The Hunt: Don’t fear rejection

Rejection should be the Path to Victory

First published in jobpostings magazine
careers. education. ideas. all of it.

Image courtesy of JobPostings.ca

Rejection is not a band thing. in fact, it’s healthy—it means you’re trying. Fear of failure is common, and to truly feel victory one must also feel what it’s like to fail.

Here’s what we mean: You’ve went to a couple of close call interviews only to receive a, “We’re sorry to regret that you do not get the job” letter in your inbox. Don’t be discouraged. As Kanye West said, “I turn tragedy into triumph” and so should you!

So, instead of giving up, reflect on your resume and your past interviews: What were the stand out points, the ones your employer mentioned? What experiences where they most interested in? Which accomplishments did you have to elaborate on? Take those points, look over your resume, and accentuate the good while minimizing the bad.

Back when I began applying for specific jobs, I went to an employment centre and got a consultation. They offer free workshops that can get your leg up on the job hunt—and they’re very helpful especially for those just starting out after graduation. So, I got a consultation, and was told that my resume needed some work; I’ve always used the standard outline they taught in highschool. But some key points the counsellor told me really stood out.

[pullquote]“I turn tragedy into triumph” and so should you![/pullquote]For one, under my “experiences,” my header featured, in order, my employer’s name and how long I’d worked with them; the sub header was my job position. Reverse them, though, and it not only directs the employers eye to your job position, but it also highlights the versatility in your experiences.

Next: At the beginning of your resume, always have an objective. It shows your future employer what you want out of the job and what you’re going to bring to the table. It saves your employer time, too—they won’t be extrapolating your mission statement.

Look over your previous volunteer experiences or internships, or if you’ve helped coordinate events—because depending on the job you’re applying for, this counts as a professional experience. It should be placed under your jobs. You might not have gotten paid, but the time you’ve put into those experiences—and the lessons you’ve learned from them—are very credible.
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Always remember that rejection is the path to victory; there’s always a silver lining. The whole point of the interview process is to see if you’re a good fit. If you didn’t get the job, don’t think, “That’s the one that got away.” You’re just eliminating that prospect for something better.

The Hunt is Jobpostings.ca’s series on the search for a career—written from the perspective of student bloggers. The following entry comes from Gerasil Coria, a self-described “social media dork, local Toronto blogger and Don Draper fangirl, with experience in the fashion advertising, IT marketing and urban development industries.” Check out her for blog entry here, or more of her writing work here.

Jobpostings Magazine is Canada’s largest, career lifestyle magazine (and website) for students looking forentry level jobs. So if you’re looking for your next student job on the path to your career, check them out!