Conquer corporate rejections and bounce back stronger

Do you remember the last time you experienced a job rejection? Was it recent, or did it happen years ago? Regardless of the timeline, I bet it's fairly easy to recall. That's because we naturally emphasize the painful moments in our lives.

Nonetheless, these moments can be transformative if you use them to your advantage.

Common Rejections in Corporate

Before we get too far, let's elevate the conversation a bit. Working in corporate is fraught with opportunities for rejection. Do any of these rejections ring a bell for you?

• Negotiations: I once asked for an additional $5,000 on top of a job offer -> Rejected.
• Performance Reviews: You believe you deserve an “exceeds expectations” rating but receive a “meets expectations” instead -> Rejected.
• Personality: You're an introvert but you've been told, nonstop, that networking is key! Introversion -> Rejected.
• Appearance: Like colorful hair and an eclectic style? Most times, this does not fit the corporate culture -> Rejected.
• Reductions in Force: You could be a top performer but still be laid off -> Rejected.

Sadly, the above isn’t an exhaustive list, but it highlights how rejection can manifest in corporate settings. 

DID YOU KNOW?

According to Glassdoor, the average job seeker goes through 27 applications before securing a job, meaning they face approximately 26 rejections during their job search!

However, job seekers who continued their job search after initial rejections ended up receiving 20% higher salary offers on average compared to those who accepted their first offer without facing rejections 

Strategies for Handling Rejections

As a person whose made it through my fair share of rejections during my corporate climb, here are a few strategies I leverage in the face of rejection:

Draw Hope from Past Rejections

Reflect on previous rejections in your life—from being cut from a sports team to being denied admission to your first-choice college. These setbacks were tough, but you pushed through with resilience. Job rejections and other corporate rejections are no different. 

Learn from the Rejection

Use the application process or the specific scenario as a learning opportunity. If you’re job hunting, reflect on your resume, elevator pitch, and interview strategy. For other rejections, consider why they occurred and what you can learn. For example, if your introverted personality doesn’t fit the culture, perhaps other roles within the company might better suit you.

Maintain a Positive Mindset

In a corporate environment where rejection is common, you can’t afford to let each one set you back. Try leveraging affirmations, such as "I am resilient, and I grow stronger with each setback" or "Every rejection is a redirection to something better for me."

Keep one or two affirmations top of mind; you'll be surprised how well they work! 

Ideally, by reading my strategies, you will feel encouraged to either leverage these, or develop your own game plan for future disappointments. 

"You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it." - Maya Angelou 

Key Considerations for Future Encounters

As you put your game plan into practice, I also want you to keep these things in mind:

1. Rejections are everywhere - not just in corporate, but in your personal life as well. Your game plan will undoubtedly help you in many aspects.
2. If every rejection takes you a couple of steps back each time, your career growth will be significantly impacted. In the same vein, if you can learn from each rejection, your career growth will again be significantly impacted - but in a good way ;-)
3. Taking the time to develop your strategy for coping with rejections can prove to be just as valuable as taking the time to study for a certification. Invest in the time upfront, and you will see your resilience grow exponentially.

So, do you have a different approach to managing through rejections? Reply and share your thoughts! I'd love to feature you in a future newsletter.

Best,

Danielle