Nobody likes to hear the word, ‘NO’.
It begins when we are very young and even as an infant or toddler, we learn the meaning quickly that ‘NO’ is a real drag and it does associate with rejection and sometimes pain.
When you are on the job hunt, thinking about advancing your career, rejection is, unfortunately a part of that process. For some, they hit the ground running and land their first job right out of school pretty fast and do it with, what appears to be a quick and seamless experience. Great for them!!!!
Then there is everybody else. It requires time, time management, a lesson on self-awareness, self-branding, creating a network, creating a value added plan and REJECTION. You put it all together, put it out there, apply and you either get no response, which is common and/or you get, ‘thanks, but no thanks’.
Really sucks – doesn’t it?
‘No’ is a difficult word to both hear and say. We typically, when asked to do something, give something or play a participation role, don’t want to say ‘no’. It can make you feel bad. It can make you feel guilty, even though it’s the right response.
We just don’t want to say it and we certainly don’t want to hear it.
Career Sequencing is such a process and when you think about how many times you reach out, apply for what your feel is the ideal fit for you, you get rejected. As a career coach, I deal with this often and no matter what we might coach, teach, mentor, guide and advise, it is difficult not to take it personally, but you have to suck it up and understand that ‘NO’ and ‘REJECTION’ are just part of it.
What you need to focus on is ‘NEXT’. You move on and you do it with your head in a good space and you do it with grace. This is the part of the process that you cannot control, and if you can’t control it – don’t worry about it. And, conversely, if you can control it – then don’t worry about it.
The one thing you can always control is your attitude, so stick with the plan and keep moving forward. No eventually leads to yes. Rejection will eventually lead to ACCEPTANCE and APPROVAL. Believe in yourself and push it forward.
