There is a truism that we learn more from our disappointments and failures than from our successes. It may be hard to believe, but I think you have a tremendous opportunity to learn from this situation. People who don't learn from career disappointments often become bitter and remain stuck both in life and their work. There is, in all likelihood, a silver lining in your job rejection. Your mission is to find it and use it as a springboard for future success. Here are a few suggestions that I believe will be helpful.

• Contact the hiring manager and ask for feedback on your interviews.

  Tell him or her that you appreciated the opportunity to be considered for the position and naturally are disappointed, but you would like to learn from the experience. Is there anything that he or she could share with you that would be helpful in your next interview? Is there any work experience missing from your background that you need to get? Should you pursue additional academic credentials? What feedback was received from the other interviewers that you might benefit from knowing?

• Make arrangements to get professional feedback on your interview skills.

  You may have to invest a few dollars in this process, but the investment will pay off handsomely. Identify a career coach who is proficient with video feedback. Have the coach conduct a mock interview and then review the video together. Create a plan for addressing the coach's recommendations for improving your interview skills.

• Consider developing a "values based" job search.

  First, identify the values most important to you when selecting a company and a job. You can easily find a book in you local library to help you clarify your values. I have found Sid Simon's book, Values Clarification, to be excellent. Second, research companies whose values match the ones you have identified. Publications with articles on "The Most Admired Companies" or "The Best Places to Work" will be helpful in this process. When there is a good match between your values and those of the hiring company, job interviews will go very smoothly.

I am currently reading Leadership Passages: The Personal and Professional Transitions That Make Or Break A Leader by Dotlich, Noel and Walker. This book explores how leaders learn from the adversity associated with stretch assignments, bad bosses, job losses and mergers. I believe that you would find this book very helpful in maximizing lessons learned from you recent interview experience.

Try these suggestions and let me know how things work out for you. I'm convinced that you will find this learning process extremely valuable.