How to Handle a Job Rejection Email

This post shares 5 ways on how to handle a job rejection, from responding to the email to resetting your perspective around the rejection.

The email you have been waiting for finally arrives in your inbox and what you are reading creates a pit in your stomach. You didn’t get the job, the email is a job rejection.

So many thoughts are running through your mind. What happened? What did I do wrong? What didn't I do? How can I move forward?

But before you jump to any conclusions, let’s take the time to learn more about the job rejection. And before you move on to the next job application, it is important to mentally check in with yourself on how you are handling the news. 

Going into a job search without the right mindset can start to show up on how you perform in the next round of interviews or which jobs you decide to focus on next.

So let’s go over the 5 ways to recover from a job rejection email from typing a response to getting yourself in the right frame of mind as you navigate a new job search.

How to Respond to a Rejection Email

I couldn’t understand how I didn’t make it to the final round of the interview process. Each round seemed as if the road was pointing to a yes! 

But the job rejection email arrived in my inbox and I was devastated. I didn’t respond immediately and I am glad that I didn’t.

Do you want to know why?

I needed time to process the rejection and wanted to craft an email response back that wasn't a generic “thank you for your time” type of response. 

I wanted to learn more about the rejection to use the newfound information as leverage to improve the chances of my next job opportunity.

Here is the email I sent. You can use this job rejection email response as a template:

Dear _______, 

Just wanted to say thank you for the opportunity to interview for the ________ position. 

 Although I didn't make it to the final round, I am glad I had the chance to learn about the company and role. 

As I am navigating this job search, I am open to receive any feedback on the interview or if you can help shed some light on the gaps in my background or experience. 

I would like to take this opportunity to learn from what I was missing, so I can apply it in my next search.

Any feedback would be much appreciated. 

Thank you again for your time. 

It is never a failure if you can learn from the situation.

A Rejection is a Redirection

I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. 

After I sent the email to the hiring manager I found out that I lacked experience with a specific computer program. 

Learning what I was missing from the background allowed me to decide if I wanted to pursue an online course or to move forward with a slightly revised job search.  

I decided not to pursue the online course and instead focus on writing this blog. Which has led me to so many opportunities that I couldn't have imagined if I took a job at a company. 

And let’s say I did end up landing the role and took the job. 

I may have been miserable in the role because I wasn’t fully prepared for the computer program and possibly suffering a setback in my new role. 

In life, there are never mistakes, just moments of course corrections.

Shake off the Rejection

You received the job rejection email and your first reaction is to get back on LinkedIn and continue to look for your next job. 

But that is the wrong move. 

You need some physical space between you and the computer before you take on another job search.  

“It’s easy to feel let down, disappointed or ashamed after being rejected. Those feelings can weigh us down and hold us back from moving forward toward the next opportunity that is right in front of us.” shared by movement and meditation coach, Kai Des Etages 

She continues, ”Movement, like yoga or dancing, is a great way to physically shake off the negative emotions to help you move forward.”

I could suggest just taking a walk to let go of the negative emotions, but I am going to challenge you further. 

A walk is nice, but taking part in an activity that gets you moving and makes you sweat is a sure bet to get all of your frustrations out and help you free up the tension from the job search.

Clear your mind and get rid of the stress from your body.

Create a Positive Affirmation

What is an affirmation?  Positive statements that claim a new belief or a new way of thinking. It counteracts the negative belief or stories running in your head. 

Why do affirmations feel like I am lying to myself? 

Positive affirmations should be rooted in truth, not something you have never experienced. 

If you create an affirmation based on a positive experience you have felt before, then your affirmation becomes a testimony to something you once have lived through. 

So, what would that look like for affirmations around job rejections? 

• “My name has already been assigned to a role and I will find it.”
• “It wasn’t meant to be, but something is waiting for me.”
• “Someone will take a chance on me and my talent.”
• “I have value and have talents and gifts to share.”

Create an affirmation based on truth and that is positive. 

Your goal is to create these positive statements to keep you motivated with the right mindset.  

When You Are Down, Help Someone Up

The best way to forget about the job rejection is to pick up the phone and call or text someone who could use some help. 

Shift your focus from “me” to “we”. 

By helping someone else will not only make you feel better but is a nice way to boost your confidence! 

• Check in on a fellow job seeker and offer to introduce them to someone in your          network.
• Write a recommendation for a colleague. 
• Volunteer to review a friend's resume or practice a faux interview with them.
• Find out if your elderly neighbor needs help to run an errand. 

A selfless act of kindness is one of the best ways to get rid of feeling bad about the situation. Replace this moment with an act of goodness for someone else. 

So there you have it! How to recover from a job rejection with actionable steps and exercise that help with moving forward with a better mindset in place.

We want to hear from you! Will you try any of these job rejection recovery tips? What has helped you? Share below.