You might even get to the final stages of the interview process and think that you are this close to securing that job.

And then you don’t get it.

I know how you feel – I’ve been there too! It can be awful, you might even lose a little confidence, you might be anxious and think what will you now do with your life! You had a certain image of your life going down one direction, you hadn’t thought of it being anything other than that!

Trust me, it could be a blessing in disguise.

You never know what might happen throughout the long process of finding a graduate job. They take months to go through all the necessary processes and there could be multiple stages involved in finally securing a role.

The important thing is to respect and say yes to all opportunities and offers for interviews that come your way, and take them seriously. 

Not landing that grad role with one of the big city firms was something I thought about often during the start of my career. I always thought it was something I had really missed out on – that it would set me back professionally because of all the opportunities and people I wouldn’t be exposed to, or worse, that I wasn’t ever good enough for those places.

Whatever twists and turns are taken throughout your career journey, you can never plan it out and think that it will happen exactly as you have imagined it. Personally, I am grateful that my career went down the new path I was paving for myself. Now, years after all the graduate intakes are through I have been able to hear from others’ experiences about working in one of the big firms for quite a few years, I realise that things have worked out for the better for me personally.

I put my all into the role I was fortunate enough to get. My job certainly was nowhere near one of the big firms, and not even in the city but I still did my best and I respected where I was.

I was able to gain great experience and move up the chain faster than I would have otherwise. And along with this came pay rises which happened a lot quicker than I would have thought! I also met wonderfully smart, creative, passionate and kind people along the way who were willing to help me grow in my career. In addition, I had a great personal and professional balance in my life which I greatly value. It certainly isn’t where I thought I would be, but I think it’s better.

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It took me years before I arrived at a place where I was recognised for my potential. Working hard on gaining experience and exposure to different people is the foundational first step. I also made sure I was genuinely showing that I was keen to take on more work.

I recall constantly saying to my superiors that I wanted to work on any project that was going around! This all took a lot of patience and persistence but it was worth it. And I encourage you to do the same.

Sometimes an internal opportunity didn’t work out for whatever reason. I would go through the emotions of frustration and then get on with it. I would always start to search for work outside of what I was given. For instance, I would offer to take on a problem I noticed, or turn what I was given into something creative.

Example 1 – The stuffy storeroom

I was once given a task as a graduate where I was asked to tidy the storeroom. It was stuffy with lots of boxes with old paperwork. At first I really didn’t want to do it and wondered why my masters degree was going to waste. But then the organiser in me took it on, one box at a time. I read through old records, scanning and recording and uploading them into the organisation’s electronic database.

I did a good job, was able to find out a little more history about where I worked, and could notice something tangible from my hard work. It paid to just take it on enthusiastically (instead of groaning to my manager about it). I was able to take another step in being seen as someone reliable who will do a good job with whatever she is given. The cherry on top was receiving a note of appreciation from the records management team on my efforts. I had made important records permanently available for the entire organisation to easily access. I had grown my relationship with them too!

Example 2 – The confusing policy

A later task I was given involved analysing very poorly written and confusing policy document about the ethics research process for the organisation. It was a very confusing guide for staff members wanting to undertake research. I honestly wasn’t too interested in the topic and didn’t want to work on something no one else wanted to do.

But I changed my mindset and wanted to understand and solve this puzzle. I wrote out key steps on fun post-it notes and rearranged them as I read through the document. I was able to develop great flow charts that stepped staff through what they needed to do, who they needed to speak to and documents they needed to complete. My manager was over the moon and kept saying what an excellent job I did at analysing the document. I had turned it into something meaningful that people would actually use.  

In the end

Although it took time, one task led onto another and then another and my reputation grew. The tasks became more difficult as I slowly demonstrated that I was keen to do it all and my initiative didn’t go unnoticed. I was able to finish off my placement with a solid list of work experience, several excellent references, and best of all, a job offer.

So the next time you feel like your current job isn’t your dream job, take a step back and look at the bigger picture. Find creative ways to turn boring tasks into opportunities to propel your career forward. That one task will most certainly lead onto another and you want the next task to be a good one! So put in the effort that is required. Show that you are reliable and that your team can count on you. At the end of it all, you will feel proud of what you have built for yourself and your reputation will grow in ways you can’t even see yet.

Check out more articles to drive forward your personal initiative here.

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The best thing you can do for yourself is keep going. Stay positive and keep searching and applying for roles, keep asking for feedback and advice on how to improve for that next application or interview. Don’t stop, no matter how disheartening it is at first hearing negative news. I find taking action is the best thing I can do when I feel like it’s the last thing I want to do!

Also take a moment to look back on how far you have come and the achievements you have made along the way. You will see that you can achieve what you are after.

I think about how I have grown from the first day I started working. I have developed my job application and interview techniques by becoming more self-aware and making improvements along the way. It can be hard to take the time to notice where improvements can be made. Sometimes it is the last thing you want to do! But taking that extra effort to understand how you could approach a similar situation differently next time could be just the key. I look back on all the jobs I have succeeded in getting, all the things I have learnt and the people I have gotten to know and I wouldn’t change any of it. Even the bad days. Each rejection led me to the roles I was successful in landing and the fantastic experience I gained as a result.

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My undergraduate degrees have been in psychology and commerce, and as part of my graduate program I completed a masters degree relevant to my graduate job’s field. I worked in one industry and then decided to take a risk and work in another that I knew nothing about!

I am getting to better understand that having more confidence in my skills is the key. It doesn’t matter if I am a generalist or if I was a specialist. Believing in my past experience and education is what really matters. It allows me to better relax and focus on what I’m doing.

Remember, your early career is also an opportunity to try out different roles and industries. You might find that over time you really enjoy a particular subject area or role and want to specialise in that field afterall. Just know it will never be too late to do something you enjoy, so don’t put pressure on yourself thinking you need to find your speciality now.

Genuinely not doubting and comparing yourself to others is also important as it sets out a solid base for how you approach your job. Your attitude comes from your inner beliefs and it establishes how you will allow others to treat you and think about you.

I have experienced being comfortable in a role and not wanting to change for fear of not being able to do another role in another organisation. It’s a crippling feeling and has made me stay in a role for more than I’d like.

Having taken that leap from one industry to another that was completely new was scary but it helped with my confidence levels. I saw that I was able to apply my skills in a completely different setting and do so successfully. This made me even more motivated and the better I worked, the more I was recognised and the more opportunities I was given, and so the cycle continued.

Taking on small projects outside of my full-time job has also helped me to take steps towards feeling more confident in my knowledge and skills by gaining more of both, and seeing how I can apply what I already know. So, having belief in yourself is essential. It influences how you will set out and tackle new challenges. Your motivation and eagerness to do good work will not go unnoticed. Keep going and keep believing in what you have to offer. Your superiors want to see you do well – if anything to do a good job for them! So don’t be your own worst enemy. Believe in what you can do.

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Ask yourself what is going on for you.

Is it too easy to stay where you are? Are you afraid of going for what you really want? Do you think you lack the skills necessary to make the leap to something new? Don’t want to put in the effort to get that new opportunity?

I find that taking steps toward a change very helpful. No matter how small they are. Once you are on a role you become more and more motivated to keep taking steps.

You might want to test the market – see what is out there for you. Apply for a role or two – or more! See what happens!

You might want to ask for more responsibility at work – showing initiative and working hard gives those around you, particularly superiors, a view of you that is reliable and capable. This path will lead you to bigger things, I guarantee it.

You might look into finding a project you can undertake outside of your full time job – is there someone who you have always wanted to work with? Do you want to grow a hobby of yours into something bigger? The point is to take action, take a risk and do something for you. It will motivate you to keep taking further leaps and when you look back, I’m sure that you will see that you have made progress both personally and professionally.

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