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You’ve dressed immaculately, you have your resume, pen and paper ready to go, and you know that you can answer any question they throw at you. As you sit down to interview, you answer the questions with ease. Sure, there might be a couple of things you were hazy on, but most of what was asked from you was answered reasonably well. Then, days go by (maybe even weeks) and you don’t hear back from them. After a while, you receive the rejection letter.

If you’ve ever dealt with rejection (if you’ve interviewed, I’m sure you have), then you know how disappointing it is to lose a job after feeling confident that you were perfect for the position. The toll it takes is usually a kick to your confidence.

The rejection is probably the worst part of the interview process. You can’t allow yourself to lose confidence and persistence. The fact is that some jobs you interview for are just not right for you. It could be personality, skills, or the company’s need for someone more qualified. This doesn’t mean you won’t find the right job for you.

Keep your confidence high. Relax and start interviewing again. The rejection of one interview can mean an even better job in the future, so consider it a blessing in disguise. One, two, or even three rejections doesn’t mean you will be unable to find work. Consider re-reading your resume. Perhaps it is in need of a makeover. Professional resume services can help you bring out the best and strongest of your assets.

Be productive and analyze your interviewing techniques. Perhaps you need to dress differently or answer questions more directly. Whatever you do, don’t try to lie through questions. Make sure you’re honest and forthright in your skills. Most interviewers can pick up on small details that give away dishonest people.

Finally, when that right job does come around you will look back on this time as experience. The task of interviewing is stressful and overwhelming for some people, but looking back it can enhance communication for your next interview goals.

If you watch any kind of television these days, there are an abundance of schools ready to teach you the lessons for a new career. For the longest time, I watched these commercials and wondered how anyone could separate themselves from the cushion of a long-time and experienced career. That was until the dot com bust and recent layoffs from a failing economy hit me.

Perhaps my new found desire for a new career was thrust upon me rather than allowing me to casually make the choice. I’ll admit that there is a strong sense of accomplishment after gaining years of field experience in a career. Finding the confidence of oneself in an interview gets easier after you realize there’s nothing they can ask you that you don’t know. Nevertheless, I have found satisfaction in finding a career that better suits my personality even in my 30’s.

How do you know when you are ready? Since I was a former software developer, many of my friends and acquaintances have made the change. Let me tell you – it can happen and it is absolutely possible to find happiness in a new market regardless of your age. One trait my friends and I find commonly is that our jobs no longer felt adequately challenging. There are only so many tables you design, interfaces you write, and bugs you fix before it becomes monotonous.

If you work for a larger company that hires from within, consider making a change to a different organization. A company is more likely to hire someone from within whose work history is already known and teach him new skills. This will give you new, interesting goals, and it is just a baby step towards finding a more satisfying career.

If you really want to take a leap, get out the resume and fine tune it for a career change. You’re not likely to go from accounting to director of marketing, but there is always a skill that can be useful in another market. Maybe you were an accounting executive, but you helped analyze data and projected budgets – skills many organizations can use.

When you do find yourself making the change even if it is within your organization, always follow proper interviewing etiquette. Be honest with the hiring manager in your skill set. Don’t try to lie through the interview and give false information. Making a change will likely involve several interviews, and with enough persistence you will find the change you’re looking for.

There are several steps on the path of getting a new job. First, you will need to have an eye catching cover letter and resume. This will allow human resources personnel to gauge your worth on paper and determine if you should come in for a face-to-face interview. Once you are granted an interview, you need to be fully prepared to market yourself and impress the hiring manager. If you have gotten that far in the hiring process then you are well on your way to getting that new job you so desire. The next step is awaiting an offer of employment. If you receive that, then you are faced with a decision.

If you receive an offer of employment you know the company has already invested time and energy into you and truly believe you are the best candidate for the job. Most likely you will receive an offer that includes a proposed salary and benefits package. You can accept this, decline this or negotiate it. Remember when you are in a position to have already received an offer, you have some leverage. Everything is negotiable, so be prepared to ask for what it is you want. You may feel uncomfortable doing this but it does not hurt to ask. But, there are proper ways to go about negotiating effectively.

Research your Options

Before embarking on negotiating your salary and benefits you will need to conduct some research. First, you need to have a clear understanding of what exactly you want as compensation for your job. You will also need to be realistic about your value to the company. Are there other candidates for the position who will be just as suitable or do you offer a unique niche that is worth a little more? Do you have the expertise to back up your requests? How desperate are you to get a job? These questions should be carefully considered before coming up with your list of desired results.

Next, you will have to have an idea of the industry standards that prevail in the current economic climate. Is your particular field saturated or in high demand? Is the overall economy of the country sound or faltering? What is the current unemployment rate for professionals in your industry? These questions will help you research the potential earnings and benefits that are standard to your field in your location. You can conduct some salary comparisons by searching out comparable jobs and getting a high, median and low range for base compensation.

Finally, you need to have some idea of the particular company’s financial and business positioning. What is the published salary range for your position? Is the company financially sound? What benefits does the company currently offer? How long have they been in business? How desperate are they to fill your particular position? Answers to these questions will allow you to know the parameters from which you can negotiate. You need to be realistic about your opportunities for negotiation and to that you need to know what may or may not be available to you.

Communicate and Negotiate

After you have done some initial fact finding, it is time to start the actual negotiation process by discussing your needs with the hiring manager. You will need to be polite and flexible. The odds are you are not going to get everything you ideally want. However, with some flexibility you may be able to trade certain perks as opposed to getting more money or increase your base salary in lieu of benefits. The negotiation process is a give and take between the employer and employee. Just remember that they would not have offered the position to you if they did not want you.

Clearly outline the details of what you are asking for. Then, be prepared for a counteroffer. The employer may suggest alternatives as opposed to simply declining requests. However, if a particular area you want is declined, be prepared to offer an alternative yourself. For example, if you want $50,000 per year in salary but the company is only willing to offer you $45,000, suggest that the salary is acceptable if they can pick up the full expense of your health care benefits. Discuss everything fully and make sure when you are finished that you are both in agreement to the terms of your employment.

Conclude on a Positive Note

Remember that you should not be adversarial in your approach to negotiation. The employer should feel they are getting a valuable employee at a fair deal. You should feel you are getting compensated fairly for your expertise. This should be a win/win prospect and both employer and employee should leave the table feeling good about the outcome. Express your gratitude to the hiring manager for taking the time to discuss the issue with you and for the opportunity that was granted you. Furthermore, convey your excitement at the prospect of joining the team and leave the employer certain that the correct choice was made.