MPW內幕網絡是美國的一個在線社區，美國商界內外的一些大咖會在這里及時回答與職業和領導力有關的問題。今天為大家分享的是FlyWheel Sports公司CEO薩拉?羅伯?奧哈根在“求職被拒時怎樣面對？”這一問題下的回答。

曾經有人對我說過，找工作就像談戀愛。無論是求職遭拒，還是你愛的那個人并不那么喜歡你，對自尊心傷害都是相似的。

就在去年，我辭去了上一份工作，專心寫作一本名叫《極致的你》（Extreme YOU-Set Up. Stand Out. Kick Ass. Repeat）的書。雖然那段時間我沒有主動去找工作，卻也有一些公司和招聘經理主動找到了我，提供了一些挺有意思的工作機會。我覺得不妨去參加幾次面試，好搞清楚下一份工作應該朝什么方向努力。

其中有一次面試比較特殊——那是一家大公司的一個高級職位。這次“約會”的流程也和以往沒什么不同，我應邀去了位于另一個城市的公司總部，和那家公司的幾位重要領導見面。我很享受那次會面的過程，特別是跟那家公司的CEO很談得來。不過當天晚上我回家跟老公說起這件事，我老公并沒在我眼中看到他曾經看見過的小火苗。

幾天后，招聘公司打來電話說，那家公司已經決定不錄用我了。等等，什么？我明明跟他們很聊得來呀！他們怎么會不要我呢？我突然想到：“我以后找工作會不會到處碰壁？是不是辭掉一份光鮮的工作后就會發生這種事？我是不是就這樣變成了一個無關緊要的人？”我有些慌了，這些瘋狂的、恐慌的想法一直縈繞在我的腦海。

每當我陷入無理性的恐慌時，我就會做一件事——跑步。當我開始梳理自己的思緒和情感，我意識到他們之所以不要我，在某種程度上是由于我對他們也并不感冒。對方給我的反饋中提到，當我談到我正在創作的那本書時，我顯然是被一種熱情“點燃”了。他們明顯能看出，我希望幫助別人發揮潛能，也能看出我是如何通過運動和健身找到激情。然而談到這家公司的業務時，我卻沒有表現出相同的熱情。更要命的是，他們的結論是正確的。

雖然這件事讓我很傷自尊——我大概難過了一兩個星期，而且在那段時間，我一直為我的前途以及能否再次找到工作而焦心。然而這件事也讓我明白了一個道理，要想找到一個合適的工作，首先要看你與工作的匹配度。當時的我完全沒有預料到，僅僅幾個月之后，我夢想中的工作（Flywheel Sports公司的CEO）就向我伸出了橄欖枝。

我經常拿這件事與我職業生涯早期的另一件事進行比較。在我剛剛步入社會的時候，我曾被我們國家的國營航空公司——新西蘭航空公司拒絕過。我沒能通過所有申請者都必須參加的標準化能力測試。然而當時我非常想在那家公司工作。我對全球旅行和冒險很有激情，因為在我的成長過程中，我經常在幾個國家之間來回穿梭，所以我堅定地認為那份工作很適合自己。我并沒有因為被拒絕就放棄了新西蘭航空。通過跑步理清了自己的思緒后，我想好了一定不能接受這個結果。

正是這種信念讓我走出了其他所有被拒的申請者的思維局限，我直接找到了他們的招聘官，近乎哀求地請他給我30分鐘的時間。由于做了大量準備工作，我侃侃而談地表達了對這家公司的看法，說明為什么我所具有的獨特的技能、興趣和熱情能給這家公司帶來價值。這次大膽的嘗試為我換來了一次與招聘經理進行面試的機會，并且最終為我帶來了那份夢想中的工作。（財富中文網）

譯者：樸成奎

The MPW Insiders Network is an online community where the biggest names in business and beyond answer timely career and leadership questions. Today’s answer for, “How do you deal with rejection when it comes to landing a job?” is written by Sarah Robb O'Hagan, CEO of FlyWheel Sports.

Someone once said to me that job searching is like dating: Getting passed over for a new role and working through the moments when “he’s just not that into you” both bring a similar kind of hit to the ego.

Just last year, I quit my job to write my book, Extreme YOU – Step Up. Stand Out. Kick Ass. Repeat. And even though I wasn’t actually looking for a job, I had some recruiters and hiring managers reach out with interesting opportunities. I felt it was important that I explore some of them to keep my head in the game for interviewing, and to get clearer on what I would actually want in my next role.

There was one particular opportunity that I interviewed for—a big job at a major corporation. The “dating” process went as far as me being invited to their headquarters in another city to meet several key leaders. I really enjoyed meeting them, and even hit it off with the CEO. Yet, when I came home that night and told my husband about it, my eyes weren’t lighting up at the opportunity the way he’s seen them light up before.

Fast forward a few days later, and the recruiting firm called to tell me that this employer had made a decision to pass on me. Wait, what? But I totally hit it off with them! How could they not want me? Mild panic set in as I suddenly started thinking, “Am I on the rejection pile for good now? Is this what happens when you quit your high-powered corporate career? Do you become irrelevant just like that?” All of these crazy, panicked feelings went flying through my mind.

Then, I did what I always do when I am irrationally worrying about something: I went for a run. And as I started unpacking my thoughts and emotions, I realized that they didn’t want me, in part because I actually didn’t want them either. One of the pieces of feedback had been that I clearly “lit up” with enthusiasm when talking about my book I was working on, my desire to help others reach their own potential, and how I’d discovered this passion by working in sports and fitness. But when talking about this employer’s business, I just didn’t show the same enthusiasm. And you know what? They were right.

As much as it was a hit to my ego—it stung for a week or two as I processed my nervousness about my future and eventually getting a job again—it was a great reminder that finding the right job is about matchmaking. Little did I know in that moment that my dream job as the CEO of Flywheel Sports was about to reveal itself to me a few months later.

I often compare this whole story to the start of my career, when I was rejected upon applying to work for Air New Zealand, my country’s national airline. I failed the standard competency tests that all applicants had to take. Now, in this scenario, I desperately wanted to work there. I was so passionate about the idea of global travel and adventure, having grown up moving between different countries, and I was just certain it was the right role for me. Instead of accepting the rejection, I realized after going for a run to process it that I simply must not take no for an answer.

And that belief led me to go way above and beyond any of the other rejected candidates by reaching out to the internal recruiter and begging for just 30 minutes to talk through my rejection. I came with smartly researched thoughts and ideas for the airline, showing how my unique skills, interest, and passion would drive value for them. Thankfully, that led to an interview with the hiring manager, and eventually, a job.