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Overcoming Rejection in the Internship and Job Search

Job search challenges to move past

It’s natural to feel vulnerable after applying for internships or jobs without any offers, but there are some behaviors we can encourage students to avoid. First off, we want to discourage students from spending a lot of time and energy comparing themselves to friends and classmates. Fretting over which internships and jobs their peers have had won’t help. Focusing on what they as an individual have to offer, including their skills, work style, and career readiness, will enhance their applications tremendously.

Students can also benefit from hearing about the norms of job searching to avoid internalizing a feeling of failure when they don’t hear back from employers or don’t get an offer post-interview. For each “yes,” most job applicants report hearing 15+ “no” answers, and even more with no response.

Job search actions within a student’s locus of control

The UC Davis Internship and Career Center can help students move forward and develop confidence in their job search by focusing on the elements within their control. Your loved one will be graduating before you know it. When it’s time, be sure to have them launch their job search or apply for graduate school 6-9 months before graduation. Another valuable tip is to utilize a variety of job search strategies, i.e. avoid conducting 100% of their search through online job boards. In addition, students can:

The job search can be like a full-time job itself, but with perseverance and focus, the hard work will pay off!

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