How to deal with rejection

Found wanting Four pro artists tell Ruth Hamilton about their most toe-curling rejection experiences, and how to turn a ‘no’ into something positive

Four pro artists tell us about their most toe-curling rejection experiences, and how to turn a ‘no’ into something positive.

Death, taxes and “Sorry, but you’ve been unsuccessful this time.” There’s no getting around it – if you want to reach your career peak, you’re going to have to clamber past plenty of painful rejections on the way up. Even the most successful and talented artists have had their portfolios mercilessly discarded plenty of times.

We asked four professional artists for their tales of rejection (get ready to break out in a cold sweat). We also wondered what advice they had on how to deal with rejection without letting it dent your confidence, and even get something positive out of the experience, too.

“When I was a student, I got an invite to speak to a huge studio for a potential internship. I was over the moon! It was the only positive response I had in months. I arrived for the interview 15 minutes early – then had to wait for three hours,” recalls Maeve Broadbin (known online as Drawmaeve).

WATCHFUL WAITING

The studio, it transpires, was trying a bold new recruitment technique in which all the candidates were invited in at once, to sit in the same room and be interviewed for 10 minutes each while the other prospective candidates watched on.

“By the time I sat down, the recruiter was exhausted. She asked me how many followers I had on Twitter, flipped through my portfolio, and told me I had no sense of colour,” Maeve continues. “The interview lasted three minutes. It was my first rejection that had passed the initial email stage.” Maeve is now a concept artist at Blizzard Entertainment.

Then there’s Dia Jamandron, whose graduation ‘Industry Night’ – in which students showcase their work for recruiters – was a tough introduction to the fickle nature of professional life. “I networked to a handful of industry people, thinking that was good enough to land a job. Fast forward to a month, and nothing really happened. I had interviews

I arrived for the interview 15 minutes early – then had to wait for three hours… The interview lasted three minutes

scheduled – most of them showed enthusiasm and at one point a studio lined me up for three different shows. But in the end, all of them said it wasn’t going to work out.” Dia subsequently went on to work for Netflix and Disney.

Finnish artist Sam Santala’s worst rejection story happened after he’d started doing the job. He left one role to take another that better fitted with his family situation, but a fortnight after he’d accepted the contract, the project had morphed into something entirely unsuited to his skill-set.

“By the end of the six-month probation period, I was let go, with no job to support my family, knowing I’d left a dream job for that role,” he recalls. Painful, yes, but it led to Sam launching creature art outsourcing studio, Songhorn, and becoming his own boss.

A GRACEFUL EXIT

So now you’ve been reassured that rejection is something that happens to everyone, it’s time for some practical tips on how to deal with the experience. Let’s say you receive that bad-news email or phone call. What’s the best way to react in that moment?

Story artist for animated feature films Sasha Schotzko-harris suggests using it as a chance to demonstrate how you’d react to a negative situation. “Typically, I would recommend keeping your email short and appreciative. The two key points to hit are: ‘Thank you for this opportunity to apply’ and ‘Please keep me in mind for future opportunities’,” she says.

“Ending things on a positive note is so important,” adds Maeve. “It’s a small industry so you’ll more than likely run into them again. Applying to a studio multiple times is incredibly common. They will remember if you handled it gracefully.”

That said, it’s not the end of the world if you do end up losing your composure. “I’ve had my big embarrassing slip-ups,” Maeve admits. “I cried once on a ‘no thanks’ call! But you have to brush it off and learn.”

UPPING YOUR GAME

Just because you’ve missed out on a job doesn’t mean you haven’t gained something else from the experience. For one, applying and interviewing for jobs is a great way to make connections in the industry. “I tend to keep in contact with recruiters I’ve talked to,” says Dia. “I usually let them know when I updated my portfolio or any upcoming availability.”

I’ve had my embarrassing slip-ups. I cried once on a ‘no thanks’ call

You’ll also be learning plenty of skills from the process itself, gruelling though it may be. “Along the way you’re making connections, getting experience speaking with recruiters, and often practising your skills in the form of tests or working on your portfolio,” says Sasha. “Each attempt make you stronger, and next time you’ll be a little more prepared.”

If you can steel yourself to ask for feedback from the studio, a rejection can be a good way to highlight your weak spots. Maeve suggests dividing the reasons for rejection into categories: soft skills (“Are you an easy person to work with? Do you take critique well? Those are the kind of soft skills companies look for.”), technical skills, and things beyond your control (“Was the other candidate a 10-year industry vet? Did the company put in a hiring freeze?”).

The first two categories you can (and should) work on, but if the reasoning falls into the third category, do your best to just let it go. Of course, “your art style isn’t right for this job” often comes in this third category. As Sasha says. “It isn’t always about you or the quality of your work. Sometimes, it’s just not the right fit.”

IT’S NOT YOU, IT’S THEM

Even if you know you’ve got talent and you know it happens to everyone, dealing with multiple rejections is tough. What words of wisdom do the

The rejections and critiques are just the necessary steps along the way to getting that first job

professionals have for someone whose confidence has taken a hit?

“The thing that has helped me the most is adding the word ‘yet’ to the end of critiques,” says Sasha. So if someone says to you, ‘You can’t draw backgrounds’, you turn it into, ‘I can’t draw backgrounds yet.’

“Maybe it’s true that your skills are weak in that area currently, but it’s important to not view these critiques as permanent qualities about you,” she elaborates. “Of course, part two of this mind-set is to then go out in the work to improve on that skill you’re lacking in.”

Maeve also warns against hanging all your hopes and dreams on one specific studio. “It’s great to have goals and tailor your portfolio to a job, but don’t let a rejection from Dream Studio X keep you from creating,” she says. Sam echoes her sentiments: “My time is better spent doing the kind of work I want to do, and which showcases my talent, rather than try to fit in an existing mould.”

And finally, trust in the journey. “It’s all a part of the process,” says Sasha. “It’s like the rule of doing 10,000 bad drawings so you can get to the one good one. The rejections and critiques are just the necessary steps along the way to getting that first job.”

“A lot of people take rejection personally. There are a multitude of reasons why someone might not be hired, which aren’t to do with their work specifically,” says Sam Santala.

Dia Jamandron appreciates when companies take time to respond. “I understand it could be busy on their end, but if they do have the time, I show them my gratitude.”

Sam’s first major rejection caused him to question his decision to study as a concept artist. “Luckily, I picked myself up and it seems to have worked out since,” he says.

“Getting a rejection is a great time to figure out where you need to improve,” says Maeve.

Getting let go from a job after a probationary period prompted Sam to explore what he could achieve on his own.

Rejects aren’t always articulated… and that can be even worse. “Rejections in animation mostly come in the form of just being ghosted,” says Sasha Schotzko-harris.

Sasha recommends viewing each job rejection as part of the process – with each experience you learn a little more. “Rejection is incredibly hard. The best way to prepare for it is to keep sending out applications and trying,” says Maeve.

Success rarely comes easy – before landing her first job, Dia “probably applied to around 100 job positions.”

There’ll be times when a rejection is nothing to do with you at all, Sam explains. “Sometimes jobs are posted with someone already in mind, and sometimes projects are just cancelled abruptly.” If you’re experiencing constant rejections, Dia suggests “reaching out, asking for help, and getting better.”

“No matter how amazing an artist is, they won’t be right for every project, because we all have different sensibilities,” Sasha reminds us.