Dealing with Rejection
Those of us in the nonprofit sector as well as sales personnel know only too well you need you get comfortable with and learn from rejection.
Likewise, job seekers often face rejection on a regular basis. Not many people like sales. But, as a job seeker, you are in sales, and you are the product. I attended a sales class once that celebrated every “no” as one step closer to a “yes.” As a job seeker, there are many reasons for a potential employer to say no, some of them have nothing to do with you. They may include higher-level approval, budget authority, and procedural considerations. If rejected, you must adopt the attitude that it’s not personal. Allow rejection to roll off your back, learn from it, refine your approach, and get out there and do it again. How you handle rejection says a lot about you and your attitude.
Some job seekers take rejection as a personal affront. Especially senior leaders who are not used to being rejected or having someone, especially someone much younger, saying no. Two things I learned as a business development professional and later in the nonprofit sector is that a “No” is not no forever. It’s no to your offer at this time. And, a rejection from a job offer today may not close the door to other opportunities for that company in the future. The way you deal with rejection might keep the door open for other opportunities.
Example. About a year ago, I interviewed a small group of individuals who had applied for a nonprofit executive director’s position. All the candidates were well qualified and very professional but we only had one position so we selected one lady and passed-over the others. Three months later we found that the person we hired did not work out so we had to let her go. We went back to the next most qualified candidate we had interviewed and offered her the job. She’s in that job today and doing very well.
So what’s the bottom line? No today, does not mean no forever. Learn from the experience. Remain gracious, professional and never burn your bridges behind you.
