How I Regroup from Professional Rejection
“Right now, I’m a freelancer, but I’m interested in being part of a team.”
-Me (At least about 50 times by now)
Did I mention I’m a freelancer?
*If you’re a company interested in hiring me, you can head over to my contact page now
Alright, back to our scheduled content.
After my graduation, I started applying to a lot of different jobs. At least three months into my job search I decided to start my own small business and eventually explore freelancing.
Over the last 2 years, freelancing has been my primary source of income. I thought freelancing would be my side gig, but I realized it was easier for me to earn money and respect as a freelancer.
Too many post-grad students experience what I do. When I saw other former student's jobs on LinkedIn, I saw many people were working in retail or working at jobs they’re overqualified for. I think there are several issues with the hiring process and it doesn't account for people who have minimal experience or people who have untraditional backgrounds.
According to TalentWorks,” 61% of all full-time “entry-level” jobs require 3+ years of experience”. This gives us a better idea of what we should expect when post-grad students are looking for their first full-time job. How would a recent graduate have 3 years of experience? The first answer I can think of is internships. I suppose it’s possible for someone to have an internship every year. At the same time, I remember how competitive internships can be. The overall application process is full of students who all want valuable opportunities. For this reason, I think post-grad students should be prepared to experience a decent amount of rejection (at least at the beginning of your job search.
That being said, I think essential for us to acknowledge how we can learn from the job search process. At this point, there's so much I still don't understand about finding a new job,. But, at the same time, I think talking about the issues we encounter will make it easier for us to deal with the job search process in the future. When you’re unable to get the potential client you were speaking to or get a rejection email, it can be difficult. However, I began to notice there are several reasons why I felt this way.
Sometimes, I was hoping this potential client or this potential new job would bring the financial security I was looking for. I also considered additional benefits, such as improved healthcare, life insurance, retirement savings, and any extra perks. I also thought about career advancement this opportunity may have brought.
There is also a more emotional component when you’re rejected in your professional life. There have been times when I was upset and sad about an opportunity I didn’t get. When you’re pursuing something new, it requires time and effort. Every so often, I’d interview with what I considered to be a “dream client” or a “dream job”. A rejection coming from someone I admire or respect definitely stings more. I allow myself to feel disappointed, but I also remind myself of all the opportunities I could have in the future.
It’s crucial for us to analyze the rejection process and figure out where we want to go from there. I don’t think this is a skill most colleges and universities teach, but it’s something I’ve learned over time. An honest analysis of your own job search process can provide you with valuable insight. This will teach you about your own professional strengths and weaknesses and give you information about the companies and clients.
One thing I like to do is evaluate the client and company who rejected me. This means I look at things like salary, benefits, and responsibilities I would’ve had. At this point, I like to analyze to see if this is in line with the overall guidelines and expectations I have already established. I think it's critical for every freelancer or job seeker to have a list of requirements and/or expectations they have. It's possible this opportunity would have been something you would benefit from or it's possible this would have been an opportunity that didn't meet your own standards.
Not every job or opportunity is going to meet all of your standards. However, it's important to know what the benefits and consequences of an opportunity would have been. I say this because applying for a job or interviewing with a potential client can take a significant amount of time, and time is money.
It's possible the potential job or that potential client was not worth your time. If this is true, it's a good idea to look at the reasons why this wasn't worth it. If this particular opportunity was in alignment with what you want, then it's a good sign. It may not have worked this time, but this shows you’re investing your time and energy in the right places.
Regardless of how you feel, note the signs you realized about this company or potential client. I don't think you have to do this with every business or every client, but do it when the opportunity seemed significant or when their reaction was very extremely positive or negative. This is can help you later on and give you more clarity in terms of what you're looking for in an employer or a client.
Another method I like to use is asking the person for feedback. This is something I do with hiring agents and also something I do with clients who chose to hire another freelancer. Sometimes they make comments about my experience, other times they comment on my skills. Either way, this constructive criticism can guide me as a professional and also a job seeker. There are also times when there was nothing I could’ve done. Occasionally the person is looking for a skill or personality trait I would likely never be able to offer. In those circumstances, I’m glad they didn’t choose me.
