I just received a rejection letter today. This will be the second rejection letter I've received in the past two weeks, and I am absolutely ecstatic! That's right, I am head over heels excited and want to shout it from the mountain top!

I know, you think I'm crazy. I may well be, but that's beside the point. Rejection stinks! We've all experienced it, and I think most of us would rather have root canal than be told that we can't have something we want. In this case, we want a job, an opportunity to be productive at a company we like, and to be moving forward with our career development plans. Well, I'm here to tell you rejection is part of those plans.

One of the first lessons I learned in my training as an agency recruiter is that sales is a numbers game. Recruiting is sales, and so is marketing yourself as a job applicant. There is no difference, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. A good salesman knows that they must make numerous calls before they get a bona-fide lead, and even more calls before that lead becomes a prospect. Guess what comes next? More calls. Those calls will eventually lead to meetings with prospective buyers, many of whom won't buy your product. But one will. At least one, and THAT, my friends, is the person you are trying to reach. It takes relentless persistence to turn that lead into a prospect, and that prospect into a sale, and that's why I am ecstatic when I receive a rejection letter. It means that I am that much closer to getting to that person (or people) who will buy my product! (or in this case, offer me a job).

I know it's not that simple folks, but my point is valid. Rejection is hard to swallow, but you can't let it eat you alive. Many of us are worn down by our respective protracted job searches. I include myself in that category, and I've felt the same pain and anguish many of you have felt when you just KNEW you were going to get that second interview.... Or ultimately, that offer. I'm here to tell you it doesn't have to be this way. Look at each interview NOT as the job you're going to land, but the interview that will get you one step closer to the interview for the job you're going to land. You'll be pleasantly surprised at how putting things in this perspective will help. Sooner or later your efforts will bear fruit. They always do.

For now, I'm off to make some calls in anticipation of rejection.  I say "Bring it on!"