By Ashley Minelli | , Rejection: Our Advice on How to Handle It

Rejection 1

There’s probably not a person living in the world (over the age of 1) who hasn’t felt the sting of rejection. It hurts. It can make you question everything about yourself and the professional or personal path you are on. But fortunately for you, you’re likely going to survive past it. Chances are, you’ll even thrive after it happens to you.

So how do you handle the defeat? We turned to our team of talent advisors at The Newell Group, who offered their words of wisdom on handling rejection.

Do not give up after you are rejected

“Stephen King’s first book was rejected about 30 times before being published. That book was Carrie.  Hang in there after a rejection.  Believe…” –Dannie A. Newell, Owner & Founder

“It’s so true that the fewer irons we have in the fire, the more rejection stings. But you never know what all is going on behind the scenes so don’t take it personal, reset and stay in the game.” –David Townsend, Director of Recruiting, Physicians

“Keep networking and talking to people. That will keep you upright and positive much more than staring at job boards and throwing resumes into black holes all day. Plus, you’ll unearth opportunities that you wouldn’t have known about otherwise and make great connections for the future.” –Alex Walter, Director of Recruiting, Medical Device & Pharma

Learn how to navigate past rejection

“Try to learn something from every experience.  If you are a candidate, seek specific reasons why you were rejected or areas that you can improve on.  If you are a Hiring Manager, give detailed feedback to your interviewees that will help them develop their skills.  Business moves very fast and changes can happen quickly. A candidate that was rejected six months ago might be PERFECT for the new challenges that are affecting your business.” –Riley Phillips, Director of Recruiting, Orthotics & Prosthetics

“Rejection is two-fold: Many times when clients decline candidates it just means “No, for this position” or “Not at this time”. I’ve had some clients come back around 6 months or a year later.  Also, in my opinion, a rejection means the company’s loss – we “dust off our britches” and move on to find that right opportunity.  Looking back on my life I am very grateful for a few rejections!” –Kasey Craven, Director of Recruiting, Food & Beverage Manufacturing

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