This week, is the anniversary of the Norman invasion of 1066. I suppose I should take some solace from this, and assume (or hope) that this Norman invasion of NW Oklahoma City will end as the one in 1066 ended, with the Norman’s on the winning end of things.

I don’t feel much like a winner right now. I have now interviewed for four jobs, and I have been passed over for three of those jobs, and I won’t hear anything on that fourth job for about a week.

There's nothing like rejection to make you do an inventory of yourself. ~James Lee Burke

I also have an interview in about 5 hours from right now. Then I have two more interviews scheduled for October 13 and 15.

I know I should not feel rejected, just because I was not selected. I did pretty good shaking off the first rejection, and the second, but this third one is bothering me. It is hard to rally after rejection. The thing is I imagine MOST people feel discouraged when they interview several times in close succession and are not hired. Here is what I will try to do:

1. I will recognize that what I am feeling is what most people would feel when they interview and don’t get hired.

A rejection is nothing more than a necessary step in the pursuit of success. ~Bo Bennett

2. I will be on guard against my tendency to talk negatively to myself about myself. I must avoid saying things to me like: “What was it they didn’t like about me? Am I too fat, too stupid, too old, or too something else to be hired?” “Which question did I screw up in my answer?” “Did I fail to say something that I should have said? How could I be that stupid?”

Quit thinking that you must halt before the barrier of inner negativity. You need not. You can crash through... whatever we see a negative state, that is where we can destroy it. ~Vernon Howard

3. I will remember some of the more common reasons that a good candidate is not hired:

a) An internal candidate entered the picture. There may be a policy or law that requires them to post a job opening, and to go through the interview process, but they may have someone already working for them who is wanting to “move up” and they want to “move them up” and unless Jesus shows up for an interview that internal candidate really had the job before the job was even advertised.

b.) The company decided to eliminate the position or put the hiring process on hold. With the current fears of economic collapse of the US economy it is possible that hiring officers may think they should hold off on adding new employees if the bottom is about to fall out for all of us. Sometimes events change after the interview process started, and they may just decide not to hire anyone.

c.) Maybe you were selected by the interview team, but there was someone above them who just didn’t like you for some reason. Maybe you reminded them of a former employee that didn't work out. Maybe they were threatened by your expertise and skill.

4. I will think positively. I will remember that I did not know, and could not know everything that the hiring officer or the interview team was looking for in the person they were hoping to hire. Maybe I was over qualified. Maybe I came in number two in their selection process missing the job because the selected applicant was recommended by the hiring officer’s mother’s best friend.

Positive thinking will let you do everything better than negative thinking will. ~Zig Ziglar

5. I will keep applying for jobs. I have to re-establish my motivation every single solitary day.

People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing - that's why we recommend it daily. ~Zig Ziglar