When you hear the word “no,” what do you do? Do you stop? Spiral? Start questioning everything? Or … do you pivot?
Here’s the truth: rejection isn’t the end—it’s often the plot twist that changes everything. The real question isn’t if you’ll face rejection, it’s how you respond when it happens.
Jessica Bacal, MFA, EdD, is the Director of Reflective Practices at Smith College, where she co-developed and teaches a class about imagining and practicing the navigation of uncertain futures. She’s also the author of The Rejection that Changed My Life and Mistakes I Made at Work, where she shares the real stories behind successful women’s career journeys—the messy and rejection-filled paths we don’t always see.
In my conversation with Jessica, we talk about embracing change in your career journey, steps to take after facing rejection, and the importance of reaching out to your network, teachers from high school included. Jessica wants you to pursue your passions even if you feel like you’re not good enough. She says, “Being qualified doesn’t mean being perfect or never failing.”
Tune into my conversation with Jessica Bacal to learn more about pivoting after rejection on the Find Your Passion Career Podcast!
Embrace Career Change
Jessica, as she describes it, felt very confused as an undergraduate student. Though she loved writing and children, she didn’t know how to integrate those passions into her career. She worked as a magazine editor after graduation, and though she enjoyed the job, she knew she didn’t want to stay there in the long term.
“I wanted to do something that was more with people,” she says.
As Jessica edited health articles, she realized she was interested in healthcare and decided to go to medical school. She took pre-med classes, worked as a medical assistant for a pediatrician, and volunteered at a pediatric emergency room. These experiences helped her realize that being a doctor wasn’t for her either.
“The kids that I saw every day didn’t want to be seeing me,” she says. “That made me think, ‘Maybe I’ll try teaching.’” Jessica’s been teaching in some capacity ever since.
When Jessica was dissatisfied with her career, she wasn’t afraid to pivot and pursue what she wanted. It’s never too late to try a new path. The change could get you one step closer to fulfilling your dreams.
Leverage Your Connections
After moving out of New York City, Jessica had her sights set on working at Smith College.
“My friends who had come out of Smith were really purposeful, driven people, and I thought it’d be an exciting place to work,” she says.
Jessica applied to work at the college’s HR department and writing center but got rejected from both. However, her mother-in-law’s friend was starting a grant-funded project at Smith. Through that connection, she got the job.
Jessica always tells her students to make connections with others and take advantage of the networks they already have. For example, one of her students got a job through their high school teacher.
“It doesn’t always have to be people who are in fancy positions,” she says. “Sometimes, you have networks you don’t even realize that you have.”
Though it’s important to network with those ahead of you career-wise, don’t forget about the people around you and those who have helped you along the way. Look back on your career (and academic!) journey. Think about your professors, guidance counselors, coworkers, past bosses—your network may surprise you.
Reapply (But Don’t Repeat Your Mistakes)
The idea of reapplying for a role may never have occurred to you. But Jessica believes that the stigma surrounding reapplying is unfounded.
“When you’re on the interviewing end, it makes a difference that a person is interested in your organization or company specifically,” she says. Which means, reapplying speaks volumes.
Jessica mentions the story of Elizabeth Bell, whom she interviewed for The Rejection that Changed My Life. Elizabeth was an English teacher who decided to become a doctor.
“Her whole study group applied to medical school, and she was the only one who was rejected from every place,” Jessica says.
Not deterred by the 18 rejections she faced (one school rejected her twice!), Elizabeth studied harder for the MCAT, retook a pre-med class, and ultimately became a successful psychiatrist.
“She figured out what she needed to do to make herself a better candidate and did so,” Jessica says. “There’s no shame in trying for something over and over.”
When retrying something, don’t just wash, rinse, and repeat. Level up in some way—take a class, volunteer, conduct more research. Your extra effort will be rewarded.
Jessica’s Rejection Story
The Rejection that Changed My Life was inspired by a painful rejection Jessica experienced in her career.
After over a decade of running a center where she helped students make connections between work and life, her organization wanted to shift the center’s focus toward leadership. Jessica was told to apply for the director position at the new center.
“It’s hard to be in an internal job search because you’re making yourself vulnerable and taking a risk among people who know you,” she says.
Jessica was ultimately rejected from the role, leaving her current position ambiguous.
“I didn’t even know what the future of my job would look like,” she says.
At the same time, Jessica was leading reflective workshops for students. She was asked to turn these workshops into classes, which became part of Reflective Practices.
“That was a better direction for me than reimagining a whole center,” she says. “It was a great opportunity for me to go deeper, which was exciting and fun.”
When you’re thrown for a loop and you don’t get the opportunity you wanted, you may be surprised that another opportunity will be around the corner and just as fulfilling. Uncertainty is part of the career journey. Remember, though, there will always be other avenues for you to pursue your passions.
On Facing Rejection
The women Jessica interviewed for The Rejection that Changed My Life have unconventional rejection experiences.
Emily Winter, a comedy writer, decided to gamify rejection by trying to get rejected 100 times.
“You end up building the muscle to deal with rejection, but you might also have successes that are kind of surprising,” Jessica says.
Emily’s rejection challenge led to her sending comedy pieces to The New Yorker and getting published.
However, rejection is still painful. Whenever author Tara Schuster faces rejection, she goes through a self-care ritual. She gives herself a few days to be sad, then picks herself up and moves on.
Jessica’s research for her book showed her that even the most successful people have faced painful rejections. However, her personal experience has also given her nuggets of wisdom.
“Talk to people who love you and are supportive of you, no matter what,” she says. “You’re more than just your work.”
After listening to Jessica’s story, one lesson is clear: Feel your feelings when you’re rejected, but don’t let your disappointment dictate your career. It’s all part of the challenge. Tune in to Jessica to learn how being qualified is about being up for the challenge. Download the episode here on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
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