08/13/2025

Six Fast Ways to Rebound from a Job Rejection

The biggest career setback is letting rejection stop you from trying again

Sarah thought she'd nailed it. Three rounds of interviews for her dream marketing role, glowing feedback from the hiring manager and a reassuring "we'll be in touch soon." So, when the rejection email landed in her inbox two weeks later—a generic "we've decided to move forward with another candidate"—it felt like a gut punch.

If you've had a similar experience taking job rejection more personally than you'd like, you are not alone. You are also very human. In fact, research has found that 78 percent of professionals say job rejection negatively impacts their confidence for weeks or even months afterward.

But as normal as it is to feel knocked down, we are also capable of using rejection to clarify our direction, refine our value and accelerate the outcomes (and ideal roles) we want—not to let it define us. This isn't about building thicker skin. It’s about building smarter systems and more empowered thinking.

Please select this link to read the complete article from Fast Company.