Ready for some real talk? When you’re a Black tech professional, job offers can be hard to come by. So when an opportunity comes your way, you do everything in your power to make sure you ace the interview and land the position. Then, out of nowhere, you get a call from the company telling you they’ve decided to rescind the offer. So what do you do now? Well, you gotta pivot and start again.
In this competitive job-searching world, you’re bound to come across some curveballs sooner or later. But don’t stress—you are not alone! Not gonna lie, this happens to many candidates every year, and it can be frustrating and WHACK at first. You may feel like your career has hit a wall, but that doesn’t mean you need to give up on your search for that perfect job. Instead, follow these tips to pivot with swag and confidence!
Calm Down and Take a Breath
First of all, it’s important to keep your head and emotions in check. When you’re in a calm and collected state of mind, it’s much easier to reason, process information, and make the best decision for your career. On the other hand, when you’re surprised or panicked by something unexpected, it’s too easy to make rash decisions and put yourself at risk of losing your cool. Take a few deep breaths and try to calm yourself down, even if you feel like you’ve been thrown into a raging river. If you’re having a hard time calming down, try some meditation or even a short walk outside.
Find Out Why the Offer Was Rescinded
Maybe they want to see if you can do better during the next round of interviews, or maybe your skills just weren’t what we needed for this position. Whatever the reason, you can use it as a learning experience to better prepare yourself for the next job interview and see what kind of soft skills they’re looking for. And don’t forget, it’s not always something that is within your control.
Re-Examine Your Goals
If you’ve been desperately waiting for a job offer and it gets rescinded, it can be easy to get super depressed and wonder if you’re even meant for this role at all. If you’re in this position, it’s important to re-examine your goals and path forward to make sure you’re not rushing yourself into a job that you don’t even want in the first place. It’s easy to get caught up in the pressure of a career search, especially during the holidays when everyone is desperate to land a job. But it’s also important to make sure that you’re heading towards a career that you love, not just any career. So don’t give up just yet—don’t rush into something you don’t want. You may need to be a little more patient while waiting for the right job offer.
Identify In-demand Soft Skills
If you’re in one of the more competitive fields, like software development, marketing, or finance, there’s a decent chance that your particular skill set is in high demand. In cases like these, it’s more than likely that you’ll be in the running for several different job offers at once, so it can be tempting to stay put and wait it out. However, if you receive the bad news that your current job offer has been rescinded, it can be helpful to reassess the types of soft skills in demand right now. This way, you can ensure that you’re not missing out on any great job opportunities right in front of you. Not only will this help you stay in the game, but it’ll also help you pivot afterwards. That way, you can ensure you stay relevant and competitive in your industry, which is especially important if you’re in a growing or rapidly changing field.
Keep Networking and Don’t Stop Searching
You know the drill all too well: the long, tedious job search process. You spend hours upon hours tweaking your resume, scouring job boards, and going on interview after interview, only to be told they’ve decided to go with another candidate. It can be disheartening, to say the least. But don’t give up just yet! The key to landing your dream job is networking and persistence. Get connected with people in your industry and let them know you’re looking for work. obsidi.com is a dope place to start with over 60,000 members, from Black professionals to tech execs, you can stay connected with industry contacts, reach out to recruiters, and more. You should also attend industry events and get your name out there. The more people know who you are and what you’re looking for, the more likely you’ll hear about that perfect opportunity. And when you do finally get that offer letter, be sure to celebrate it because you’ve earned it.
Final Thoughts
The path to landing a job is rarely straightforward. Even when you receive a job offer, there are no guarantees that the position will be a good fit for you. If you get a rescinded job offer, don’t be discouraged – it’s just another bump in the road on your journey to finding the right job. There are plenty of other employment opportunities out there for you – you just need to keep searching until you find the right one. The BPTN Partner Job board is a great place to start your search and remember, you have the power to control how you react. Stay positive, be patient, and you’ll be able to use this experience to your advantage.
