You had a great interview process and thought you were going to get a job offer. Maybe the company even said you were the front runner for the job.

But something changed, and you never got that call telling you the job is yours. Did they already have someone in mind? Was there a budget change?

It can be hard to move on from this kind of situation. You invest so much in the process and now have nothing to show for it. However, you must get up off the mat if you are going to move ahead in your career. Here are a few ways to help you do just that.

Realize rejection is part of the process

The first thing you must do is realize that rejection is a part of any job seeking process and there’s no such thing as a sure thing.

It also helps to realize that things outside of your control could have contributed to your being passed over for the job. For instance, you may have been turned down because the decision was made to go with an internal hire or perhaps the job opening was removed due to internal company circumstances.

You also should be willing to analyze your performance so you can turn this rejection into a learning experience. Even if you lost out to the boss’s son, you can still assess your performance and try to avoid making the same mistakes next time.

Focus on the positives

While acknowledging anything that went wrong is an important part of the process, it’s also important – possibly more important – to acknowledge what you did right.

If you made it to the interview, then your resume and cover letter are free of red flags. Also, if you got the opportunity through networking, that’s one more thing you’re doing right.  If you made it to the in-person interview, then you also did well in the phone screener.

Put together a list of all your wins, particularly anything you think really played a big role. Was the staffing company pleasantly surprised by your online portfolio or a certain part of your background? Was there something you did to get ready for the interview that made things easier?

Writing down all the things that went well can help you to do them again down the road.

Ask for feedback

Once you think you have a clear-eyed view of your performance, go ahead and contact the company to ask for feedback. Be sure to thank your contact(s) for the opportunity to meet with them before launching into your feedback request.

You can also let people at the company know that you’d be interested in any similar opportunities that might open up in the future.

Work with a Top Supply Chain Recruiter

At ZDA, we help job seekers get back out on the hunt after experiencing a rejection. Please contact us today if you’re looking to get back on the horse and work with a top supply chain recruiter who is ready to track down your next job opportunity.

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