Through the years, virtual assistant job opportunities have become a wide trend, leading to a very competitive field of application. The expectations and
hopes for each applicant are all down to that one final resume. The endless application to various careers leaves us with uncertainty and anxiety, and for the
worst part, it leads to rejection. Job application rejections are common in all paths of careers, be it a traditional type of work, project-based, part-time, or full-time career.
We, as applicants, tend to have much excitement, especially when we can find the job description that we want to apply to, but there comes a time when we start to lose hope and start pressure-cooking our mental state when we have been sending out our resumes nonstop to different companies, only to receive that “Dear Peter, We are sorry to inform you that…” which make us lose our drive and motivation, ultimately sinking us to the depths of depression and indifference. The question is, why do these rejections happen? And how do we handle rejection?
Job rejections happen for many reasons, some examples are when the employer or the company that you are applying for has found a better match for the role, the lack of experience for the position desired, our niches do not fit the position, or our skills do not match the position. These are factors that we need to accept, and we need to understand as well that these affect our emotional well-being, self-confidence, mental health, and self-esteem, which make us question ourselves and later on make us overthink saying and assuming that we are not enough, I can’t keep up, or saying I give up. So, how do we handle job rejections?
Here are ways that we can cope whenever the doomsday letter arrives.
- Analyzing the feedback: Analyzing feedback can help us identify what we can improve on with our resume, be it lack of experience, tools, and skills. Through this, we can also improve our constructive criticism of ourselves. It allows us to identify and reflect on what else we can polish and sharpen. We do this as a way of healthy constructive criticism, and it also helps us view the rejection positively.
- Stay positive and don’t lose motivation. Keeping positive helps in coping with your rejection; it gives us a sense of assurance that there is still hope for us in landing a job. Not only does having a positive point of view give us assurance and emotional security, but it also strengthens our motivation. Motivation is also key for consistency, and through that motivation we can push through even at dire straits.
- PRAYER: We Filipinos live a religious lifestyle; whenever we dive into a new task, apply for a job, wake up, and eat, we always seek guidance from the man looking out for us from above. We pray before sending our application, and still, we pray even though we have received rejection. Prayer is a powerful tool that can help us get by because we know that at the end of the day, God will always help us find a way.
- Take a breather and de-stress. All of us stressed applicants tend to overwork ourselves at times of job rejection and then start to mass apply to different employers again, repeating the cycle of stress and defeat, which, in our case, is perfectly normal. We all have those collectors at the end of the month, like our favorite Ate, “Judith.” Taking a breather is a must in every job rejection because it makes us take a step back, recharge, and bounce back in the game.
- KEEP APPLYING! MIND OVER HEART: Through all the rejections, we must apply and apply and apply. The art of constant application may help us find the best and most fulfilling job for us. It is normal to feel down and sad at times of rejection, but never let it consume you too much. We must still remember that becoming a VA is still a business, and with a strong mind, we can put our feet on the ground and rise once more.
CONCLUSION:
Rejection is a normal cycle in our lives, be it personal or professional. It serves as a reminder and a stepping stone towards greater character development; rejection is a sign of reflection, transformation, and a seed of determination for us
that will instill confidence to stand up again, realizing that we can do better and we will be better. Rejection paves the way to becoming not only a better version of who you are today but also helps you become the best person you aspire to be. Tough times don’t last; only tough people do. And always remember to keep
the faith!
Author
Peter Paul Simbol
Batch 378 GVA
