MANY of the fresh graduates currently awaiting employment offers will at some point feel disappointed in not receiving a positive response from the corporations of their choice. Relatives and friends may offer encouraging words, saying, “Rejection builds character”. They may be right.
There are many among us who had bounced back from such rejection, which could turn out to be a blessing in disguise.
Not only could we find joy in the companies that hired us, we could also empathise with present graduates who face the same rejection or uncertainty as we had.
Rejection could force us to dig deep to compensate for our lack of experience. The hard work we put in and resilience cultivated would prove invaluable in subsequent years when we gain career ascension or pursue entrepreneurial endeavours.
Today, it is harder than ever to get accepted into some reputable corporations. This is due in part to the rising number of graduates, following the establishment of new universities.
Meanwhile, corporations that are sought after by graduates are downsizing or rightsizing, and may not need many new recruits.
On such circumstances, career counsellors often advise against taking rejection personally.
Most experts would agree that judging by the number of applications received for a position, there is no way overwhelmed recruitment officers could take the time needed to screen every application. Hence, an application – regardless of its potential – may not be selected for consideration at all.
While graduates may not have a say in a prospective employer’s decision, what they can do is to strengthen their character.
One of the common questions asked during a job interview is, “How did you cultivate a fulfilling school or college career?”
It should be understood that “fulfilling” here refers to the satisfaction the graduates themselves had gained for themselves as students, and has nothing to do with meeting the expectations of parents or the recruitment officers.
Hence, it would be wise to spend some time building one’s character and purpose that would serve as an asset to any organisation. Life holds opportunities to strengthen one’s character at every turn. Students, for instance, need strength of character to get into the top classes, clubs, postgraduate schools, jobs, and eventually the boardroom.
They also need to know their purpose in life. A gap year could help. Research has shown that gap year students tend to face less trouble, graduate on time, and have higher grades which, in turn, could lead to better job prospects and ability to adapt to working life.
For economists, what counts for more in the job market are the subjects the graduates major in and their soft skills.
While for years the best internships and employment have gone to students and graduates of top-ranking universities, that is changing as diversity, equity and inclusion efforts are increasingly considered.
Candidates, too, should look beyond being accepted into reputable corporations.
What if we focused less on gaining admissions to these corporations and, instead, put more stock in making academics as fulfilling as possible, or considered alternative options for the road ahead?
It would do well for graduates to understand that they are no “less” because of a rejection and no “more” because of an admission, and that what matters more is the character they have built along the way.
DR ARZMI YAACOB
Retired academic
