By: Isabella Krolikowski
You meticulously filled out your application. Your portfolio flawlessly showed your multifaceted skills. You connected with the interviewer. All that was left was waiting for a phone call congratulating you on your new position.
You received a coldly professional rejection email instead.
At this point, ice cream and Netflix seems like the only option for drowning your sorrows. Before you fall too far into the pit of despair, remember these three ways to positively handle rejection.
1. Remember that rejection happens to everyone.
Behind every great internship and career is plenty of rejections and missed opportunities. Even the most talented PR professionals have been turned down.
2. Use this as a learning experience.
Use this time to reanalyze how you can improve your interviewing skills. Send a thank-you email to your interviewer and ask them if there is anything that could make you a more viable candidate in the future. In order to get the best advice, make sure you keep your tone polite and gracious. Keep in mind that every interview you perform, whether it is successful or not, will make you better equipped for the next opportunity.
3. Keep applying.
An interview is one of the first stages in finding out whether or not you are a good fit for the organization. An opportunity that is a better fit for you will come along. The only way to discover your perfect position is to not take rejection personally and continue your search.
Rejection hurts. Ice cream and chatting with a supportive PR friend will ease the initial disappointment. In the long run, let rejection make you a better interviewee and professional.