Job Search Rejection – How to Cope with Not Landing a Job Offer
Job search rejection is never easy and there could be many reasons you are not landing a job offer. The resume and cover letter aren't right or maybe the job interviews you attended went terribly wrong.
The interviewer asked you tough questions you did not prepare for. You forgot to make copies of your resume for the education board. Five faces are frowning at you. You draw a blank after your hasty research fails to uncover the school district's nationwide ABC Reading Program.
All you get is more frowns.
The interview ends and nobody asks for your references. This time, you frown. Coping with not receiving a job offer, a rejection of your application is a natural part of the job search process. You are not alone.
It is what we learn by our mistakes that really sets the stage for future job search success.
How job seekers handle rejection depends on their mindset. Despite the embarrassing blunders, many job seekers would envy your opportunity to experience a real job interview. A panel interview is an even greater coup. While you could focus on your failure to impress the board, why not relish the opportunity to learn from a live interview situation.
Had you not been at the board interview, you likely would have been practicing mock interviews to prepare for another interview.
When rejection letters and phone calls start to stack up, however, even job seekers with a positive mindset may feel their confidence slowly draining. Immersing yourself in depression and hopelessness will not advance your career objectives.
Some people face hundreds of rejections before they find the job they desire. Have a strategy for coping with rejection due to your mistake or just plain bad luck. You should not be hard on yourself if you start to feel self-doubt.
Nor should you bury your emotions. Acknowledge them. It is okay to feel disappointment.
Steps to Take Action When Rejected During the Job Search
Below are some effective and simple tips and strategies to implement to move your job search forward with a positive mindset.
Pursue Continuous Learning
Learning is the most empowering confidence-boosting tool. A large offering of online courses makes it easy to improve in any area of your choosing. You may decide to take more education-related credits, or maybe you want to learn a language or chill out with an art appreciation course. If you are taking education courses, you can also benefit from networking with others in your profession, many of whom may also be undergoing a career transition. Ask yourself if you would be better off in a night course at the teacher's college where you may also receive employment support.
Re-evaluate the Job Market
Has the job market changed since you began your search? Canvassing input from those in your education field can give you great insight into what to expect. Are the skills required the same? Do you have the required experience and qualifications? Gaining knowledge is power, and a first step to overcoming the feeling of desperation in your education job search.
Ask – Is Your Resume Unconvincing?
Ask peers, education hiring managers and resume experts to evaluate your resume. Do not rely on one source for feedback. The more people you ask for guidance the better your resume will be. When you visit education recruiters, always ask for an evaluation of your resume. Conduct your own self-evaluation after reading up on teacher resume and cover letter writing tips.
Your first question should be: Did you clearly demonstrate on your cover letter and resume that you meet the criteria for the job? Even though you may have all the relevant qualifications, knowledge, skills, and experience, if you don't make this sufficiently clear in your application, the employer is unlikely to interview you. Seek professional resume help and make good use of resume help online.
Ensure Your Application is Error Free
Were there errors in your application or was it hard to read? It is a proven fact that most employers will disqualify an individual simply because there were typos or spelling errors in the application. Copy editing your resume package is so very important: Have your friends, relatives, and colleagues critique it. The more eyes that read it, the less likely it will be that errors sneak through. A+ Resumes for Teachers uses a highly trained team of writers and editors to prepare your documents.
Ask for Informational Interviews
Many education professionals are willing to make themselves available for informational interviews. These are not job interviews but information gathering opportunities. An interview may be a 20-minute conversation over Skype or a lunch meeting.
Lunch may be appropriate if you already know the person – perhaps you play on the same sports team or went to teacher's college together. Informational interviews provide an opportunity to learn more about the requirements of a job, and even school and district hiring plans.
Ask why job candidates succeed or fail at this school. What does the district like to see in a candidate?
Use the Job Interview Process as Live Training Ground
The next time you make a blunder in a job interview you can leave the interview with a bounce in your step. "That was wonderful practice! I nailed the strengths and weaknesses question. Need to work on the long-term career goal response, though."
Analyze your performance after each interview. Consider making a template and revising it as new areas for performance improvement arise. Fill out the template after each interview.
Surround Yourself With Positive People
Choose to spend time with people who support your job search. These are your peers, friends and family members who make you feel positive and confident about your job search. They always make sure you are out the door to a job interview with your shoes polished. Coping with rejection in your teacher search will be much easier if you have a positive support network.
Try not to think of rejection as failure. Focus on the things you did well, and continue to build upon your strengths and talents. Take a good constructive look at what you can do to improve, whether it is your written documents or your personal interview. Think of the whole process as a chance to grow and learn from the experience. Every opportunity you have to better yourself provides you with a better chance at getting that next employment opportunity.
Over-reliance on teacher job ads could be behind a long drawn-out job search. More jobs are found through networking than job boards. Consider networking your way to secure a teaching job. Get out to education job fairs and meet education professionals face-to-face.
Do make sure you are up-to-date on how to search and apply for a teaching job online, where most job positions are posted. Read up on job search strategies for career advancement.
Learn more about Candace Alstad-Davies by reviewing my about me page. From that page, you can review testimonials and frequently asked questions.
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