Being rejected is worse when it happens a few times. It gets you demotivated and depressed, and confused. You start questioning yourself. "Why is this happening to me? Not now. I need a job or at least an interview to prove myself. I know if I get at least one interview, I will get a job". Remember, almost everyone gets a jobs. Some are blessed to get an appointment letter and start immediately, while others have to wait, days if not months to land a decent job. Remember, YOU ARE PROBABLY VERY GOOD AT YOUR WORK, and this thought must be consistent in your job application. The last thing an interviewer wants is a "dejected and depressed employee who cannot handle stress". Easy to say, but it is true. Rarely do the interviewers understand the situation, but they are not to blame. They are looking for the right candidate.
Here's what you can keep in mind to stay motivated:
1. It is Part of the Process
Looking for a job is a job in itself. You need to work 09:00 AM to 5:00 PM Sunday through Thursday doing research, scouting competitive companies, ensuring your CV is professionally prepared, setting up google alerts (and even LinkedIn and other job alerts). Make sure you are practicing interview skills throughout. You have got the desire, you have got the ball rolling, you are trying hard and applying for relevant jobs.
Sometimes even after doing this for a month, you find nothing, not one call.? Normal. Got ghosted—even after the final round of interviews? Normal.
Part of staying positive throughout your search is managing your expectations. Prepare yourself for rejections. Mentally it will make you stronger, and soon you will edge off other job applicants. Results are bound to come. The question is which company and how much would the offer be? Remember your patience and endurance is being tested.
2. It Will Help You in the Future.
You could encounter a situation when a hiring manager or interviewer agrees to meet you and then stands you up, or even tells you that you have got the job and then ghosts you.
In this instance, reflect on everything that was atypical about your experience, so you can assure yourself you will avoid it in the future. You could have even expected a business plan that you submitted to get you the job, but you later realized that the time and effort you invested in the business plan was used to hire a competing candidate.
You are not being treated the right way. Look back on all of your communication with the company previously. Are there red flags you can be on the lookout for the next time?
Sometimes, the best way to move on is to reassure yourself you learned what you needed to so you are not burned again.
As a job candidate, you are vulnerable. You are putting yourself out there because you need a job and you want something better for yourself and your family.
The last thing you want is to let a bad experience keep you from meeting your ultimate goal. Instead, use it as a drive to keep going, learning from experience, and find a company that will make you feel comfortable and valued from the moment you first apply.