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Once you have
graduated, unfortunately it's then time to enter the real world which
involves full time employment! When you first start to browse the graduate
jobs that are available, you may not be fully prepared for what can be a
long and frustrating process. Of course if you are lucky, or incredibly
gifted, it is unlikely that you will only need to apply for one vacancy to
secure one of the available graduate jobs.
It's more likely that you will apply for numerous jobs over a period of
time, it's also more likely that you will receive a job offer after several
attempts. Yes, you can speed up the process by applying for several
positions at once to increase your chances.
Unfortunately this does mean that you are likely to face rejection along the
way to landing a graduate job. It's better that you know that straight away,
so you don't plan your life on the basis that you get your ideal job within
a month or two of graduating!
There are people who do this, but you should
approach this realistically.
Although it does appear to be devastating at the time, some rejection
through life is usually necessary to guide you onto the road to success. You
can learn a lot through being rejected, so here are some tips on how to deal
with it!
In some cases you may be rejected from reasons beyond your control, which
can but completely concealed. In an extreme example, the successful
candidate may have a relative in the management structure of the company and
had their name on the job from the beginning. Or an applicant could be much
more experienced in a similar role than you.
If you are unsuccessful, in most cases you will receive feedback as part of
the rejection process. Carefully listen to what is being said to you, as you
can use and apply this information for future applications. Don't be afraid
to ask for feedback either as you may be able to pinpoint your failings. For
example, which questions did you answer well, and which questions didn't
you? Was your answering technique suitable?
Everybody has experienced failure at some point in the career, so don't take
any of the feedback personally!
If you are rejected, it will be because of objective and rational reasons so
don't think the world has a grudge against you. If you can identify the
factors which are preventing your success, then you can make the required
changes and hopefully get a much more positive result next time. If you are
rejected more than once, learn from it, consider them each to be a hurdle
that you have overcome on the way to gaining a graduate job.
You must always avoid, "biting back" during a feedback session, even if you
don't agree with what is being told to you. Always avoid making snide
comments as well, they don't help anybody, especially you. If you a pursuing
a career in a sector, there is a strong chance that you will cross paths
again. You don't want to damage any potential future employment or
relationships! Make sure you thank the person for their feedback and for the
time they have taken to deliver it to you. Appreciate their decision and
politely say that you would like to meet them again at some stage.
To summarise, if you are entering the world of graduate job interviews, be
prepared to face some rejection on the way. Don't expect success at the
first hurdle, instead use any rejection as a stepping stone and learn from
the feedback that you receive. You will be successful and more likely a much
stronger candidate and person.
About the Author:
This article is written by Jonathan Walker of
Graduate Jobs |
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