Picture yourself in this scenario:
You just got back to your computer and are anxiously trying to get into your e-mail to see if you’ve received feedback yet from the company you interviewed with last week. As soon as you login the company’s e-mail address instantly jumps out at you and you cannot click on the message fast enough to see what it says. You begin reading the words, "We enjoyed meeting with you and learning about your career path…." You then read a little further and you see, "…but at this time we have decided to pursue other avenues." You’re not just devastated, you are mad. You can’t understand why they didn’t pick you. This is natural…we all want to understand why weren’t picked for something we were so excited 
about. However, it is important that you not let the situation get you so down that you lose your confidence. Instead use this as a learning opportunity. Below, I have outlined for you some of the Do’s and Don’ts of how to respond after receiving a rejection letter or phone call.
- DON’T instantly pick up the phone and call the hiring manager to demand an explanation for not being selected for the job opening.
- DON’T call all of your friends and tell them what a bad company XYZ company is because they didn’t hire you for your dream job.
- DON’T try to replay the entire interview back in your head and analyze every answer you provided.
- DO ask politely for further feedback on your interview. Even if the company decided not to fill the position they may still be able to provide you with valuable feedback that you can transfer to future interviews as you continue your Indianapolis job search.
- DO ask where other candidates more closely hit the mark and you maybe fell a little short. Maybe it is the computer skills needed for the position and you can easily take a couple of online courses to improve your skills and knowledge. Maybe other candidates had a certification that you do not, but have been contemplating going after. Not only will this help you further develop yourself for future opportunities, but it will also give you an idea of hiring trends in your industry.
- DO write down the good answers that you provided to questions, along with those that you could have worded a little differently. This will help in your preparation for your next interview. Also, if you are working with an Indianapolis staffing firm, ask them if you can run some answers past them to get more feedback.
Rejection is never easy to deal with, especially when it pertains to your next career move. However, the way in which you respond to that rejection is what will set you apart in future interviews.
