“No, you can’t play with us.”

“He doesn’t want to go out with you. He likes your friend. Sorry.”

“All of the festival tickets have sold out. Try again next year.”

Knock-backs start at an early age in our lives but, nonetheless, the feeling of rejection still stings with every blow. When making job or internship applications, our self-worth and confidence can take a knock when greeted by endless emails saying ‘no,’ or, even worse, being ghosted by the prospective employer and never hearing back at all. Sometimes, it feels like a lot of hard work writing cover letters and researching companies for very little reward, or even feedback, which can leave you asking, “Is it just me?”

The answer to that question is “absolutely not.” It’s not just you. Many students and graduates have shared with the LUMS Careers team that they have faced imposter syndrome or needed reassurance that they are doing all the right things to succeed. You are not alone. Building resilience takes time and is undeniably tough. However, if you are putting in all the practical work, it will pay off eventually. You just have to keep going. It is a competitive job market, and a careful balance of quality and quantity of applications, but “If you throw enough mud at the wall, something will stick.”

But how do you keep going when you feel like giving up?

It might sound easier said than done, but mindset is really important, and instead of focusing on the end result, you should celebrate the small wins and play to your strengths. Always ask for feedback from the employer where possible and work on your development areas, but none of this will work if you don’t believe that you will succeed. Put simply, if you don’t believe in yourself, then how can you convince an employer to? If you haven’t read The Secret by Rhonda Byrne, I highly recommend it. Bhavika echoes this and states,

“Rejections can be hard and disappointing. Discover your sources of positivity, whether in people or pursuits, and immerse yourself in the joy they bring. Invest your time in the things that light up your soul and watch as happiness becomes your driving force!”

Of course, you should also be open to other options. Everyone needs a Plan B, C or even D.

Didn’t get onto the graduate scheme of your dreams? Apply for internships.

Failed the final stage interview by a close contender? Keep nurturing the relationship with the hiring manager and ask whether they can recommend you to another connection.

Struggling to find an employer that will sponsor your visa? Seek opportunities in your home country with an international company where it may be possible to relocate.

The opportunities are endless, you just might need to embrace change and be creative and flexible.

Importantly, resist comparing yourself to others. Every student in your cohort or year group has a different background, skill set, experience, and individual goal. While it can be beneficial to learn from the shared experience of the recruitment process from others, it is unhealthy and unhelpful to put unnecessary pressure on yourself to secure a job “just because everyone else is.” The same advice applies to letting others influence your career decisions due to their expectations. Example: “I’m applying for a role in investment banking, but that’s only because it's what my father does, and I don’t want to let him down.” Remember that this is your future and ideally you should apply for roles that you are personally interested in and feel excited about. Your authentic passion and enthusiasm will be evident in your application, resulting in more positive results and crucially, a fulfilling and enjoyable role for you personally.

Upon securing a new position, a recent student stated, “In their words, the reason they hired me is not because of my experience or skills, but because of my mindset. Please do pass this on to students as I have applied relentlessly to jobs thinking I didn’t have the experience required, but in this scenario, it was my mindset and how I came across in the interviews that landed me the job.”

Action Plan Checklist

1. REFLECTION - Take a moment to process the rejection. Allow yourself to feel disappointed but try to avoid dwelling on it.
2. REQUEST FEEDBACK - Not all employers will provide detailed feedback, but some might offer valuable insights.
3. IDENTIFY PATTERNS – Look for common themes in feedback or where the application stage ends. This may mean that you identify a development area such as booking a mock interview, practicing the free psychometric tests on the Careers Portal, or having a cover letter reviewed by one of LUMS Careers Coaches. Also, consider if there could be a skills gap that you can improve upon. You may wish to take an online course or certification or attend workshops and webinars to address this.
4. NETWORKING – Are you making the most of the LU alumni network? Join LinkedIn industry-related groups or reach out to professionals in your desired field to gain insights and advice.
5. ORGANISATION – Track applications with a spreadsheet of the jobs that you have applied for, closing dates and follow-up actions. Set goals for tasks such as the number of applications, networking or skill development tasks.

If you have been feeling demotivated or frustrated with job applications recently, please do reach out to the LUMS Careers team for advice and support. You can make an appointment on CareersConnect.

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The opinions expressed by our bloggers and those providing comments are personal, and may not necessarily reflect the opinions of Lancaster University. Responsibility for the accuracy of any of the information contained within blog posts belongs to the blogger.