Tribe's Head of Digital, Data & Technology, Sarah White, talks us through dealing with rejection.
We’ve all thought a job we’ve applied for seemed perfect and then been disappointed to hear the decision had gone another candidate's way. You have every right to feel despondent but it is how we deal with it that can create the best learning opportunities to move forward with your next application.
Rejection comes at two stages of the job searching process and learnings can differ as a result. These stages are at the application stage and then also during the interview stage.
At application stage:
Technology makes advertisements easy to apply to (and also easy to be rejected from).
Things to consider when applying
● Did you meet the brief? Candidates typically apply to roles based on title but choose not to
read the full advertisement. By not understanding the brief, it is difficult to know if the role
is quite right. If the ad doesn’t give you the right context to decide for yourself, consultants
are always happy to help decide with you by understanding your background and
motivations on the phone.
● Could you answer yes to 75% of the key requirements? Whilst not a scientific measure, by
being able to answer yes to approximately this sort of measure will help decide if you have
enough scope to grow in the role as well as be challenged. If you answer yes to 100% the
role may be too junior and too senior 50% and below…
During the Interview stage:
● Did you prep for your interview well? Did you research the interviewees, take advantage or
ask for interview prep (from the consultants who have met the client and taken the brief)
and have you thought of questions that make you stand out from the crowd?
If yes…
● Ensure you receive relevant feedback on how you presented at interview. A lot of
candidates present differently at interview as to what they thought they did (he came across
as aggressive and defensive, she spoke about her current employer really negatively, he
seem uninterested as didn’t ask any questions…). Whilst potentially hurtful to hear, truly
listening to the interview feedback might uncover the “pearl of wisdom” you need in order
to improve for next time.
There are many reasons for a future employer to say no to, but only a select few to say yes to. It
is important to take each learning as a self-improvement
