Member-only story
How I Dealt With Not Landing My Dream Job
Rejection hurts. But it doesn’t have to define you. The 3-step process of how I moved on after a major roadblock.
A few days ago, I had an interview for what could be my dream job.
Before I got the interview offer, I didn’t know such a job existed. But once I did, there was little else I could think about. The salary was great, the hours almost unbelievably so. It involved writing, reading, and editing — arguably my favorite things to do. I prepared for five days, and when it was finally time to pitch my ideas, I felt I was ready.
I wore my best clothes, logged into the online meeting before time, and answered all the questions to the best of my ability. My presentation went smoothly. My posture was confident, and I covered all the topics I’d so thoroughly prepared for. When the interview was done, I knew I’d nailed it.
Imagine my shock when I got the email a couple of days later saying I wasn’t selected. They liked my enthusiasm, they told me, but unfortunately, they wouldn’t be moving forward with my application this time. There was a “We invite you to reapply in the future if you’d like” at the end, but I could barely see it through the tears blurring my vision.
