When Rejection Happens

Let's face it: we all hate rejection happens. We hate it even more when we are emotionally invested in someone or something and then we get rejected. When it comes to the job search, even the best of us will get a rejection letter via email. The job search is emotional, stressful, and draining process for the person looking for a job. You spend time putting together the perfect cover letter, tailoring your resume, and cleaning up your online image. All of this just to hear the company you interviewed with turned you down for "other applicants". Don't worry, it happens to the best of us!

Rejection Letter #1

• This is a rejection letter that I got from a company after a two week interview process. I did all my research on the company, had two phone interviews with the HR department, and finally got my in person interview. This position is in the industry that I had all my experience in, the HR manager was impressed with how well I answered the questions and wished me luck in the interview. However, when I went to the actual interview I was interview by two ladies who forgot I was coming, and did not seem too interested in interviewing me. I wasn't asked anything about the history of the company (which I did so much research on), I was asked very basic questions. However, I felt as if the interview went well then I entered the most painful part of the job process: waiting to hear back. After a week this was the email I got from human resources. 

Rejection Letter #2

• This is a rejection letter from a company that is 10 minutes away from my home. I was so excited to interview for this position! They called me in for an interview only one day after submitting my application. In mind this told me that they were looking to fill this position right away. When I interviewed for this position I was shown around the company then things got weird. The manager interviewing me was asking me interview questions off a packet that he admitted he was still learning. Once again I was asked basic questions (nothing about the history of the company...which I studied for HOURS), and he explained that the onboarding process for this position would take a month. I waited one week trying my best not to bother HR for an update on my interview. One week and one day after I interviewed I got this email. Cut like a knife...and what cuts the most is how much they "valued my experience". 

Rejection Letter #3

• By this time I was completely out of my mind! So just for sh!ts and giggles I went to a temp agency and applied for a few positions. I am a Purple Heart veteran, a college grad, a corporate leader with 2 years of leadership under my belt and the passed on me for "other applicants" for a position that makes $10 an hour? After receiving this rejection letter I started a search for the voodoo master that had my job search jinxed. 

Family, Friends, Followers: the job search will be one of the most emotional periods of your life. You put hours in the classroom, some of you have served your country, others have earned valuable certifications. If you get a rejection letter and feel as if you will never get a job remember this: SLOW PROGRESS IS BETTER THAN NO PROGRESS!!! Every job that passes on you for these "other applicants" didn't deserve your skills and experience in the first place. The rejections in your life will make the job you accept mean so much more. So when life gives you lemons, make lemonade (and add vodka). Keep applying, interview with pride, and the company that deserves your skills, education, and accomplishments will hire you. Good luck on your search :)

Working with a disability

Working With A Disability:

One of the hardest things for me to do after being injured in Iraq was going back to work with a disability. My time in the military was over, and I was permanently disabled at the age of 23 years old. I knew nothing about working in the civilian world, and knew even less about my right as an individual with a disability. There was a lot of trepidation on my part when looking for a job as a disabled veteran. Here are some of the issues I dealt with early in my job search:

• I hesitated when asked on the interview "why did you leave the military". I didn't want to tell my interviewer that I was severely injured in Iraq. I thought that this would be a sure fire way to be considered as someone who couldn't perform the job duties required for the position. I am very proud of my military service, however I wasn't too proud to tell my interviewer that I was injured in Iraq. 
• When filling out job applications I wasn't sure how to answer "do you have a disability". I was afraid to enter yes on the application because once again I thought I would be disqualified from the position. The first thought that entered my mind was "why do they need to know if I have a disability"? This was a touchy subject for me because I was still very young and was more embarrassed to be so young with a disability. 
• Lastly, when I started working I was hesitant to disclose my disability to my supervisors. In Iraq I was shot in both of my legs so I cannot walk for extended periods of time. With my nerve damage in my legs it is also very painful to wear shoes. When I supervised in a major call center, my manager wanted to know why I didn't walk the floor as much as the other supervisors and why I always had my shoes off under my desk. I was embarrassed to disclose the extent of my disability but he understood and it made things a little easier for me at work. 

So what I learned during this process is to arm yourself with knowledge. Some people believe that in order to have a disability you have to look a certain way, or talk a certain way. There are many of us in the workforce that have disabilities that are not visible. I proudly served my country, and I was injured protecting American freedom and the American way of life. While in the military I suffered injuries that left me permanently disabled. Today I speak on behalf of individuals with disabilities in the workplace everywhere and I couldn't be any more proud of the excellent work we are doing across the world. 

Giving Your Resume A Tune Up

Giving your resume a tune up:

Just like cars need to go to the mechanic for annual maintenance, your resume will need maintenance a couple of times of year. Industry trends change, your job duties and responsibilities change, and you earn certifications and education as you grow as a corporate professional. In the case of your resume, your oil change will be routine resume maintenance, your tire rotation will be prioritizing your skills to match the industry’s needs, and replacing your spark plugs will be updating your contact information and making sure that your references are still up to date.

·         Your Oil Change: Happens once about every three months or every three thousand miles. This is checking your resume about once a quarter to make sure that your information is relevant for the industry you are in, or trying to enter. If you have your resume on a searchable site such as LinkedIn or monster, then industry professionals can easily find you. Ensure that your resume’s oil is changed by going back to those older jobs and replacing some of those out of date terms with the newest industry terms.

·         Your Tire Rotation: Making sure that all your tires have the same amount of wear on them. This is ensuring that all your jobs are tailored toward the industry you are trying to get into. You don’t want a job description for one of your previous jobs to be a contradiction of the role you are currently in. An example of this would be highlighting your accomplishments as a business analyst in your current role, but highlighting your mechanical skills in your previous role. Do these skills accomplishments say the same thing? Do your tires (in this case your different roles) have the same amount of wear on them? Will they take your car (your resume) to its destination of a new career?

·         Replacing your spark plugs: Maintenance that you do not really think about for your vehicle. This would be those small things on your resume like updating your email address, and making sure that you have the correct phone number on your resume. One of the biggest “small” things you can do for your resume is check the contact information for your references. You may be proud of your references, but make sure that the phone number and email you have for them is up to date.