Rejection happens to everyone at some point in their life. Whether it’s a friend who rejects you or a colleague who turns down your request, it can hurt your feelings.

However, don’t let rejection ruin your day. Instead, take time to reflect on why they did what they did. This way, you won’t repeat the same mistake next time around. Here are some tips that will help you deal with rejection from a coworker at your job:

Examples of Workplace Rejection

Rejection happens in many different ways and can come from big and small events. For example, you might feel rejected when you did not receive an applied-for promotion or were not selected for a plum assignment.

Or perhaps you felt rejected when someone told you you were not good enough. Rejection can even happen when you do something well. If you win a coveted contest, you could feel like you have been rejected because you lost out.

On the flip side, you might feel rejected if you lose a contest or if someone tells you that you won unfairly.

Sometimes, you can predict what type of rejection will happen to you. For instance, you might know that you stand little chance of being promoted to VP when applying for a position.

Dealing With Rejection at Work

When you feel rejected at work, you must figure out how to handle it. It’s important to remember that you cannot control other people’s behavior. So, there is no use trying to change their minds.

Instead, focus on yourself. To cope with rejection, you must first understand why it happened. Then, try to learn from the experience. Finally, make sure you are ready to move on.

Here are some steps you should follow when dealing with workplace rejection:

1. Use it as a lesson

One of the best ways to cope with rejection is to see it as a learning opportunity. By doing so, you can gain valuable insight into yourself.

By understanding where you went wrong, you can avoid making the same mistakes again. You can also improve your skills to succeed more often in future situations.

For example, if you feel rejected by a coworker, ask yourself: Why didn’t I achieve my goal? What was I thinking? What did I miss? Was I too negative? Did I give up too soon? Is my approach ineffective?

If you ask these questions, you need to rethink your strategy. You should reconsider your goals. You may need to revise your communication style. Or consider changing jobs.

If you realize you were expecting too much from yourself, you should stop setting unrealistic expectations. Instead, set realistic ones.

2. Don’t take it personally

It’s easy to assume that everyone else thinks about you the way you feel about yourself. However, this is only sometimes true. People who reject you may not even know they’re leaving you.

So, before you decide that the person who rejected you hates you, you need to look deeper. Are there any reasons why she might have acted the way she did? If you can identify those reasons, you’ll likely deal with the rejection more effectively.

For instance, perhaps the person who rejected you doesn’t like you because you remind her of someone she has an issue with. She may dislike you because you are arrogant or rude. Or maybe she feels threatened by you.

So, instead of assuming that she rejected you because she dislikes you, talk to her about what you noticed. Ask her directly if she has anything against you. And if she does have something against you, explain why you think she would feel that way.

Try to avoid getting angry. Anger only makes matters worse. So, keep calm and cool. Try to remain rational.

Remember, you can’t force anyone to like you. But you can influence whether someone likes you. So, to get along better with others, you must act friendly, helpful, and courteous.

3. Stay professional

Once you’ve identified the cause of the rejection, you need to stay focused. Don’t let emotions cloud your judgment. Remain level-headed.

Keep your tone neutral. Avoid using aggressive language. Speak slowly and clearly. Make eye contact. Smile. Use appropriate body language.

And don’t forget to treat the person who rejected you with respect. Do not call him names. For example, don’t say things like “You idiot.” Because calling someone, an insult implies that he deserves to be insulted.

Instead, try saying something like “I’m sorry you felt that way. It wasn’t my intention to upset you.” Then, apologize for offending.

When you behave professionally, you demonstrate that you care about other people. This shows them that you aren’t going to hurt them intentionally.

So, when dealing with rejection, remember to be polite, kind, and respectful. Showing respect demonstrates that you value the other person.

This attitude will help you overcome rejection. Research suggests that people who show respect tend to succeed in life. Therefore, by showing respect, you can improve your chances of achieving success.

4. Work through your emotions in private

After you’ve dealt with the rejection as best you can, you need to work on yourself. You need to learn how to cope with rejection.

People often experience emotional reactions after being rejected. These feelings can include anger, sadness, frustration, embarrassment, disappointment, and guilt.

However, these emotions generally fade over time. The problem is that some people never really recover emotionally from rejection. They continue to suffer.

If this sounds familiar, it’s probably because you’re experiencing depression. Depression can make you feel sad, frustrated, embarrassed, and guilty.

In addition, depression can also make you feel hopeless and helpless. That’s because depression causes you to lose confidence in yourself.

As a result, you start thinking negatively. At first, you believe all kinds of negative thoughts. For example, you may think that no one cares about you or wants to spend time with you.

5. Practice self-care

Depression tends to affect your physical health. So, you should take good care of yourself.

For example, you should eat healthy foods. If you’re feeling tired, you should sleep more. And if you find yourself crying frequently, you should see a doctor.

Also, try to exercise regularly. Exercise helps relieve stress. So, if you’re depressed, you’ll benefit from exercising.

Finally, talk to friends and family members. Talking to someone else can help you deal with depression. Plus, talking helps you feel less alone.

Also, seek support from a counselor. Counselors are trained professionals who can provide advice and guidance.

They can help you identify what’s causing your depression. They can teach you ways to cope with depression. And they can even give you tools to prevent future episodes of depression.

Remember: When you have depression, you shouldn’t do anything dangerous. Make sure you follow any safety rules that apply to you. Also, avoid using alcohol or drugs.

If you think you might be having suicidal thoughts, contact your local mental health center right away.

It could save your life!

Conclusion

The experience of rejection is universal. Everyone does it occasionally. You should not, however, allow this setback to discourage you.

The advice mentioned above can be used to lessen the impact of rejection. As a result, you’ll have a better shot at bouncing back from disappointment.

And you can lessen the effect it has on your daily life. No matter how many times you’ve been turned down, never forget that you are more than your lowest point. The other person is instead defined by it.

Don’t give up or give in the next time someone turns you down. Consider only yourself instead. Take care of yourself. Additionally, proceed forward. That’s the method to realize all your hopes and aspirations.

You’re not alone if you’re having trouble figuring out how to move on after experiencing workplace rejection. If you follow our advice in this essay, you’ll soon be able to handle rejection with grace and dignity.

And remember, our professional resume writers are here to help you every step of the way. So, if you’re ready to start, please call us immediately.