You did everything by the book, you put all your efforts into the search, did a good impression at the interview, but in the end you didn’t get the job. This situation is well known to anyone who has been ever job hunting or looking to switch careers. While it might take a toll on your morale and put you in a vulnerable position as a job seeker, this does not have to be something that brings you down, but rather keep you looking for the best thing out there.

The fact that you didn’t get the job can be frustrating, nerve racking and downright depressing but instead of dwelling on all these emotions, try to focus more on what you want out of a job and what you can learn out of this process.

First of all treat the interviewing process as a learning experience. What did you like and didn’t like about it? What kind of interview makes you feel comfortable and what were the recruiters most impressed about regarding your candidature? This will not only make the next interviews go smoother but will also pinpoint what are your strengths and weaknesses in an interview, allowing you to make a better impression next time.

Second of all, why is it that you wanted this job so badly? It’s true than when job seeking, a candidate must jump through dozens of loops and hoops, but only rejection from the jobs we consider “dream jobs” affect us that much. Turn the feeling that you lost something valuable into a weapon to aid you in finding something even more so. Make a list of all the criteria that made that specific job amazing for you and use it to narrow your job search to similar position in other companies.

Keeping your efforts focused on the prize you really want, rather than applying to a bunch of jobs that meet a general impression of what you think you want, will guarantee that you will land a job that not only suits you, but makes the whole pain of the job seeking process worth it.

Next, comes a step you might have ignored so far but does not lack importance compared to the others: send a reply. That’s right, reply to that dreaded email you got, saying that you didn’t get that job. Send a thank you email, for the time the recruiter has given you, the info about the job and any other things that happened in the interview process. This can go several ways, depending on your experience. You can use this opportunity to ask for feedback – mention you are looking at several similar positions and that you are looking to improve your candidature, or to let them know you would like to be considered for any similar future opportunities in the company.

Last but not least, don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Realistically speaking, neither do recruiters. They can have up to 4 interviews for a position, eliminating candidates in each stage based on practical tests, one on one interviews, studies and different criteria niched to that specific position. This does not mean that you should rain resumes on all the positions available, but invest time wisely and put effort in a moderate amount of applications.

Let’s say you apply to two jobs per day. Just two. Take your time to research and make sure these jobs match what you want and your level of experience. Write well thought, researched cover letters to the recruiter, even when a cover letter is not required. This will show that you are excited about the company you are applying to and you are serious about working for them. Personalize your resume in order to fit different variations of the same position, by highlighting the skills and experience most relevant to the one you are applying to.

In a week’s time you will have 10 excellent applications, in two weeks you’ll have 20 and so on. Even if you don’t get an immediate response to your applications, think of this as a long term strategy and don’t be afraid to follow-up for a response. By using this strategy, you can build your own job funnel and be empowered when it comes to choosing what position you should go for.

In the end, always remember that as a candidate you are hot property for any company, the need for amazing candidates is higher than ever, especially on the startups scene.

And if you are on the lookout for a new career right now don’t forget to check www.workinstartups.com for the latest tech startup vacancies!