before they get the “yes,” and get hired.
One recruiter noted that he rejected tens of thousands of people for every thousand that he hired. LinkedIn notes that the average corporate job will attract 250 resumes. From that pool, only 4-6 applicants will be interviewed and only one gets the job. Those odds are not in your favor.
Of course, it’s not easy and it’s not fun. In fact, hearing “no” from potential employers can impact you mentally, psychologically, and even physically. It’s probably not your fault. Then again, don’t take it personally.
There are any number of legitimate reasons why you didn’t get the offer and none of them having anything to do with you. It could be that the company decided not to fill the position. Maybe you finished second in a field of ten. Not reassuring, but not the end of the world either.
Think about it. If you apply for 500 jobs, you may have to deal with 499 rejections. But it’s only that last one that really counts.