Over at Employment Digest, Kit Samuels talks about how you can turn a rejection from a job into a second chance at a future opportunity.  Bill suggests that you let go of your anger as soon as possible and e-mail a simple, clean, professional response to the rejection.  Don’t let spite or even a shred of sarcasm creep into your message.  Among the things you should include:

·         Tell the hiring manager, or whoever you spoke with in person, how you truly appreciate the time they took to interview you.  Be sure to thank them for this.

·         Tell this person that you hope you’ll be kept in mind for any future openings that may arise.

·         Wish his/her company the best of luck, and mention something positive that recently happened, like a new acquisition or a rise in sales. Why? It’s a reminder of your strong interest and shows that you’re aware of what’s going on.

Those of you who have read this blog for a while know I am a big fan of never burning bridges.  The fact is that interviewing is networking, and even if you don’t get the job the first time, you’ve inevitably met at least one person who might be in a position to help you later on.  A candidate who responds professional and courteously to rejection will be remembered, either a few months down the line when another position opens up, or a few years down the line when he or she is working somewhere else and is looking for great talent like you.