- Do you keep receiving job rejections or never hear back from the hiring managers?
- Are you losing hope in finding a job in the UK?
- Would you like to learn a strategy that can help you rebound from the stress of job rejections?
You spend hours browsing the web for jobs in the UK, invest lots of time and even money into creating a perfect CV and tailoring a cover letter for each job application. You might be progressing into the next stages, where you have to prepare for various tests and job interviews. But the outcome is always negative.
The message usually goes like this:
"We appreciate your interest in our company and the time you’ve invested in applying for this opening.
Unfortunately, our team did not select you for further consideration.
We wish you good luck with your job search and professional future endeavours."
When you receive this type of message for the first time, you might shrug it off. You understand rationally that there are many great candidates who also applied for the job, maybe you weren't so keen to work for this company and that you will surely find the best role for yourself very soon.
But then the rejection becomes the new normal. If you often receive emails like this or worse, you never hear back from the recruiters - it might seriously impact your confidence and mental wellbeing.
Frequent job rejections may make you feel unworthy and insecure. You might even start doubting your competencies.
It is totally normal to be upset when you didn't get your dream job. However, it is vital to learn how to cope with the stress of job rejections and bounce back.
Today we prepared for you the best tips to better understand job rejections and quickly recover from them.
What can you do after receiving a job rejection?
Whatever comes your way, you should always be prepared. So, what's the action plan if you receive the news that you were not selected for the role?
The first step is to determine whether you have been rejected or the application process just got delayed. Sometimes, recruiters send mixed signals or don't provide clear instructions.
Your behaviour will change according to the situation. So, we will suggest a couple of different scenarios for when you are certain that you didn't get the job and when you are uncertain.
If the employer told you that you didn't make the cut
Although receiving a job rejection is never pleasant, it's much better to have a definitive answer about a job than it is to wonder when or if you'll hear back from the company.
You would usually receive an email or a hiring manager call confirming that you were not selected for this opening. When you receive a job rejection, you don't have to do anything on your part.
There is no obligation to reply to the recruiter. However, you might benefit from the following actions.
Ask for feedback
Getting some constructive feedback from employers can be a great way to help you evaluate your strengths and weakness and learn the lessons so that you can improve your future applications. However, it is important to know when it is appropriate to ask for feedback.
It's quite common to contact the hiring manager and ask for more information after getting to the point where you have had one or two personal interviews with a company but then got rejected. If you were rejected at the job application stage, then there is a lower chance that you will hear from them, as companies usually receive large volumes of applications and don't have the time to send personalised messages to all the candidates.
Nonetheless, sending a polite email and asking for feedback won't hurt you, even if you don't receive a reply.
Write a thank you letter
After you didn't get a job, thanking a hiring manager might sound ridiculous at first, but you can actually benefit from doing this.
This gesture can help you build your professional network and increase the chance of being considered for another job opening. You can read advice on how to write a thank you letter and see some examples here.
If you didn't hear from the employer
So, you haven't received a follow-up email after the interview or heard nothing from the hiring manager for the last two weeks. The first thing that comes to mind is that your application was unsuccessful.
Unfortunately, ghosting candidates is quite common in the UK job culture. In other words, companies can ignore candidates and drop the hiring process without notifying you. According to a Clutch survey, more than one-third of job seekers report that the last company that rejected them did not respond at all.
Even if you had an interview with the employer, you might never hear back from this company again.
However, a long pause in communication between you and the company might not be related to you. Nowadays, companies are under a lot of stress due to Covid-19 pandemic so that the hiring process might take longer than usual.
Follow up
If you find yourself in the situation described above, the best thing you could do is gather more information.
Send a polite email to the hiring manager, restating your interest in this job opening and asking for an update. If you don't have any contact point at the company, try sending an email to the general mailbox or find a hiring manager on LinkedIn.
In case nobody responds to your inquiries, treat this as a rejection and move on.
How to rebound from job rejections?
The job search process is challenging and mentally demanding, especially if you are an international applicant who requires a Skilled Worker visa.
The key to success in securing a job is to keep a positive mindset and be consistent. However, we understand that it's easy to get off track and lose the focus when your efforts don't seem to yield results.
That's why it is crucial to learn how to deal with job rejections gracefully and don't let them hold you back from finding your perfect job.
Don't blame yourself
First and foremost, you should not bash yourself for missing a job opportunity. A job rejection does not determine your self-worth or job competency.
There are a number of factors that impact the hiring decision. For instance, a company is more likely to select a British resident who has the same skills as the foreign applicant, because it is simply easier from the bureaucratic point of view, as there is less paperwork and extra expenditures involved. Also, you might be applying for roles that are not suitable for visa sponsorship and while you are a great fit, employers can't hire you. To avoid this mistake, always check the job against visa rules or search on ukhired.com
Although you might feel like you are alone in this, job rejections are much more common than you imagine.
Finding a new job during the pandemic is incredibly difficult due to a high demand and hiring freezes. The latest data shows that in autumn 2020 employers received an average of 267 application for a medium-skilled vacancies and 56 applicants for high-skilled vacancies. So, you can imagine how many people were getting rejected every day.
Blaming yourself and stressing out about the past will only dent your confidence. Instead, be compassionate towards yourself and remember that finding a job in a foreign country is difficult. If you feel like you are not making any progress, think about how much you are learning from these unsuccessful job applications.
Every day you are moving forward and getting closer to your goal, even if it is happening slower than you anticipated.
Take a break
If you feel like you are close to reaching a burnout, it's better to stop and give yourself a short timeout from job applications.
You are not going to be productive if you are exhausted. Taking a break will allow you to recharge your energy to continue the job search race.
You might need a couple of hours or days off when you do something that you enjoy to stop your mind from obsessing over finding a job. Spend time with your family and friends, go on a walk or pick up a new hobby. Engage in whatever makes you happy.
After you start feeling much better you can pick up where you left off.
Learn from failure
Now that you have accepted the past job rejections and had some rest, it's time to review your overall job search strategy and improve your applications.
What are the main reasons you can't secure a job offer?
Try spotting some patterns and analyse the reasons why you have failed at securing a job. If you received feedback from the companies, follow their advice.
Here are a few ideas that you can do to learn from the past mistakes:
- Review your job search strategy
- Check your social media and ensure that you have a good online presence
- Learn how to improve your CV and cover letter
- Read up on interview tips and tricks
- Practice online tests
- Use technology to improve your job application
- Apply for SOL jobs if you have the right skills
- Grow your professional network
Doing even one of the suggested actions can dramatically improve your job prospects and help you land a job with visa sponsorship.
Conclusion
We understand that getting job rejections is very hurtful and discouraging. However, it doesn't mean that you will never get the job that you want.
Please remember that many people are going through the same process as you. Keep a positive mindset, stay strong and learn from the unsuccessful applications.
All of these tips discussed today will help you overcome the feelings associated with rejection and prepare you for landing a job that you want.