7

Learn from setbacks

A harsh reality of looking for work is that most applications will be unsuccessful – where the company will either not respond at all, or they will send you a rejection. It can feel extremely frustrating to not hear anything, and it is easy to feel a little dejected if you are unsuccessful. However, a rejected application does not mean you are not talented, capable, or employable. Most successful people have been rejected many times.

Every application teaches you something.

What to do after rejection

• Reflect
  • Ask yourself: What went well? What could you improve? Was this role within your skillset, and would you apply for something similar again?
• Seek feedback
  • If possible, politely ask the employer what advice they would give you for future applications. They won't all respond, but don't get cross. You never know if another opportunity will come up with them again.
• Keep improving your applications
  • Use feedback and reflection to strengthen your CV, cover letter and interview skills.
• Keep building your skills and experience
  • Wherever possible, build your skills and experience through online courses, volunteering, further education, or anything else that genuinely enhances your capabilities and showcases your willingness to learn.
• Keep applying
  • Persistence matters. The people who succeed are the ones who continue after multiple setbacks.
  • Remember, you only need one "yes".

Think about a setback you have overcome before.

My advice to young people who keep getting rejected is you keep going. And don't get stuck in an industry. One lesson I learned a while ago is everybody has some kind of element of what you're looking for. If I say I only want to work with tech companies, I want to work with Microsoft, Google, Nvidia, AWS - you're boxing yourself into an industry. But if you actually think about it, every single company has tech. The banks, FMCG. So don't get bogged in an industry that rejects you because maybe you're not certified - it's about the domain you want. And if you can't get the domain you want in one, you move to the next one.

Mabedi Mufahothe, Senior Manager, MTN Group