Failure!

I was thrilled when I opened up Handshake the week after the Career Fair to find out I had been selected for an on campus interview. As a peer advisor, I’ve spent a lot of time helping my friends prepare for interviews, so it was especially exciting to be going through the process myself. I put aside a few hours over the weekend to research the company and practice answering questions, and went into the interview feeling confident. It seemed to go well, and I followed up a few days afterwards with a thank you note. (For more on thank you notes, check out Jess’s article from after the career fair).

A few weeks later, as I walked out of class after finishing my last final, an email popped up from my interviewer. Scanning through the email, I read:

An overwhelming number of outstanding individuals were screened for a limited number of opportunities, Although your credentials and accomplishments are excellent, we regret that we will be unable to pursue your candidacy any further at this time.

Rats.

Plain and simple, it never feels good to face rejection. However, just because you put in time and effort applying and preparing for a position or interview and nothing came of it, it doesn’t mean it was all for nothing. I learned about what works and what doesn’t work for me when getting ready for an interview. I got practice speaking with employers and talking about myself. Finally, I’m determined to maintain a positive attitude, stick with it, and continue my search until I come away with success.

If you’re rejected from a position, it’s far from the end of the world. Use CDC resources and appointments to help you throughout your search, and if you put in the effort, you will come away with something!

Best of luck,

Van