From Our Guest Blogger: 4 Ways to Bounce Back from Work Rejection

By Jamé Jackson

Either you’ve got rejected from countless applications, you just got (what you thought was) your dream job, and it’s a disaster, or even you have been flat-out fired. Whatever your sitch, we’ve all had moments where we feel completely down and out in the workplace. How to effectively rebound, right this way.

1. Let Yourself Wallow (For a Sec)

When I first moved to New York, I took a position at a job not knowing I would be laid off two months later due to budget cuts. I had no family, no savings (who actually has a savings account in New York?), barely any friends, plus the crippling fear of not being able to survive in New York City. Give yourself time to mourn and ugly-cry: you’re not a robot. Yes, it is okay to wallow and watch reruns of Sex and the City for a few days. After day three, however, it’s time to get up and do something!

2. Then Go Into Overdrive

After a day and a half of tears and “why me’s,” I picked myself up and began applying, updating resumes and cover letters, and then applying some more! When life throws lemons at you (which it will), only the strong will survive and make a very strong vodka lemonade. If you’ve been laid off, received a bad performance evaluation, or haven’t gotten any replies to the thousands of emails you’ve sent, it’s time to become proactive. Search the jobs here on Ed2010, join networking organizations, schedule that follow-up meeting with your manager to discuss how you can improve next quarter, or start cold-emailing editors you want to have an informational interview with. The reality is, bad things are bound to happen to all of us at least once in our careers, but the magic is in how you will overcome said adversities. Nothing is ever going to be handed to you, so get up and fight for it.

3. Dig Into The Root Cause

No matter the circumstance, assessments always draw out answers we may otherwise never reach. Why does my application keep getting ignored? Why is this position causing me stress every day? Why did I get fired? Questions like these will yield answers you may not necessarily want, but that you need in order to push yourself forward. The key is digging as deep as you can to assess why something in particular is bothersome, and not just settling for the first answer. Take this scenario for instance: I dread coming to work everyday because I don’t like my manager. Or I dread coming to work everyday because my manager doesn’t support my taking on more leadership opportunities. Maybe I need to excel at my current duties to show her that I can handle more. You see how simply saying, “I dread coming to work everyday” did not tap into the root of the problem? Dig as much as you can, so you can find the source of the problem—and then solve it.

4. Seek Fulfillment Outside of the 9-5

Okay, not everyone is going to like her job. Are you an intern wanting to move up the ranks but nobody within your department sees you as an actual member of the team? Are you in a marketing job that helps pay bills but you secretly yearn for a more coveted role in editorial? While we can’t all make the lateral moves within our career, you CAN change how you invest your time after work hours. While some feel rejection after getting fired, others may feel that same emotion at their current job because they don’t get to do what they want to do. Whatever it is you’re feeling “rejected” about at work, there are a million and one ways to satisfy that desire. If you want to write, join a writing workshop or freelance on the weekends. Your manager suggests you learn how to make presentations? Take a public speaking class at a local community college. (There may even be budget for your job to pay for it—don’t forget to ask). Who says that you have to do it all within the span of 9-5? If your ‘rejection’ is coming from not getting callbacks for a job interview, joining a networking group may be just what you need to get your foot in the door and in the face of editors, journalists, and decision-makers.

Jamé Jackson is a freelance writer based in New York City. She loves all things fashion, beauty, and #GirlBoss related. She can be seen spreading her magic on Instagram @Theblondemisfit and her website, Theblondemisfit.com.