Often times we interview for a role we REALLY want, and get excited about it only to find out that it went to another candidate. How do you handle that? Do you let it brush of your shoulder, you bounce right back, and think to yourself “I’ll get the next one”? Or do you tip your toes in the pool of frustration and disappointment, and move to the dark side of negativity Either way, no matter how you handle this situation, here are a few suggestions on handling rejection when it comes to a job. Be real with yourself.. Make sure that the role you’re interviewing for is something that you have the required experience and skill set for. Don’t over analyze and don't take it personally! Be careful not to keep replaying the situation over and over in your head, this will only lead to more frustration and probably some self deprecation. You never fully know the situation with the candidate they hired, maybe it was a referral, maybe that person had a bit more specific experience. But don’t allow yourself to fall into the trap of “What if I did this..” or “What if I said this..”. Make sure you have a backup, or multiple backups. Don’t put all of your eggs into one basket no matter how much you may want this role. Give yourself options and take pride in the fact that there should be multiple employers asking you to join their team, not just one. Take this is a way to improve. You should be taking every interview, regardless of whether you get the job or not, as a way to continue to improve your interview skills. Without over-analyzing, use this as a way to remind yourself to bring your resume if you forgot it, or to be sure to send a thank you note after. Every interview should be seen as a learning experience. Sometimes this can be a blessing in disguise. Hiring managers, employers, recruiters often have a sense of whether or not someone will be a fit even if they have the specific skills. Often times when they go against this sense and hire someone it ends up not working out 3-6 months down the line. So while I’m not asking you to go with their “gut”, I’m asking you to look at it from a lense of it’s not personal. And stay positive! I know when we’re in the midst of a search and it feels like nothing is going our way it’s easy to want to throw our hands up in the air, pull the covers back over our heads and give up. You can have your moment, but then get up, brush yourself off, and get after it. The right job IS out there for you!