On Friday, February 13, 2026, I sent out 14+ job applications.
By Tuesday morning, February 17, 2026, I woke up in a cold sweat and checked my inbox before my feet touched the floor.
First rejection.
No long feedback. No nuance. Just a clean, polite “we’ve decided to move forward with other candidates.”
I knew it was coming eventually. Still, the first one hits differently.
It is not devastating in isolation. It is what it represents. The transition from effort to evaluation. From “I am applying” to “I am now in the funnel, and the funnel says no most of the time.”
After getting laid off, there is already a baseline hum of uncertainty in the background. Rejection emails amplify that hum into noise if you let them.
For a few minutes, I did exactly that.
I started replaying every possible flaw:
- Did I apply too broadly?
- Was my resume too generic?
- Am I already behind people who started searching weeks ago?
- Is the market tighter than I want to admit?
Then I stepped back.
One rejection after 14+ applications is not a signal that the strategy is broken. It is the expected math of job searching, especially in this market.
So this is the frame I am using now:
- Applications are inputs, not identity.
- Rejections are data, not verdicts.
- Consistency beats emotional swings.
- Follow-ups and referrals matter more than spraying cold applications forever.
Today was a reminder that this process is as psychological as it is tactical.
The tactical side is straightforward: keep applying, tighten positioning, improve each pass.
The psychological side is harder: do not let one inbox notification define the day.
I am still in the early innings. Four days in, first rejection logged, momentum intact.
Tomorrow I will apply again.