Rejection is hard. It makes us think about ourselves, our faults, what we could have done better. It makes us wonder if what we are aiming for is what we should be aiming at. It can make or break a person's moral, and it can send grown men and women into tears of frustration and self-pity.
I am not talking about a boy who said no to me when I asked them out, although that can be extremely crushing as I'm sure we all know. No, I am talking about the awful feeling you get when you find out you were not chosen for a particular position, over and over again. The feeling of having an email sent to you that says "unfortunately your skills do not match our ideal candidate at this time" is a heart breaker. Applying to tons of jobs, just to find out that not one of them is interested in your particular skills, is depressing. Having interviews, feeling confident, getting excited, just to find out they are going with another candidate, is earth shattering.
But, what can you do with this? What can you learn from this? Be more prepared? Perhaps. But for me, its not about that. Now, its not only about showing the interviewer, or the employer why I am the best candidate, but about convincing myself I am too. Thousands of students, just like me, are searching for a summer job, an internship, a co-op position this summer. I am not the only one who is feeling rejected, but I can be the one who stands up and says, no, I will not let this define me.
Do, I have a summer job yet? No. Do I have a plethora of inspirations, ideas and projects that are going to fill up my time until I do? You bet I do. Will these projects be something I can discuss in my resume and in future interviews? Why wouldn't they be? Pushing yourself to try new things whether you succeed at them or fail, are things you can discuss with a potential interviewer. They want you to show them that you are going to push yourself to do your best within a company, and to create amazing progress for yourself.
So, yesterday during my latest interview, I decided to but my heart out there and tell the interviewer exactly why I thought this job was for me. It was no longer regurgitated "I want to try something new" or "The job description says this" but it was from the heart. I want to make a difference, I want to be that person you say in 6 months, "I'm glad I hired her". And while I do not know yet if I got the position, I know that I met someone who will be in my network in the future. Whether the position fits me or not, I have come in contact with someone who I had a great conservation with, and that I can take with me either way.
So, you don't have a summer job yet either? Make each and every interaction count. Something will work out for us in the end, and that rejection we face will only push us further in our quest for success.
Should you want to speak with me about a position you feel I am the perfect candidate for, please feel free to email me at vlstacey@uwaterloo.ca or check out my linkedin profile at ca.linkedin.com/in/victoriastacey.
Our talents shouldn't be put on paper. They don't reflect our true potential. Our skills should be demonstrated, tested, analyzed and critiqued in real time. Like they do in The Social Network. Lots of true companies are going that route. It's time more employees implement a true method of justifying talent instead of asking a series of Copy&Paste questions, in a small room, reading from a piece of paper.
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