I’m sure by now you know that college comes with a lot of rejections. We get rejected applying to colleges, to clubs at college, to leadership positions, to the job at Boloco, to the fancy finance internship -- you name it. Here are some tips that might make rejection easier to bounce back from.
1. Remember, it’s usually not personal.
A rejection doesn’t necessarily mean you’re not qualified or worthy. Sometimes we just aren’t a good fit for the place we’re applying to. Think about it, would you want to work with people you don’t fit in with?
2. It’s okay to feel sad, upset, or however else you feel! Your feelings are valid!
You put time and effort into your application. It’s perfectly reasonable to have grief over the rejection. Something that makes me feel better is thinking about the time I spent on an application as a proportion of my life thus far. For example, three hours spent on an application is less than 0.00002% of my life. It isn’t the end of the world!
3. On a similar note, give yourself time to process your emotions.
If you need to cry, then cry. If you need to slap around a punching bag, do that (only literal punching bags please). Do whatever helps you process your emotions, so you can release them and focus your energy on things that bring you joy!
4. Avoid comparing yourself to others.
Okay, so Sally from Harvard got the job, but you didn’t. Who cares what Sally’s doing? You’re the most important person in your life. Your life isn’t about the job and who they did or didn’t take, your life is about you! Focus on yourself!
5. Figure out what skills might give you an edge.
If you keep getting rejections from the same industry and feel underqualified, it’s time to change that! Find people at the companies you want to work for on LinkedIn, network and ask them what skills you should build to put you on track for a job there! If you’re new to networking, log into Dartboard (google dartboard dartmouth, and click the first link), scroll to “Resource library,” and find their resource titled “Networking Guide.”
If you got rejected from a place like Target, it’s probably less because of skills and more because you applied for departments they didn’t need people in; don’t take it to heart.
6. When one door closes, another opens!
Now that you won’t be busy with your next club officer position or internship, you’ll have time for other stuff! Step back and enjoy life, work on building skills, build your network and relationships, apply for another position if you want! The possibilities are endless!
7. Know you aren’t alone.
Maybe you were the only applicant to get rejected from this particular club or internship, but you’re still not alone! There are plenty of other people around the world getting rejections too, and there are plenty who are the only applicants rejected from their opportunities as well! The bottom line is, you aren’t alone. There are many people in the same boat, and you’re all going to arrive safely onshore one day! 