How to turn rejections into opportunities

Being rejected for a job can be demoralising, especially after putting so much effort into an application and interview.

Sadly, it’s part of the job-searching process. It’s not personal.

A rejection simply means that someone else was better qualified or a better fit for the job. It doesn’t mean the employer will rule you out for future vacancies.

But how you handle a rejection that can make all the difference.

So, what should you do when you receive a rejection letter?

When it happens, reply expressing your enthusiasm for the company, asking for feedback and to be considered for future roles. You could say something like:

“Thank you for considering me for the IT Manager role. I enjoyed meeting you and hearing more about your company, especially your plans to expand your software development team.

Although I was unsuccessful on this occasion, I hope you’ll consider me for future vacancies in your team. I’d like to keep in touch and will email you in a few months to learn more about your recruitment plans.

I’d also be grateful if you could give me feedback on my interview performance which will help me make improvements for future interviews.”


You could also use the email to highlight any skills you have that are applicable to the company’s resourcing plans and you didn’t get a chance to discuss at the interview.

For example:

“Although not relevant to the IT Manager role I was interviewed for, I wanted to highlight my Python programming experience. For example, I developed …”


In addition to an email, consider other ways of staying in touch and engaging with the employer or recruiter. But avoid bombarding or hassling them.

For example, every now and again, you could send something useful like a link to a relevant post, a paper you’ve written about how to solve a problem they talked about at your interview, or engage in a meaningful way by commenting and contributing to their social media posts.

Then, perhaps every few months, phone or email to check if any suitable vacancies are coming up.


Although rejection is hard, don't give up when this happens to you. That’s life.

Instead try to view it as an opportunity. Your rejection might just be a stepping stone to the job of your dreams.