Why Rejection Helped Me Land My Dream Writing Job

Rejection comes in many forms. It’s something we all have to deal with from time to time, and it stings. You’re probably familiar with that feeling when your heart slowly sinks down to your stomach and you start to feel worthless.

Over the years, I’ve learned that the way we respond to rejection can define us. If you think about it, deep learning and wisdom often spring from our failures. So with every rejection comes a choice: We can use it as an opportunity to move forward with more drive and insight, or we can allow it to hold us back. The decision is ours.

I’ve found it helpful to remind myself that rejection from a job is frequently completely out of our control. It never feels good to get the email that says, “Thanks, but we’ve decided to go ahead with another candidate.” But oftentimes, it’s not the least bit personal. Maybe the company had already selected a candidate by the time they received your resume or maybe they were looking for a very specific attribute that you just don’t have. It’s simply a mismatch—nothing more, nothing less. Keeping this in mind has helped me stop being so critical of my own “failures.”

So what did I learn from being rejected—a humbling 6 times—from Wix? Here are some of my key takeaways. By sharing them with the world, I hope to save others one or two rejections along the way.

01. Ask for feedback...and apply it

Whenever I got to the interview stage and felt that I had a decent rapport with the interviewer, I wrote them to ask for feedback about my performance and asked which skills I was missing.

I then acted upon the advice I received. I signed up for online courses in coding and Photoshop, acquiring skills that are valued in the hi-tech world. In addition to helping me understand how computers and programming work, these courses gave my resume a nice boost and made me much more hireable.

02. Keep on truckin’

While it’s helpful after a rejection to stop and think about what you can do to improve, it’s really important to continue to move forward. (This applies whether you are looking for a new job, a new boyfriend or the perfect dance partner.) Nothing good comes from descending into a major funk and dwelling on the rejection for too long. Take a bit of time to grieve, then pick yourself back up and start planning for your next step.

I attended lots of networking events to make new connections and learn about relevant job openings. I approached my job search with an open mind and scanned multiple social platforms for interesting positions. In other words, I didn’t dwell on the past and, instead, kept my eyes on my goal. And you know what I realized? That each and every one of my rejections had a purpose and ultimately helped me end up exactly where I was supposed to be.

Don’t give up

Lots of people would not apply to Wix after six rejections. Probably most of them. The truth is, when I saw the Facebook post for a content writing job at Wix, my first instinct was to ignore it. After so many attempts, why would it work out now? But I was determined not to let my past failures hold me back, and I was confident I had just the right skill set for the job.

This time, the opening wasn’t for the Customer Solutions (CS) position I had applied for previously. Wix was looking for a Knowledge Base writer and I thought this could be a great fit for me—and all I needed to apply was a presentation showcasing my professional writing skills that scored me a golden ticket to a Wix Writers’ recruitment day. I put my newly acquired Photoshop skills to the test and applied for the job. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Did getting rejected ultimately help you find your dream job? Share your own rejection story in the comments below.

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Rebecca Khalifa, Content Writer at Wix