How to Deal With Rejection

September 20th, 2016 at 10:07 am

Rejection! We have all been through it. No one escapes this sometimes painful situation. Many people take rejection and say to themselves “Hey that’s just the way it goes.” Others take it like a quick sting. They feel it and then they eventually heal. Then there are those that simply cannot deal with rejection. They become depressed or angry. Rejection varies in size. How you deal with it tells a lot about your spirit.

Personally, I know a lot about rejection. My passion is acting. I’ve been going out on auditions for years now. Do I make them all? No. Have some of my scenes that I shot and gave my all been cut at editing? Yes. At first it used to hurt me and make me second guess myself, but as I got older and smarter about life, I know that it’s part of the job. I don’t take it personally. I just work harder. I work smarter.

Working for a staffing agency, I have learned that everyone that walks through the door is not going to find employment with our agency. If there are 50 jobs and 2,000 candidates there are going to be 1950 that are rejected. Whose fault is it that they are not hired? Is it our fault? Maybe in some instances we could have pushed harder. Is it their fault? Maybe they should have showed up on time, maybe they should be more flexible about working weekends. Is it simply the fact the client, for their own reason, doesn’t want to hire them? It’s the nature of the beast. If I am paying an agency money to find a Housekeeper that speaks fluent English and Spanish, can drive, live-in, and can cook then that is what I want. As an agency, we have to abide by that. That is what they hired us for. It’s business and not personal. It’s rejection that should make you say, “Hey that’s just the way it goes.” It may sting, but you will have another opportunity. Greenhouse will continue working with you….and yes, you will find a job!

Picture this – You go on an interview and you are given a two day trial, everything seems to be going great, but then you are turned down and not offered the job. What do you do? How do you handle job hunting rejection especially when you are in need of finding work? Send a “Thank You”, even if it kill you to write it. It keeps doors open. They may have thought you were not right for their family, but could be great for their friend or maybe things will fall apart with their current choice and will immediately call you for hire. Make this a habit. Always send that “Thank You for your time” in an email or text. Acting in an aggressive manner only sheds light on how you would handle yourself in a stressful situation and we know in this business if can be stressful.

When you know your own worth, no one can steal that. Do not let rejection steal your joy or take away sense of worth by acting unfavorably. Go home, put on a happy song (mine happens to be “How You Like Me Now’ by The Heavy) eat your favorite food (I love Caribbean and African food), scream out…..”Tomorrow will be better because JUST TO SEE IT will be a blessing!”

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Glenn Greenhouse

President at Greenhouse Agcy, Ltd.

Glenn began in the “family business” more than 30 years ago, by coming to work for his Father, Martin Greenhouse. He often recounts how nervous he was, when at 19 years old his Father forced him to pick up the phone and speak with David Suskind. This was to be the first of dozens of phone calls and meetings to come for Glenn……with Celebrity Clientele. Glenn considers himself very fortunate to have spent his life working at a job he truly loves and as he puts it: “earn a comfortable living at the same time.”