There’s nothing worse than losing out on a job you had your heart set on. The glorious future you had mapped out for yourself seems to have taken a back step. But don’t despair. It may not seem like it right now, but there will always other dream opportunities out there. And in the meantime, there are a number of things you can do to turn this temporary setback to your advantage…

1. Don’t be too hard on yourself

Employers often receive a large number of applications for one position. And given the competitiveness of the job market, there is absolutely no shame in missing out on an opportunity. And if you made it through to the interview stage then, firstly, you did brilliantly, and, secondly, you must have something about you that other employers are also going to be interested in.

2. Get feedback

They say failure can be an excellent learning opportunity – and this is certainly true when it comes to applying for a job. Ask politely for feedback on why your application was not successful. If you made it through to the interview stage, you will almost certainly get a response. The answers you get will provide you with invaluable insight into how you are coming across to potential employers and any areas you can work on to improve your chances of getting your dream job.

3. Take stock

Now is the perfect time to take a step back and consider whether you are pursuing the path that’s right for you. Think again about the opportunity you missed out on. Is this what you see yourself doing in two or five years’ time? How about ten years? If it is, then you have the perfect motivation to carry on as you were with your job hunting. If not, you might want to start thinking about alternative careers. There are also lots of books and websites out there that can help you.

4. Revisit your CV

You might also want to take this opportunity to look again with a critical eye at the CV and/or cover letters you are sending out to potential employers. Do you think you could make any improvements? Is there anything here that needs to change in the light of the feedback you received (see point 2)?

5. Take some tests

Many selection processes now include tests for things like verbal and numerical reasoning. Most employers use the same basic kind of tests and there are lots of free examples available online. So why not get some advance practice in when you have a spare moment. Just Google “verbal reasoning test” or “numerical reasoning test”. There are also lots of psychometric career tests you can take that will tell you what kind of job you’re most suited for.

6. Think about getting work experience

If you’re having difficulty securing the kind of job you want, it might be time to consider applying for a temporary position or internship. This can be a great way to gain experience in your chosen field and may even lead to a permanent role.

At Enterprise, we offer people lots of opportunities for a challenging, rewarding and enjoyable career. Why not check out our graduate management trainee programme to see what we have for you.