Let’s face it, no one likes to be told that they’re not the perfect candidate for a role. Rejection hurts. Especially if it’s your ‘dream position’, one that you’ve been holding out for and already visualised yourself in.

You’ve done your research, you’ve told your friends about the brand, you love the location, the money is right and you NEED that job to skyrocket your career! But the truth is that not everyone is offered their perfect or ‘dream’ role simply because it’s what THEY want. Employers have their own agenda when hiring and sometimes you’re not privy to all their information.

Often 2, 3 or even 4 candidates are sent to the interview and unfortunately only one can be placed. That means 2 or 3 receive those dreaded words “you’ve been unsuccessful”.

Now you have two choices at this point;

1. Accept the feedback gracefully or

2. Defend yourself and try to justify why the potential employer has made the most ridiculous and unbelievable mistake of their working career!
Don’t get me wrong, it’s absolutely ok to be upset/disappointed/annoyed/hurt – all of the above…. but the way you handle yourself during this time will make all the difference to the relationship you are building with your recruiter or the company you’ve just interviewed with (e.g. if the feedback is coming from the employer directly).

3 reasons why accepting feedback gracefully will always be the best option:

• Maturity always shines through – no one wants to deal with a child in business

• Building a positive relationship with your recruiter (and/or the employer) will set you up for success in the future. Who knows what other roles might be just around the corner?

• Negativity breeds negativity. Great things only come from a super positive attitude. What are you looking to achieve by being defensive? At the end of the day it’s a ‘no’ – end of story.

Our advice is spend your time moving forward, with a positive attitude and an open mind. It might just be the reason why you land that dream role in the end. Remember, they say everything happens for a reason!

Naomi Marshall – Director
P: (02) 9271 0011
M: 0422 139 910
E: naomi@sprintpeople.com.au