Is Negative Feedback Killing Your Hunt For An Apprenticeship?

So you’ve had an interview with a prospective Apprenticeship offer, but you were unsuccessful at the final hurdle. You may have mixed emotions. So what should you do next?

Don’t worry, Careermap are here to guide you through it. Everyone at some stage of their lives will deal with rejection. But the main thing to do is remain POSITIVE. We’re not saying it’s going to be easy, but you’re not alone on your journey we can assure you of that.

Many of us can fall into a trap when facing rejection, we fixate ourselves on that instead of taking light of the positive comments. Embrace the feedback you receive, it’s always a learning opportunity and is essential for your development. Constructive criticism is helpful, take it on board and use it to improve yourself to the maximum. You’ll need to operate with a resilient mindset. Resilient people keep a positive, adaptable attitude when thrown to the curb. To become resilient, you must understand that success and rejection go hand-in-hand.

What Mistakes should you Avoid Making?

Remember:

1. Preparation is key in securing your dream apprenticeship

Make sure you get the correct time, date and place for the specific employer. It may be that you’ve applied for many Apprenticeships so it is easy to get confused, ensure you write all interviews down or add it to your phone calendar. You should always ensure you arrive 10 – 15 minutes early. This shows you are keen. Whilst waiting in the reception you could be reading up on your notes about the company or your CV, try to avoid using your phone though. Whatever the interview always dress to impress. This means NOT wearing your favourite footy shirt. If you’re male, trousers and a shirt is acceptable and maybe a blazer but that’s not essential. If you’re female trousers/skirt make sure it’s at least below your knees and a blouse. Make sure your outfit is washed and ironed and ready to wear the night before your interview.

2. Introductions to the interviewer are crucial

A candidate should remember that they are in the interviewer’s territory and therefore need to remember their manners. Therefore standing by the chair and awaiting the offer is the polite thing to do. Offer to shake hands, even if the interviewer doesn’t offer their hand first. It’s good etiquette to include a handshake as part of your introduction. Tell the interviewer that it is a pleasure to meet them, smile, and be sure to make eye contact. Be prepared to be asked the ‘tell me about yourself’ question, this should be a concise answer, talk about your qualifications, your interests (share some personal interests that don’t directly match the Apprenticeship you’re applying for then talk about professional aspects that you could bring to the Apprenticeship. For example if you’re applying for a customer facing role then being talkative and wanting to help people would be a benefit).

Social media is playing a huge part in the recruitment of an Apprentice process. Many hiring managers have stated that when they have researched candidates on social media they have found material which has caused them to reject them. The main reasons for the rejections include:

Inappropriate photos/content
Information about candidates drinking or using drugs
Negative talk about a previous employer
Poor communication skills
Discriminatory comments being posted
The discovery of lies about qualifications

girl looking at her social media channels

So if you are getting the interviews but then left dealing with rejection. Get back up, take all the feedback on board, apply for more Apprenticeships and follow our Top 3 Tips. Don’t beat yourself up over it. Everyone faces rejection at some point in their life, it’s how you deal with it that defines who you are. AND you never know it may be that rejection is redirecting you to something better. Stay positive and don’t give up.