Even when every application, interview, or combination of both culminates in an email looking like this:
“I would like to thank you for your interest in__________.
Due to the overwhelming number of applications received, _________ proved to be highly competitive this year. I regret to inform you that we are unable to offer you a position at this time, but we were extremely impressed with the caliber of your application.
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me.
Thank you very much for your time and effort in the application process.”
Or this:
“Thank you for your interest in _____________ at Rutgers. Unfortunately you did not meet the criteria to further advance in our process. Due to limited openings and 400+ candidates it was an extremely competitive year for our process. We appreciate the time and effort you gave in our application process.
If you are interested in gaining additional leadership skills for future _________ opportunities, please consider getting involved in __________. It will be a great experience to both get you involved in __________ and have additional experience to add to your resume. More information about this opportunity can be found at the website below.
If you would like to set up an appointment to review your file, please send an email with your availability...
Thank you again for your interest. We welcome you to participate in our process again next year.”
Or this:
“We appreciate your eagerness for academic success, however, at this moment we are unable to accommodate you into the program. You have been placed onto a waiting list and we will notify you immediately when space opens. All the best in your academic endeavors.”
Or this:
"Thank you for applying to __________. We interviewed many candidates for new member positions this year, but of course, have a limited number of spots open. While we were impressed with your strengths and talents, I regret to inform you that you were not selected for __________. We really wish that we could take all of you because you all had something wonderful to bring to the table, but unfortunately we can't. Space was very limited, and we received more than 3 times the applications we could accommodate.
I want to thank you so much for taking the time to apply and interview with the ___________. We enjoyed getting to know you! I encourage you to apply again in the future or consider other groups...
If you are interested, or if you have other questions... We wish you much success for the remainder of the semester and encourage you to explore many of the other leadership opportunities available.
Good luck with everything and thank you, once again, for your interest in our organization!”
Or any of the other variations in existence. Rejection letters come in many forms (and these are comparatively polite ones). Don't get me wrong; I'm not bitter or unhappy. Yes, I was definitely disappointed when I clicked open the email and felt that sinking feeling inside because I didn't get the positions I had hoped to fill. Yes, I panicked a little when I started to think, “Well, what do I do now?”
And yes, that's still okay.
After senior year, I thought I'd be done with applications for a while, but evidently, I'm not. I don't think I've stopped applying for different positions, organizations, scholarships, and many others since I've come to Rutgers. One thing I've realized is that there are so many opportunities out there that if I were to give up and stay upset because I get “No” as an answer, I would be missing out. BIG TIME.
But wouldn't I get tired of applying and always getting declined?
Maybe. My friend has a poster in her room with the alphabet of motivational quotes. One that particularly stood out for me was this one: “Quitters never win, and winners never quit.” There is so much truth in that statement, and I am determined to remain strong and driven and not give up. With every application I fill out and every interview I go through, I know I am learning more about myself and how I can improve in the future.
My advice to you would be:
1. Don't give up.
Every experience is a chance to learn, learn, learn. If possible, schedule a follow-up session to go over any questions you may have about the process or the position. What I found especially helpful about one of the follow-up sessions I had was learning about how others—that is, the interviewers—perceive me (believe it or not, it's often quite different from how we perceive ourselves). Now I know what to clarify or rephrase for future interviews, and more importantly, what experiences/abilities I am lacking.
No wonder my Psych 101 professor kept telling us that more rejections lead to greater success, especially for the individuals who take each rejection as a reminder to keep developing as a person and becoming a more well-rounded individual.
Also, “That which does not kill us makes us stronger.” -Friedrich Nietzsche
2. Stay positive.
Keep your chin up, and look on the bright side. I am so, so thankful for all the groups/organizations/positions/scholarships I did get—Rising Leaders Institute, Blogging (I love it!), and of course, Rutgers. I've definitely had my ups and downs, but I am confident that things will get better, things will work out, and things will improve every day.
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