Rejection: Your Unwanted Academic Best Friend

Rejection is an inevitable part of academic life. As someone who submits around 20 papers and 30 grant proposals each year, I understand rejection all too well. My papers often undergo numerous rejections before finding their home, and my grant proposals have an average success rate of about 10%. It’s an unwanted companion that follows us through our careers, lurking in the shadows of every submitted paper, grant proposal, job application, and award nomination. But while rejection stings, it also teaches us resilience and perseverance.

"Try again, fail again, fail better." - Rou Reynolds, Enter Shikari.

Here are four main points to consider when dealing with rejection in academia:

Feedback: The Tough Love of Academia

The peer review process is a critical component of academic research. Receiving critical feedback, and sometimes outright rejection, is part and parcel of this process. This doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt…. doesn’t make you feel bad… Make you feel like an imposter (more on imposter syndrome in an upcoming blog).

An important note: You are not unique or especially bad - Everyone is suffering rejection in academia (over, and over, and over, and over….)

You are going to be bombarded by feedback, most of which will be negative, and it will come from both internal and external sources. Internally, it can come from peers, supervisors, university executives, and professional staff. Externally, feedback often comes from boards, editors, peer reviewers, and even the general public. The process of receiving feedback is critical for the development of your research and academic career.

The Positive: Constructive criticism is invaluable for improving your work. Feedback, even if critical, can highlight areas for improvement and help you see your research from different perspectives. Each rejection refines your writing and hones your arguments. Whether it's a manuscript rejected by a journal or a proposal turned down by a funding body, the insights gained can lead to significant enhancements in your work. A rejected paper can be revised and submitted to another journal, often with a higher chance of acceptance. Don’t see rejection as the end but as an opportunity to enhance your work.

Publications: The Gauntlet of Peer Review

The path to getting your research published is often fraught with hurdles. High rejection rates are common across top academic journals, and it’s not unusual for even the most groundbreaking work to face multiple rejections before finding a home. Sometimes, your paper may be rejected because the journal has received too many submissions that month, the editors don’t fully understand your work, or a reviewer has an issue because they are a competitor.

The Positive: Each rejection refines your writing and hones your arguments. Feedback from reviewers, even if critical, can highlight areas for improvement. Moreover, a rejected paper can be revised and submitted to another journal. Don’t see rejection as the end but as an opportunity to enhance your work.

Grants and Funding: The Battle for Resources

Securing funding for research is a fierce competition. Grant applications are often rejected, sometimes without clear reasons. You might have a brilliant idea, but factors like limited funding, a mismatch with the funding body’s priorities, or political and institutional biases can result in rejection.

The Positive: Each failed grant hones your writing skills and your ideas, making you a better applicant for future opportunities. Additionally, the work you put into a rejected proposal is not wasted. It can be recycled for future grants, refined, and resubmitted. Learning from each rejection builds a stronger case for the next application.

Awards and Recognitions: The Scarcity of Accolades

Academic awards and recognitions are few and far between. For every award winner, there are countless others who were not selected. Sometimes, it’s about who you know rather than what you know, or the selection committee has pre-determined preferences.

The Positive: The process of applying for awards itself is valuable. It forces you to summarize and present your work compellingly, a skill that is useful for all academic endeavors. Even if you don’t win, the application materials can be adapted for other awards or used to bolster your CV.

Job Applications: The Long Road to Employment

Securing an academic position is a daunting task. The job market is highly competitive, and rejections are common. Factors beyond your control, such as departmental politics, funding cuts, or preference for internal candidates, can play a significant role.

The Positive: Each job application process improves your interview skills and enhances your CV. Always follow up with interviewers for feedback. Call or email them—you lose nothing by asking but gain valuable insight if they respond. Keep all materials from each application—they can be reused and refined for future opportunities.

The Need for Positive Feedback

Most feedback in academia tends to focus on criticism. While constructive criticism is essential, we also need to highlight what people are doing well. I have made a conscious effort to include positive comments in my peer reviews and grant reviews, pointing out the strengths of the work and expressing appreciation when I enjoy reading something or find the science impressive.

A call to action: Remember there is another person on the end of your comments. If you are reviewing other people’s work try to be nice where you can.

A "compliment sandwich" can be a useful approach. This involves starting with positive feedback, followed by constructive criticism, and ending with another positive comment. This method not only softens the impact of criticism but also encourages and motivates the recipient by acknowledging their strengths and efforts.

By incorporating more positive feedback, we can foster a more supportive and encouraging academic environment. Let’s start recognizing and celebrating each other's achievements as much as we critique and improve upon our shortcomings.

Conclusion: Pick Yourself Up and Dust Yourself Off

Rejection in academia is not a sign of failure but a rite of passage. It’s a universal experience that even the most successful academics have endured. Many factors leading to rejection are beyond your control. It’s not fair, but it is the reality. The key is to become hardened to it—expect rejection, accept it, learn from it, and keep moving forward.

Remember: Each piece of work is another tool in your academic arsenal. Don’t delete anything. Space is cheap; keep documents and use old writing as a template for your next endeavors. Your resilience and perseverance will pay off in the long run.

Pick yourself up and dust yourself off. Rejection is just another step on the path to success.

KEEP GOING!! DON'T LET REJECTION STOP YOU!!