(Opinion) Accepting Workplace Rejection

“Workplace rejection isn’t just a professional hurdle, though; it’s also an emotional one. It has a way of making you question everything.” - Michael Bautista

There’s a specific kind of silence that follows rejection. Sometimes it’s an email that never comes or a blank face across the Zoom call. Even worse is when you feel what’s happening in real time. It’s almost as though the ground is slowly giving way beneath your confidence.

We don’t talk enough about how personal job rejection can often feel, even when we know it’s not personal. Trust me, I’d be lying if I said I haven’t experienced this before myself.

Which might sound surprising to some, given how involved I am on campus. On rare occasions, I’ve had peers and members of the Rowan community ask me if I’m okay, given how many stories I write on a weekly basis. In other cases, I get asked how I manage four classes, an on-campus job, an internship, and writing as much as I do. I’ve talked about this before. It’s time management and a planner.

But what if I said the doors have closed on me more times than I could count? As the spring semester comes to a close, the campus clubs and organizations on campus are seeking new members to take their place on their executive boards (e-boards), and I’m reminded of my past rejections.

Still, this is an exciting time as it invites creativity, innovation, and the growth that student leaders can potentially bring to an organization. I was inspired to write after attending one of my good friend’s club meetings, Circle K International. They recently held an election a few weeks ago, and I watched each person give a short speech on why they’d make a good candidate. Some of the candidates were really qualified, but my heart sank a little for them when they learned they weren’t picked for a position.

It made me think back to when I gave similar speeches for two clubs’ e-board positions last year, and I got rejected. It stung a little, sure, but I moved on and applied for a summer job back home in Wildwood at Morey’s Piers & Beachfront Waterparks. There I wasn’t rejected, rather I ran into a minor inconvenience.

Just as I was losing faith in finding some form of work experience to add to my resume, I heard back from the team at Student University Programmers (SUP). While it wasn’t technically a job, I got offered the role I applied for as their Live-Events Director. In this role, I’ve grown close to my fellow e-board members and colleagues in other departments of the Chamberlain Student Center. I got to meet Trevor Wallace at my first event, the annual Fall Comedy Show. I planned, coordinated, and executed the recent Battle of the Bands competition, and I’ve worked with committed and hard-working people to put together Hollybash this year.

It’s been a rewarding and incredible experience, but this wouldn’t have been possible if I had given up after the first rejection for a different position. It’s like my mother says, “If one door closes, you can always open up another one.” She’s right.

Workplace rejection isn’t just a professional hurdle, though; it’s also an emotional one. It has a way of making you question everything. Some thoughts I’ve had are ones like “Am I good enough? Am I even right for the field?” or “Everyone else is better than me. I should just put the pen and reporter’s notebook away.”

It’s questions like these that we tend to ask ourselves that are the same reasons why we need to be more gentle on ourselves.

At some point in society, we have internalized the idea that rejection equals failure. That if we didn’t get the job, especially the one we really wanted, it must mean we fell short.

We tend to forget that’s not how hiring works.

Sometimes the role was earmarked for someone internally. Other times, another candidate simply had more experience, or in rare instances, the company didn’t even know what it wanted. Though in most cases, you just weren’t the right fit.

Yet we absorb all of that complexity and reduce it to a single, damaging thought. I just wasn’t enough.

That’s not inaccurate, but rather unfair.

We tend to overlook this, but it’s one of the most powerful moments in the conversation with ourselves that comes when rejection forces us to reflect. Not the kind that’s destructive, but constructive.

“What am I actually good at?”

That question alone isn’t a crisis, but more so clarity.

Rejection, as uncomfortable as it can be, often reveals misalignment. It nudges you towards roles that are better suited for you and match your interests and strengths. It teaches you where to improve your resume and your interviewing and storytelling skills, sure, but it also teaches you where not to bend.

And here’s the part that people don’t say aloud. It’s okay to feel bad.

No, really, your feelings are valid. You’re allowed to feel disappointed or frustrated. And take an entire day to feel sad, binge those comfort shows like Friends or Abbott Elementary, and vent to your friends over a FaceTime call. That emotional release isn’t a weakness at all; it’s part of the process.

But gentleness with yourself also means knowing when to move forward. Because at some point, you have to get up and show them what you’re really worth.

So, give yourself time to grieve, but not so much time that you stop trying. The only guaranteed way to stay stuck is to opt out entirely.

Now, what are your alternatives? Well, you can tailor your resume, prepare for your interviews, ask for feedback from a trusted source, or apply to jobs strategically. What you can’t control is who else applies to the same position as you, the internal hiring decisions, or a recruiter’s workload and their response time.

 If you’re on the job hunt or graduating soon, like me, and are nervous over the challenges of finding employment, the best place to start as a student is seeking career counseling from an advisor at Rowan and reaching out to the Career and Professional Development Services available to all Rowan students, graduate students, and the community.

Rowan advisors can help you craft a stellar resume to make a good first impression, make edit suggestions for that cover letter, and teach you interview techniques that will make that employer consider hiring you. You can connect with them virtually, call them at 856-256-4459, or walk into their office in Savitz Hall Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Best of all? These services are free.

When you blur that line, everything can feel like your fault. When you respect it, rejection becomes easier to carry.