It’s truly heartbreaking to see your child upset or disappointed after their application for a graduate job that they really wanted gets rejected. It is even harder to see your child’s confidence and self-esteem decline with subsequent rejections. Ultimately you want your child to get a good job that offers plentiful opportunities and enjoyable experiences. However, unfortunately landing that job straight out of university is not always easy.
In this post, we share some top tips and advice on how to comfort your son or daughter when they get rejected from a graduate role they really wanted or when they keep getting rejected after their interviews.
1: Validate their feelings of sadness and disappointment
It’s important to let your child know that it’s okay to feel disappointed or upset after getting rejected from a job interview. Acknowledge their feelings and let them know that it’s normal and reasonable to feel this way. You could say something like, “I’m sorry to hear that you didn’t get the job, I know how much you wanted it. It’s understandable that you’re feeling upset about the outcome.” Console them with a hug or a pat on the shoulder to show your support.
You’ve likely experienced being rejected for a job you really wanted several times in your career. Therefore, you know just how disappointing and discouraging it can be. You might be tempted to say to your son or daughter not to worry because another opportunity, perhaps an even better one will come along because it will. However, having their current feelings validated may offer some comfort whilst they process this particular rejection.
2: Encourage your child to reflect on their application process and talk about what they could have done better
Job rejections can feel embarrassing. Even though they are a normal part of the job application process, your son or daughter shouldn’t feel ashamed of them.
Encourage your child to talk about their experience and what they’re feeling. Listen attentively and empathize with their situation. This can help them to feel heard and understood, and it can also help them process their current emotions.
Talking may also prompt them to reflect on their job application or interview performance. Doing so may help them to recognise where they could have done better so that they can take it on board for the future.
Comfort your son or daughter by reassuring them that with each rejected application they are getting a step closer to their job offer.
3: Help them see the bigger picture
It’s important to help your child understand that getting rejected from a job interview doesn’t define their worth or abilities. Encourage them to think about what they learned from the experience and how they can use that knowledge to improve. Remind them that there will be other opportunities and that this experience can help them grow and develop.
They may take comfort in knowing that when they land their dream graduate job, it may make much more sense to them why they were not quite the right fit for the role they have recently been rejected from. Furthermore, reassure them that getting their first job out of university will likely be the most challenging. Subsequent jobs will be easier to get due to having more experience and a clearer idea of their career goals and interests.
4: Offer practical support
If your child is feeling down, offer practical support to help them feel better.
For example:
Hire a career coach for them
If your child:
- Does not know what graduate role is best for them
- Keeps getting rejections after interviews
- Struggles to articulate their skills
- Is not getting invited to interviews despite sending out applications
You may consider getting them a graduate career coach. Find out more about the signs your son or daughter needs support finding a job.
Book them in for some interview coaching sessions
Interview coaching will give your child a competitive edge when it comes to sending out applications and interviewing.
It will also set them up for a lifetime of interview success.
Contact our team of professional graduate coaches today! We can help your child to overcome the hurdles they are facing that are stopping them from landing a graduate role.
An action-oriented approach may be comforting and reassuring that their current situation can change for the better by adopting a growth mindset and a positive attitude to take steps to continuously learn and develop.
5: Help them stay positive
During the graduate job search process, it might be difficult to stay positive at times.
By remaining positive as their parent, your child may take comfort in knowing that you believe in them no matter what and that you know they will succeed, even if they struggle to believe it at times.
If you start showing them that you are worried or even disappointed by their job rejections, it could have a very negative and discouraging impact on your child.
Keep gently encouraging them to continue their graduate job search.
Remind them that setbacks are a natural part of life and that they can bounce back from this experience. Encourage them to keep working hard and pursuing their goals, even if it means facing rejection along the way.
Conclusion
Getting rejected from a job interview can be tough for anyone, but it can be especially difficult for graduates. As a parent, you’ll naturally want to be supportive and empathetic during this time. Validate their feelings, encourage them to talk about their experience and most importantly, offer practical support.
Hiring a Graduate Coach will help, your child to bounce back from rejection and ultimately land a graduate-level job.
To get the ball rolling, send us a copy of your son or daughter’s CV via our contact form and our team will review it and get back to you ASAP with the next steps.
Featured image: Mart Production
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