Don’t let a job rejection get you down!
New research has revealed just how hard it can be to handle rejection for those seeking employment, discovering that a third find it easier to cope with rejection from love interests than potential employers! It can be a massive knock to somebody’s confidence and can take a while to get over believe it or not.
So it got us thinking about how we deal with our candidates and what we do to make sure we look after them the best we can. For us, it’s all about the candidate journey, and making sure it’s a smooth one – that way they will come back to us again in the future if they are looking for another career challenge. It’s crucial you deal with rejection the right way.
Great customer service
Just this morning we got a lovely testimonial from a candidate we’ve just recently placed in a full time permanent role – and because she got great service from our team, she recommended us to her colleague who has now also been in touch! We recently had some mugs printed with the words “Colleagues and Clients. Nothing else matters” and it’s so true when it comes to work – they are the most important assets to any business and should be looked after and nurtured at all times.
Being honest & professional
So what do we do if our candidates don’t get the job? We always call them and explain the reasons why – what went well or what didn’t go quite so well. We like to give them honest feedback from the client and advise them on what they could do to improve their interview questions the next time. But we always deal with them professionally and are kind – even when the feedback isn’t so positive.
Lots of reassurance & encouragement
We reassure the candidates and encourage them to keep going and never give up. What’s meant to be will be and you won’t ever find your happy ending if you give up. It can take a while to find the right job, and you might have a few knocks on the way but you will get there eventually. Getting rejected always carries a sting, but it’s important to pick yourself up and not let it get you down. Use the feedback as a way to develop yourself and learn from it – we are learning constantly through our lives, day in day out, without even realising it sometimes!
Final thoughts
So if you are the person giving the feedback or turning down the candidate, please be mindful. A lot of time and effort goes into preparing a cover letter and attending an interview, and all candidates should be thanked for their time and effort – you never know if you might want to contact them at a future date for another opportunity – so always be professional and kind.
And if you are the candidate who’s been turned down, please don’t let it put you off applying again! It’s like buying a new house, you don’t always go for the first one you see do you? There’s bound to be another opportunity just around the corner, just tell yourself that this one wasn’t meant to be and go nail the next one!