Turn Rejection Into Data – How to Bounce Back in Your Job Search
A lot of job seekers are asking me about how to get better traction in this crappy job market.
People who previously had no issue landing interviews are now getting rejected early on.
This makes sense in this (read trash) employer market. There are a lot of job seekers and companies are in the driver's seat.
Aka not enough job openings and too many job seekers.
You definitely can't coast, only apply online, and expect to get interviews.
You must implement a better strategy and get comfortable with more rejections.
Below are some tips to help you land more interviews.
Reframe Rejection
To succeed in any job search process you must get used to rejection. The truth is, those who bounce back the fastest will get offers sooner.
Rejection is part of the process, and how you handle it can make a difference in landing your next role.
Stamina and resilience are paramount.
It helps to practice non-attachment, especially early in the interview process.
Quick story:
I used to get rattled by rejection when I was job searching back in the day.
One time I even sent a looong email to a recruiter, essentially begging them to reconsider their rejection.
Awkward, right? Def don’t be that person because it doesn't work.
After a while, I realized rejection is part of the game and it's not worth getting emotionally attached to any opportunity too early in the process.
Job searching is a numbers game that you have to learn to play in your favor. Read on to learn what I mean.
Use Rejection as Data
It helps to get curious and analytical about all the data points in your job search, both positive and negative.
Each rejection is an opportunity to learn and refine your approach.
To get more data driven start tracking every aspect of your job search.
For example, track the roles you apply for, the stages you reach, the feedback you receive, and even the timeframes involved. This will give you a clearer picture of what’s working and what’s not.
You can't improve what you don't measure, so track more.
Don't overthink it - use a Google sheet, Notion, or a notebook.
Map your Rejections
Once you are tracking every aspect of your job search analyze the data weekly.
Take a step back and map out where your rejections are happening in the interview process.
Are you consistently getting to the final round only to be turned down? Or are you struggling to get past the phone screen?
Or maybe you are not getting any interviews?
If you keep getting rejected at a particular stage, it’s time to drill down into what’s happening during those interviews.
Are you not articulating your value clearly? Do you need to refine your application strategy?
Hint - Applying online is slowing your process down af.
The sooner you identify the issue, the sooner you can make changes and test different approaches.
Reach out to Hiring Managers
Ok, now you know it's normal to get rejected, time to implement a more effective application strategy.
In this market, you must reach out directly to people. It can be people in your network who could make an intro, it can be cold emailing Hiring Managers, or you can contact people inside of companies to try and get a referral.
You could even implement a strategy of asking 2nd connections to send a warm intro on your behalf.
My suggestion is you try all of these strategies and see which one works the best for you.
Either way, you cannot rely on simply applying online. There are too many people to compete with and you won't stand out.
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Pro Tip: Learn to prospect to get more interviews, even if you don't have a strong network.
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TL;DR
Dig into your own interview performance data to learn where you need to improve.
The faster you can diagnose where you need to iterate, the faster you’ll get interviews and the next job offer.
But remember, job searching isn’t just about applying online and waiting.
It’s about being proactive, just like a sales hunter who’s constantly prospecting for new leads.
You gotta get creative in these job search streets.
Use your network, reach out directly to hiring managers, and connect with people inside companies to get more traction.
DM people on multiple channels. Do whatever it takes.
Rejection doesn’t have to be the end of the road; it can be the beginning of a more targeted, effective job search strategy.
Track, iterate, learn and keep going.
Get em :)
Whenever you're ready, these are the ways I can help you:
Join Job Search Office Hours every Sunday to get group coaching for just $29. Come once or come every week!
Learn all the job search strategies I teach clients in this workbook.
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