The moment you become a part of the professional, working landscape, you have to acknowledge and prepare yourself for rejection. That’s not easy – rejection stinks, and it can feel similar to romantic heartbreak. Every successful professional has had to learn how to handle rejection, though.
- Freelancers get their pitches and submissions rejected all the time – if you’re a freelancer, get ready for more rejection than acceptance.
- People who run and work for agencies get their projects turned down. They also go after promotions and end up watching a coworker climb the ladder.
- When you work with clients, you’ll have your designs critiqued and vetoed. It can feel like nothing you do will ever make them happy.
- You’ll get far in your career, then go through three rounds of interviews for a new job only to be turned down, often with no explanation why.
The real world isn’t a place for the weak. You can’t curl up in a ball every time you get rejected – or you can, but you can’t stay curled up. Rejection never feels good, but you can make it work for you, learn how to quickly overcome it and leave it in the past.
