Check out last week’s newsletter: The Cringe-Free Guide for Speaking Up at Work

Rejection is a rough draft.

Sometimes you can do everything right and still face rejection.

In STEM, we’re sold a formula:

Work hard + get the grades + check the boxes = success.

But when the boxes are all checked and the door still slams shut, it messes with your head.

You start wondering if you were ever "good enough" to begin with.

A few years ago, I was exactly there. I’d crushed a high-level internship in consumer packaged goods. I did the work, took on extra projects, and saw the products I helped build on grocery shelves. I was certain a full-time offer was coming.

It didn’t.

With graduation months away and no backup plan, I had to scramble. But that rejection forced me to face a hard truth:

Your work doesn’t always speak for itself. 

While my technical output was solid, I realized I hadn't clearly communicated my ambition or my desire to stay. I assumed the results were enough; they weren't.

I didn't get smarter overnight. I just got intentional. I refined my resume, practiced my pitch, and walked into career fairs with a plan. Most importantly, I refused to let one "no" become my identity.

That’s what resilience actually is. It’s not toxic positivity; it’s feeling the hit, processing the sting, and choosing to move anyway. I call this the REST framework, a strategy to help you move through setbacks instead of getting stuck in them.

Rejection isn’t proof you’re incapable

It’s proof you’re in the arena. If you’re in a season of "no," remember:

You aren't behind.

You’re becoming!

Want the full breakdown of the REST framework? 

Check out this week’s episode of IncrediPaul Leadership to hear the rest of the story and how to build a career that outlasts any rejection!

TL;DR

You can do a lot of things right and still experience rejection.
That doesn’t mean you’re broken. It means you’re human. Resilience isn’t pretending everything is fine. It’s processing setbacks, learning from them, and choosing to move forward anyway. I share a personal career story and a simple framework for building resilience on the latest episode of IncrediPaul Leadership.

DETAILS ABOUT EPISODE

In this episode of IncrediPaul Leadership, host Paul Faronbi, delves into the theme of resilience, particularly in the context of professional challenges faced by young adults, especially Gen Z. He shares a personal story from his internship at Nestle USA, where he expected to receive a full-time job offer but ultimately did not. This experience taught him valuable lessons about rejection and the importance of resilience in navigating career setbacks. Paul introduces an acrostic framework based on the word 'REST' to help listeners develop resilience, emphasizing that rejection is inevitable and that evaluating experiences is crucial for growth.

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