S2 Ep 7. Embracing Rejection on the UX Career Path

As educators transitioning into UX and product design, the sting of rejection can feel overwhelming. But remember, you're not alone in this. Every "no" you encounter is an opportunity to adapt and grow. In today's episode, I share a personal story of rejection and guide you on transforming these challenging moments into stepping stones towards success. Embrace the journey, and let rejection propel you to new horizons in your career transformation. Tune in for encouragement, insight, and a reminder that your worth is not defined by rejection but by your ability to persist and flourish.

Transcript

Narrator: 0:01

Welcome to the UX Teacher Prep Podcast, the ultimate destination for educators who aspire to break into the field of user experience and product design. Your host, zee Arnold, a 15-year teacher turned UX researcher, is here to guide, coach and mentor you through every twist and turn as you make your career transition into tech. If you're ready for a more satisfying career and lifestyle and you want the balance to unleash your creativity, this podcast is for you. Now for the show.

Zee: 0:42

Hello teacher friends, welcome back to the UX Teacher Prep Podcast, and I am your host, zee. I know I've been gone for a minute. I took a long holiday break and extended it a little bit more to take care of some personal matters, but I'm happy to be back. Happy New Year to everyone. I've been thinking about you a lot and no matter where you are in your career transition journey. Today, in 2025, I just want to remind you that you are doing amazing things and I hope that you're doing well. It can feel like a roller coaster sometimes, but I want to remind you that every step forward, no matter how small, counts.

Zee: 1:16

Today, I want to talk about something that we all face at some point in our careers, especially in UX Rejection. It's something that can feel personal, frustrating and disheartening, but the truth is it's actually part of the process. In fact, it's a learning opportunity. Today, I want to share some thoughts on how to navigate rejection and keep moving forward in your career search. Whether it's not landing the job you wanted, not getting the feedback you hoped for or just not seeing the results you expected, you are definitely not alone. I face rejection more times than I can count, and many teachers have, and they're still facing rejection as they try to transition to their new careers. But all hope is not lost Now let me tell you a little story.

Zee: 2:02

When I was 16, I started working as a telemarketer. It was my first real job and it involved cold-calling people trying to sell them stuff that they probably didn't want Definitely not the glam job I imagined at that age. My mom was working for this home heating oil company and she got me a little part-time gig there. Talk about getting comfortable with rejection. It was an experience, that's all I can say. I was calling people all day trying to sell them oil to heat their homes and, trust me, I heard no more times than I could literally count. People would hang up on me, curse me out and tell me how I was interrupting their dinner to bother them about oil. It was so discouraging guys. But here's the thing In the beginning I felt like total garbage. I was like this is not the job for me. I can't do this. I don't know how people even do this for five minutes, let alone four or five hours, and every time I heard no, it just crushed me.

Zee: 3:03

But over time, each no stopped feeling like a failure. Instead, it actually became a lesson. So it was a lesson in persistence for me, in learning from setbacks and, most importantly, in understanding that rejection wasn't a reflection of my own worth. So as I began to learn more and more about how to improve my selling skills and my phone skills, I learned from others on my team on the floor and I got better at selling and my phone skills. I learned from others on my team on the floor and I got better at selling and I even got better at handling rejection. In fact, those rejections helped me to learn to pivot, adjust my approach and keep moving forward. So that experience shaped me so much into who I am today in my career and fast forward to my UX journey.

Zee: 3:42

Whether it was not getting the interview I was literally dreaming about or not getting put on a project I felt that I was a great fit for, or just even being overlooked in meetings, I know that rejection isn't the end. It's just a part of the process and it's an opportunity for me to grow stronger and grow smarter. So if you're feeling this thing of rejection right now, I want to remind you that it's all a part of your story. It doesn't define you. It's a lesson and it can push you forward in ways you don't even realize yet. Rejection feels bad and it can make you question your abilities on your path to transition out of teaching. But here's the thing Rejection is not a roadblock, it's a stepping stone. But how do you actually stay resilient when you face setbacks? Let me break it down for you in four steps that can help you turn rejection into an opportunity for growth. Step one you need to reframe your perspective, and what I mean by this is to reframe how you see rejection. Instead of thinking of it as a failure, try viewing it as a stepping stone.

Zee: 4:42

Like I said before, in UX, things don't always go as planned. Maybe your research didn't yield the results you expected, or maybe a client wasn't fully on board with your recommendations. In the same way, during the job search, you may have two interviews that you thought were really great, but then you don't get called back for either of those positions. You might not even get a thank you for interviewing email. I've been there more than once. Take a step back and ask yourself what did I learn from this experience? What can I do differently next time? Every setback gives you an opportunity to refine your skills, strengthen your approach, build resilience. Rejection is just a detour that's leading you to where you need to go, and I know for myself. Every single time I've had an interview or a situation where I was rejected. I was always able to reflect and to see how I could improve for the next time. So take it as a learning experience.

Zee: 5:34

Step two always stay curious and ask for feedback. One of my strengths is curiosity. Think back to the story I shared about my telemarketing job. Once I got over myself and started to see that rejection wasn't about me personally, I began to ask questions like did I just get hung up on because that man thinks I'm a loser, or was he genuinely pissed that I was interrupting him during his dinner time with his family? What if I called him back on Saturday afternoon on that shift? You see where I'm going with this. So the second step is to stay curious and actively seek feedback.

Zee: 6:10

Rejection is hard, but it doesn't mean that you've been left behind or that you're not good enough. Ask for specific feedback, and this could be from a colleague, a mentor or even the person who rejected your application. Understanding the why behind their decision gives you actionable insights. For example, let's say you presented your UX research findings and they weren't well received. Instead of taking it personally, reach out to your team and ask what would you have wanted to see differently? That feedback helps you grow and it sharpens your skills. It opens the door for improvement. In the case of an interview I know you've heard this before, but it is okay to email the person who rejected you and ask for feedback if it wasn't given to you on your last interview or your last meeting with them. Another way you can handle this is to go over the interview notes you took and ask yourself how you could have improved.

Zee: 6:59

Ux is all about iteration. That means doing it over and over and over again and improving it little by little each time, and that goes for personal development too. So it's a chance to learn new techniques, get more experience and refine your skills and your storytelling. And guess what? Sometimes you said all the right things and they just picked someone else for a reason out of your control. It's a hard truth, but that's the way the cookie crumbles sometimes. But the way I look at it is, when one door closes, another opens, and I truly believe that Maybe there was something that would have been an issue for you later on at that job you never really know. But I'm a believer and I believe that sometimes God just keeps us from certain things to protect us. So I count it as a blessing when I'm rejected.

Zee: 7:43

Lastly, you have to develop a growth mindset. I want to encourage you to cultivate a growth mindset, and that means embracing the belief that you can always improve, no matter the challenges you face. As teachers, you're always adapting and evolving. The same is true as UX professionals. We're always adapting, evolving our tools, our methods and insights. We're constantly changing. So the more you see rejection as a chance to expand your knowledge, the more it propels you forward. Think about it If you face rejection and still continued, you've always proven that you can bounce back. That resilience is something to be proud of. I really believe there's a lesson to be learned in every rejection, and that rejection is redirection.

Zee: 8:26

And the last thing is I want you to celebrate your small wins. When you're navigating a tough patch, it's easy to lose sight of the progress that you've made. You're focused on the rejection, but what about all the small victories you had along the way? Maybe you finally figured out a tricky prototype, or maybe you had a great conversation with a mentor that helped you clarify your goals for your next steps. Celebrate those small wins.

Zee: 8:50

Rejection can feel isolating, but when you take a moment to recognize your growth and accomplishments, it gives you the strength to keep moving forward. I can promise you this your journey is not going to be linear. There's going to be ups and downs and if you celebrate the progress that you've made, even the tiniest step forward, it'll keep you motivated and moving in the right direction. So to recap those things number one, reframe rejection as a stepping stone and not a failure. You need to desensitize yourself by accepting it as a part of the process. It as a part of the process. Number two, stay curious and ask for feedback to keep improving. Number three, embrace a growth mindset, knowing that you're always learning and growing. You are in a training ground right now. And number four, celebrate even the tiniest wins.

Zee: 9:46

So my final thought is if you're going through a tough time right now, just remember you have what it takes to move forward. And if you're not going through a rough time right now, just know that it will come. Be prepared and don't take it personal. I know it's not easy, but each rejection is shaping you into a more resilient, more skilled version of yourself. Whether you're just starting in your career transition or you're deep into your new UX career, you need to take those lessons, apply them and keep going. I know you got this. Thanks for tuning in today and I hope you found this episode helpful. Remember I'm always here rooting for you, and if you need additional support, reach out on my website uxteacherprepcom to set up a coaching call. If you found any part of this helpful, be sure to share it with someone else who might need to hear it too. Take care and we'll talk soon.

Narrator: 10:35

Hey, thanks so much for tuning in. If you like this podcast, hit, follow and scroll down to leave a five-star rating. Then share it with a friend. If you're looking for resources to help you on your tech transition journey, head over to uxteacherprepcom. Follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram at uxteacherprep for daily tips and motivation. Have a topic you'd like to hear addressed on the show? Send us a DM on Instagram. If you're listening on YouTube, like, subscribe and share. Until next time, be well.