You Didn’t Get The Position, Now What?

Manufacturing job searches are extremely stressful. You spend hours every week combing job boards, completing applications, preparing for interviews, going to interviews and following up. When you put so much time and effort into something, it can be deflating to find out you did not get a position you really wanted. Rejection bruises the ego, making it tempting to throw in the towel on your job search. But you shouldn’t let rejection keep you down. If you didn’t receive a job offer, use these tips to move forward.

Take A Beat

It’s ok to take a day off from your job search to lick your wounds. Throw yourself a very brief pity party, but don’t let it drag on. Feel your feelings and then focus forward.

Try Not To Take It Personally

Rejection can feel personal, but it’s important to maintain perspective. Hiring teams don’t make decisions on who they like as a person, they make decisions based on a variety of objective criteria. If you didn’t get an offer, you may have been missing an important skill or a specific number of years of experience. Don’t let a job rejection make you feel bad about who you are.

Recall Potential Red Flags

Rarely does anyone ever tell you to focus on the negatives but this is one time such advice can be useful. Think back to the job post and to your interview. Were there parts of the job that seemed like they may have been stressful? Did the culture not quite match your expectations? Was the hiring process disorganized? Look for red flags and signs that the company wasn’t the right fit. It can help you move forward from rejection much more quickly.

Take The High Road

In a job search, you never know who might be able to help, and that includes a hiring manager who rejected you. Stand out as a class act by sending the hiring manager one last thank you note. If you are on LinkedIn, reach out on and add them as a connection. By ending on a high note, you can leave a positive impression and the hiring manager may even know of opportunities at other companies or they may call you back later on down the line for a position that is a better fit.

Get Back On The Horse

Once you’ve given yourself a day or two, press forward with your search. The right job is out there, but you won’t be able to find it if you let one rejection stop you in your tracks.

If you want to increase the chances of finding your ideal job, work with an expert manufacturing recruiter. A recruiter can help identify jobs that align with your skills and goals in environments where you will thrive.

If you are looking for a great manufacturing job, talk to the recruiters at Employment Professionals Canada. Browse our current openings, contact us online or give us a call at 1-800-842-0421 learn more.