"Thanks, But No Thanks": Dealing with Rejection

Being a law student applying for summer positions is sort of like being a struggling actress. You go on a ton of interviews, try to put on an act about how together you are while really all you are thinking is PLEASE PAY ME!, and finally you hear "Thanks, but no thanks," countless times. You never know why you weren't right... Was there someone better? Is it because you wore that blue suit? Was your GPA not high enough?

I went through most of my interviews last year trying to be the "best version" of myself. I only recently realized that is because I was truly afraid to put myself out there. If I get rejected when being only a version of myself I can trick myself to believing its because of this or that... but if I am really myself and get rejected, then they just don't like me. Then I am flawed as a human being instead of just as an applicant.

Well take it from someone who has been rejected both ways - putting my best foot forward & just being myself - its better to put it all out there. Yes, you may worry that you are a weirdo that no one likes, BUT you will know that you left it all out on the field. There will be no second guessing. You don't have to worry if you answered that question right, because you answered it from the heart. And if they don't choose you for some reason - well, then they are just wrong. :)

My pre-interview routine: a self pep talk. I probably look like a crazy person driving to my meeting, but it truly helps to hear that you are going to rock it. You are going to be charismatic and friendly. You are going to get it. You DESERVE it. Having the self-confidence when you walk in the door to know that you belong there will take you a long way. I used to be afraid of "jinxing" it... but you can't live your life in fear. Do I still believe in luck? Absolutely. But you can be lucky AND confident.

And when you don't get something you want - because no one gets it all - you just have to give it the appropriate time. A mourner's period. But remember, when you lose a parent in the Jewish religion, you only sit Shiva (mourn) for 1 week. So, don't let it effect you for too long. Give it the appropriate amount of time and then dust yourself off and try again. Because eventually you are going to wade through all the "No's" to the "YES!".