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Getting Back on the Horse After 10 Rejections - Maryam Umar

13th January 2023

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Maryam Umar

Head of QA

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Talk Description

I was jobless for six months, not by choice but by fate. Updating your CV and interviewing when you are not mentally prepared to do so is a very difficult situation to go through.

One would think that the current market is the candidate’s market, so why didn’t I have a job for six months? I went through a lot of interviews. And with each interview, I started losing hope in my skill set. This happened not because I wasn’t doing well. I was continuously told that they really liked you, BUT… and nothing.

I still don’t have useful feedback on why I got rejected ten times. I even started questioning whether I wanted to be associated with the tech industry. A part of me also started thinking that I was being put forward only because I am a ‘diverse’ candidate. Turns out, it only took one person to give me a job offer during my first interview with them. They saw my strengths which was a great morale boost.

However, my imposter syndrome had settled in nicely during these six months. So how do I learn to ride the waves again? This is where my previous career and life coaching sessions helped tremendously. In this session, I want to share how we can continue to learn from every interview rejection. And how we can use the help from mentors and coaches to keep our heads high.

What you’ll learn

By the end of this talk, you'll be able to:

Identify that rejection is not always a bad thing.
Recall the concept of skills as muscle memory that remain intact over time.
Apply strategies to stay focused on career goals during challenging circumstances.
Apply self-belief techniques to overcome rejection and setbacks.

Maryam Umar

Head of QA

I work in London as Head of QA of an Instant Salesware firm. I started my career 15 years ago as a QA test engineer in the finance and mobile industry. After transitioning to the eCommerce sector, I performed QA in various capacities for online restaurant and travel services. I continue to work in QA as a manager now with special focus on sustainable delivery practices. I pay special attention to team dynamics and ensuring engineers are in roles which give them a sense of purpose. In addition to this, I have been a keen advocate of creating and sustaining diverse teams by speaking at schools and universities to educate students about what a creative space the technology sector can be.