It’s just back into the flow of the semester. The syllabi are trickling in, the introductions are being made, and the sleep schedule is slowly readjusting. However, the coming of the spring semester also brings upon the dreaded season of internship applications. As for many students, spring semester is a time to scour databases in the hopes of finding a best fit internship for the summer. Internships are a great way to have real life experience and networking in the hopes of landing a full time position post graduate. That is the trajectory for most grad students after all, obtain an internship and then receive an offer by the end of it. However, many students are faced with the devastating sight of empty emails and rejected notifications on their application portal. It’s true, as many internships there are available, just as many rejections are sure to come by.
When one gets a rejection letter, they think that it is the end of the world and nothing can ever placate their feelings of loss, inadequacy, and disappointment. While those feelings are valid and to be expected, it is also important to learn how to manage being rejected from a position that was really wanted. It may bring some solace to bring yourself out of the situation and think about the outcome objectively. Everyone gets rejected once in a while and most of the time, there is nothing personal attached to the rejection. You are going up against people from all different walks of life, perhaps those who have years upon years of experience ahead of you. Oftentimes, it is simply a matter of how well you fit into the job. Someone else may have just had more experience or certain soft skills that pertain to that work environment better. That’s to say that you perhaps outrank other individuals in different positions. Work style, communication, types, and overall responses to questions may have resonated better with the recruiter at the time(LinkedIn, 2023).
US News states that it is also important to treat yourself and keep motivation high(Madell, 2023). Though it is important to let yourself feel the feelings associated with rejection, it is as important to continue trekking on. Before that, it’s vital to practice self care and compassion. For example, noting your daily accomplishments and finding pride in your current work. You are further along today than you were a year ago in terms of achieving your dreams. You can also treat yourself and get some nice food to eat or relish in some time with friends.
After you are ready to process the rejection, a good idea may also be to schedule a feedback session with the recruiter. Many individuals find this helpful in moving forward with their next position or interview. A recruiter will most likely have notes as to why you may have been passed over in comparison to a peer or counterpart. This would be helpful to then reflect on how you may be perceived, as well as get a better sense of company fit. From there, it is then important to not give up! You miss all of the shots that you do not take. Keep applying while taking in the feedback in a positive direction. Even a rejection from a position is a working experience that you can grow from. It’s still practice and allows for positive development and change.
Sources
LinkedIn. (2023). How to deal with job rejection. LinkedIn Corporation. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-deal-job-rejection-bilingual-source/
Madell, R. (2023). 6 Ways to Deal With Job Rejection. U.S. News & World Report L.P. https://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/articles/ways-to-deal-with-job-rejection#:~:text=Balance%20out%20the%20bad%20news,and%20try%20again%20and%20again.%E2%80%9D
