Handling Rejection In Tech
I was just rejected from my dream job and I’m feeling more motivated than ever before. I know that sounds a little silly considering the circumstances, but it is true. I’m going to explain my thought process and outlook when it comes to rejections and fighting uphill battles.
I recently applied for an apprenticeship and thought it would be a great opportunity to get my foot into the door. As I continued to do more research and move on through the interview process, I started to notice how well my personality and values matched with the company’s. They really wanted to add value to the lives of other’s, but still seemed to put their employees first and made sure they were taken care of and set up for success. Many come from background in education, which I really appreciated. I also have the background in counseling and public speaking, in school settings, for anti-bullying and anti-discrimination as well as setting up leadership programs. I love being able to help others, which made this job opportunity, where I can help others through the power of code, feel like an even better fit.
I went through the interview process by submitting my resume, cover letter, and more information about myself. Next, I went through a take home assessment and was super proud of what I was able to accomplish. I was also reaching out to those who work at the place and seeing how they liked the company and if they had any advice on how to stand out. I made it all the way to the last interview where I totally connected with everyone at the company, but the technical interview felt like I fell short. I wouldn’t say it went terrible, but I was definitely not proud of my lack of knowledge when it came to Promises in JavaScript.
I was on edge for the next two weeks waiting to hear back. Then it happened. I received an email and to my disappointment, I was rejected. To add on top of that, I was rejected from another job too. Granted, that other job didn’t seem very enjoyable, it just added a little salt to the wound. During the next 10 minutes, I felt a whirlwind of emotions: imposter syndrome, upset, inferior, frustrated, etc. I took a deep breath and started look at the situation factually.
I realized that I made it to a final interview. It was one of the first companies I interviewed with and I started the application process about a month after I graduated from my CODING BOOTCAMP. That’s a pretty nice accomplishment in itself. I also had the opportunity to practice interviewing technically (something that I had no real world experience in). I also was able to network with about dozen people from the company. Even if I didn’t get the job yet, I had a lot to be proud of. More importantly, I had a foundation to build off of when it comes to interviewing. I am able to see what my weaknesses and strengths are and what I can improve on. it made me realize that I should also focus more on one type of development instead of trying to be a jack of all traits (master of none).
Having these realizations and looking at the facts motivates me because it grounds me with where I am and gives me a direction to aim towards. I feel like I now know how to prepare and what I can work on. I also made great connections with the company and their engineers, managers, and recruiters who want me to stay in touch. Not only that, but I also have plenty more opportunities to look forward to and now feel like I’ll be even better prepared for what’s to come.
