At first, employers are unlikely to look at you as a person and more at your work experience through the lens of your resume. This is how the job search works right now. It can be highly discouraging if you don’t have the exact experience, degrees, certificates, or use the wrong key words an organization wants—they're likely to deny you. It feels like you’re being reduced to a checklist of qualifications, and if you’re missing even one box, it’s as if you’re invisible to them.

A rejection is not fatal.

Deep breath. It is OK. A rejection is not fatal. It can feel like a punch to the gut, especially when you’ve poured so much of yourself into your career and your job search. But it’s important to remember that a rejection is not the end of your journey; it’s just a step along the way. It doesn’t define your worth or your potential. You are so much more than a job application.

Your resume tells your work experience but not your life story. If there is a gap, employers don’t want to know that you had health problems—they just want to know why you weren’t actively making money or gaining experience. Or if you took a ‘gap year,’ you may have learned a lot about yourself or picked up life skills that make you a better, more well-rounded person. Unfortunately, this does not interest a prospective employer. They often don’t see the value in these experiences because they’re not neatly packaged in corporate lingo or tied to measurable outcomes. It is OK.

You are more than your resume

It’s important to remember in these highly discouraging moments that you are more than your resume. You’re a whole person behind that document, with a whole life of experiences. Your value doesn’t hinge on how perfectly you fit into someone else’s mold. Your journey, with all its twists, turns, and pauses, has shaped you into who you are today. That’s something no job rejection can take away from you.

Don’t let a rejection define how you see yourself. You aren’t worthless—you just aren’t what they need right now, and that's ok. In fact, if that’s the case, it’s entirely possible they aren’t what you need right now either. Their strict adherence to hiring someone who exactly fits a job description can be a red flag. Job postings are often a best guess of what is needed to do the job. But we all know that the real world is messy, and what’s needed might be someone who thinks outside the box, who brings a different perspective, or who has the resilience that comes from overcoming challenges.

You bring value that goes beyond the bullet points on your resume.

Remember, no matter what, you are more than what you have done for employers. You bring value that goes beyond the bullet points on your resume. You have passions, interests, and skills that may not always be reflected in your job history, but they are part of what makes you unique and capable.

So, as you move forward in your job search, keep this in mind: You are not just seeking a job; you are seeking a place where you can bring your full self to the table, where your experiences—both professional and personal—are valued. And when you find that place, it will be because you’re the right fit for them, just as much as they’re the right fit for you.

Screens don’t have sunsets, Aloha Alex