When you were job hunting how many rejections did you get before finding a role?

[IBloodyLoveMichaelJackson]

And was it because you messed up the interview? Too much competition? Not enough experience? Did you find it hurtful / take it personally?

Yes to all

Not had any rejections... probably because I don't aim high enough.

If I've got through to interview stage I've only twice not got the job. Once was an interview when I had a shocking cold and the panel were awful really rude and not an ounce of warmth between them. I'd decided I didn't want the job long before the interview was over, but they didn't offer it to me. The other was one at a very prestigious organisation who clearly thought people should be sooo grateful to be interviewed, two days of jumping through hoops and no attempt to tell me why I might want the job. I didn't want or get offered that one either.

There's been a couple of occasions where I thought I'd written a really strong application for jobs I was "perfect" for and those bothered me because I never knew where I went wrong.

Oh gosh. I always used to get jobs. Then I took some time out as a sahm and I just didn’t get anything. Just jotting it up it was 7.

Why was it? I was a bit overqualified, not the right fit and a bit arrogant, maybe. I was too expensive. There was a stench of not being in work which gave licence to interviewers to not be hugely respectful - a few didn’t bother calling back with the outcome.

I mostly felt angry.

In the end, I went freelance for a bit and the freelance work grew. That gave me a different story to tell in interviews. I picked up a fixed-term part-time job that suited my family, and I loved it. I was offered a permanent position, and I am so grateful to my employer that I never allow myself to have a bad day. It took a long time to get there (… and my experience informs how I treat people coming to interview, going on maternity leave or on fixed-term contracts).

Late in 2020, after the first batch of furlough ended and unemployment was high, and business confidence was low, I applied for about 70 jobs over 6 months. I had 17 interviews, came 2nd twice and then got two offers in the same week. Like London buses

I cocked up the first two interviews, just through lack of practice. My fault completely.

In 2020 when getting an interview was nigh on impossible. I applied for over 130 jobs in a 6 month period. I got 4 interviews. Got an offer for 2, came second in another and rejected at first stage for 4th.

Those 6 months in 2020 when I couldn't get a job because covid had hit and the bastards I worked for laid us all off - refused to furlough! - were probably the worst six months of my life. So unbelievably stressful. Very hard to promote yourself when everything has gone to shit and you're desperate. And all everyone is talking about is how they don't want to wear a mask

The ghosting from companies was soul destroying. I had one woman at a recruitment agency tell me I wouldn't get a job as I was aiming too high! (Must call her back and tell her that I did get a job, no thanks to her!).

It's hard not take any rejection personally. And in 2020 it was devastating for me not to be able to get a job.

I'm thinking more on Indeed if they just reject you straightaway or reply, ask a couple of automatic questions and then you get no further. (I know my CV is accurate with no spelling mistakes and I have had other people whom I have turned down really like it) but I can't help feeling kicked when it happens!

Re: Indeed - It just means the company is looking for someone with very specific skills. Which you don't have. Definitely don't take it personally.

I've been job hunting on and off since 2014, so hundreds of jobs and I've got some of the temporary ones along the way. Most of them I don't take personally or find hurtful as I know it's the competition (often I hear back they had hundreds of applicants and all but a very few would have been perfectly hireable).

One interview I do know I messed up, because I didn't prepare well enough. Another one I don't think I did mess up but I am cross about it, because it was during the early days of covid and DD wasn't in nursery. They had asked candidates to prepare a zoom presentation to be given live, then with a couple of days to go they changed their minds and said to record it. I was really cross as it was a much bigger ask for someone with a small child at home than for anyone without kids, and I did raise it with them. I was the second choice on that job, and they said it was really close, so I think small things made a real difference.