Achuya David Amaechi
Nov 7 · 6 min read

5 weird reasons why Rejection could be good.

"I can’t begin to count the number of rejection emails I’ve received this year but we keep moving on" and that was the status update of a brother in his daily hustle, and struggle to get a job so he may not crumble.

At some point in our lives, you might have experienced rejection but do that ever mean we failed?
Rejection generally is often perceived as being very bad. However, as bad as it might be it also comes with some glorifying moments, moments of learning and self-discoveries which are of course very good. Rejection could simply be in the form of a "No"
Many times in my life, I’ve been given a "No" in many of my endeavors but trust me, it only got me better. Many people I looked up to for a "Yes" simply turned me down and kindly issued me "No". But today, I can only thank them for the "No" (rejection) because without their "No" I wouldn’t have realized/discovered the salient "Yes" inside of me.

Yes, Rejection could be good because

1. Rejection is not a failure, but an action that can be counter-acted. Newton's 3rd Law of Motion states that for every action there's an equal and opposite reaction. Hence your reaction to the action (rejection) is what actually decides whether or not you've failed. That "no" you received; I.e. rejection is an action, it's now up to you to stage a reaction. You don't sit down, weeping all day, feeling sorry for yourself; because people will do that for you even without asking. What they will not do for you is that which you should do for yourself - finding a "yes". This is something no one will do for you. The "Yes" will not come and meet you while you're seated, it's a reaction, it can only be carried in motion. By motion, I do not mean walking up and down the street like you're looking for a lost coin. Rejection thus could be good because it sets you in motion to greater heights.

2. Rejection could be a redirection:

Sometimes we find ourselves in certain situations where all we could see is a cloudy sky with mist, fogs, and snow with little or no sign of sunshine and we shiver in cold with heart dampened by the feeling of loneliness and hopelessness which cause us to wonder if we would ever have the sun shining on us. The truth is rejection could bring all of these to a man but it also comes with a situation, an avenue for us to learn, relearn and unlearn; discovering an expedient way of doing things. This phase of rejection could get us equipped with experience essential to living life differently which many not in our shoes may never get to learn about it. This is some good thing rejection could offer us - an opportunity to learn, discover, redress, and re-strategize.
Many didn’t see an airplane when it was struggling with the ground, moving slowly and steadily against the wind, gathering momentum to take off.

We only talk of how magnificent and powerful it is when it finally gets up there flying above the ground, among the skies and against the wind slowing it down then. An ugly situation does not need to define who you are. Rise above the wind/storm, fight the ground like an airplane. Be steady and consistent.

No one likes to be rejected for a job. Whether you had your heart set on getting hired or weren’t even sure you wanted the gig, it still stings to find out that you’ve been turned down.
It can be especially hard to cope with job search rejection when it happens over and over again – but that’s not an uncommon experience for job seekers. The process of finding the perfect job for you is a lot like dating: as the saying goes, you have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find your prince or princess.

To succeed in your long-term goal of finding that dream opportunity and getting hired, you need to learn to cope with being turned down. Otherwise, it’s easy to let a momentary setback turn into a major career roadblock

3. Rejection turns out to be good when you can getting over it by simply sharing the frustration, disappointment, and anger that accompanies any loss. Talk to a friend or family member and share your feelings in a confidential setting. Venting can be a very useful tool for letting go of the negative and moving on.

Just be sure that you pick your supporters well. The ideal person to share with is someone who won’t become a future boss or coworker. Even though your feelings are understandable, you don’t want them to make a bad impression on someone who might later evaluate your candidacy for another job. Family members are a good choice, as well as old friends who’ve been with you through good times and bad.

And whatever you do, resist the urge to say anything negative to the hiring manager. You never know whether you might want to apply to the organization again in the future. Sometimes it's hard to know exactly why a candidate was rejected and it could be that you were too qualified. If that's the case, the employer may come back at a later date with a better job offer.

Recognize that most searches are quite competitive, and many talented candidates are often rejected due to a tight job market. It is quite likely that the employer is not actually rejecting you, but rather saw another candidate as a (maybe even slightly) better fit. Because hiring decisions are typically subjective, it is entirely possible that another recruiter might have chosen you.

Also, keep in mind that maybe the hiring manager was right, and this job wasn't the best fit for you and you wouldn't have worked out or been happy in the role. In that case, the company did you a favor by not hiring you.

4. Rejection helps you in analyzing your candidacy for a job role.
Take the time to reflect on your approach to the hiring process to see if there is anything you could improve upon in the future. Review your resume, cover letter, what transpired during the interview, and your follow-up activity.
Given what you learned about the job requirements and people involved, ask yourself if you could have done something differently in order to present yourself in a better light and one that made you seem like a better fit for the job.
Though not typical, sometimes an employer will share feedback about your candidacy. If that's not the case, and you developed a rapport with anyone at the organization, try approaching them with a request for constructive criticism.

5. It keeps your job Search Moving Forward. Candidates often lose momentum with their search while waiting to hear if they landed a job, especially if they think they nailed the job interview. Don’t fall into that trap. It’s never a good idea to stop looking until you have been offered and accepted a job offer.

Until you have something in writing, continue with your search. Finding other options, and receiving positive responses from interviewers, will soften the blow if you are rejected. You might also find a better offer, regardless of whether you land this particular job.

So, keep applying, networking, and working on your long-term career plan. Best-case scenario, you’ll be an even more attractive candidate for the job you’re considering. Worst-case scenario, you won’t have to start from scratch with a brand-new search.

Keep pushing, keep being amazing.

    Achuya David Amaechi

    Written by

    Achuya David is a graduate from University of Benin, SEO Expert, Content Creator, Administrator, HR Enthusiast ( Leadership development).

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