You've been rejected. What now? (Hint: Ice cream isn't the solution)

Just came across this really thoughtful piece on coping with job rejection by David Perlmutter, whose columns I generally enjoy. He contextualizes the timelessly awful feeling of being rejected for a job within this particularly bad era of the academic job search, making the suggestions he offers all the more realistic for our generation of scholars. He doesn't shy away from the possible strategy of leaving academe altogether. There is also some cringeworthy humor, as he describes the well-meaning but often clueless "support" offered by our non-academic loved ones:

"At least fellow academics understand the realities of a job hunt in higher education, so they tend not to overplay their confidence in you. Outsiders may be less sensitive, even though they mean well. A doctoral student recounted a dreadful campus visit from which he returned home certain of not getting the job only to find, to his horror, that his nonacademic parents and relatives had arranged a big party featuring posters with inspiring slogans like "We believe in you, Tony!" When the predictably thin letter arrived months later, informing him that he had not been chosen, his embarrassment was amplified."

The Academic Job Wiki

This doesn't need a lot of introduction from me, but if you are or have been on the market recently, check this link out for up-to-date info on the job search in our field.

The Thin Envelope

Oh, rejection. You are a bitch. Here's a piece in today's Chronicle of Higher Education soliciting people's strategies for coping with job market rejections. I tend to default toward self-recrimination. What did I do wrong? Why didn't they pick me? I used to keep my rejection letters in a folder and then decided that was pretty pathetic. You'd be amazed how therapeutic a shredder is in moments like that. I now keep a folder labeled "Good News Letters" on the tab. It's my little happy corner where I can dwell on the decisions that went in my favor. Let us know here at BANDIT what you do to help ease the sting of rejection, or what I consider FAR MORE DAMAGING, total silence. What is that about?!? God, people, send an email and put me out of my misery.