How to keep motivated after job rejections

[Zigzagga]

I've been down to the final interview stage for three jobs recently. Each of them I've had excellent feedback and just that someone else just had a little bit more experience than me or something else that pipped me.

I'm starting to take it personally.

It's also a very small industry and so I know all the interviewers - it's just so cringe.

How can I stay positive? It's starting to make me so upset and down on myself!

I wish I knew how to stay positive, OP. All I can offer is solidarity. I have friends going through the application and interview process, and it is taking its toll on them.
I will have to start looking harder soon myself, and I'm dreading it. My only comfort is that I don't believe it's all my fault the way I did in my twenties.

It's absolutely brutal isn't it - takes me a good few days to recover from each rejection, usually over the weekend so I still feel totally frazzled by Monday morning!

I was in this situation. Just like you say. Loved my interviews, just pipped to the post. Took me two years to get job. Luckily it was not essential for me to get another job then.

Now doing it all again - but now I desperately need a second job. Just got rejected at application stage from a living wage job which said it offered full training. I thought that job would be my reserve option FFS!

Really panicking. We are going to be really fucked in three months if I don't have another job by then.

You absolutely must not take it personally.

It’s absolutely not you. There are so many good candidates out there now. I’ve been interviewing and interviewed someone I really loved for a role. Next interviewee was just a bit better. It was so hard.

Oh god, it's so hard. This was me a couple of years ago and I felt like I was losing my mind. It was the 'someone else had more relevant skills and experience' after every interview that did my head in, as there was nothing I could to change that!

It took me a long time but I did eventually get a job (that no-one else applied for - shit advertising, it would have just been desperate saddos like me that found the advertisement buried in Charity jobs, but I was grateful!).

I don't think there is a way of it not upsetting you. It's impossible not to invest when you go through the application procedure as you always have to prepare something, find out about the organisation etc. Just try to remember that this is a temporary phase and will pass.

I hear you - I had three rejections last week - one at application stage and two post-interviews - all jobs that I would be great at IMHO. I just tell myself that everything happens for a reason and the rejections mean that the perfect opportunity is still out there.

Thanks everyone.

I think I'm bouncing back better, feel actually ok today after my rejection in Friday - although it ruined my Saturday!

I am trying to stay positive and think at least I'm getting through to interview stage so I must be employable -- just totally dependant on who you are up against!