You put in the hours, gained the experience, practiced the cases, and still didn’t get the offer. Maybe you tripped-up on your final round (been there); maybe you didn’t even get invited to interview (been there too). Now you need to execute your plan B, or perhaps figure out what that plan B should be! If you still want to take that shot at consulting, here are my tips.

You may still have a shot

First, you need to know that multiple doors that lead to consulting may still be open to you. If you just got turned down for an undergrad or MBA internship, the answer is clear – apply during the full-time sequence.

If instead you were turned down for full-time undergrad opportunities, your cleanest move is to position yourself for a top MBA program. Consulting firms take most of their hires from MBA programs, so this has always been your best-odds shot.

Most consulting firms also actively recruit “experienced hires.” Firms shed less light on how to maximize your chance at this opportunity, but if you got turned down during the school-based recruiting programs, this may be your last shot.

Alternatively, you could go back for more school for a PhD, JD, or other Master’s program and try to hop in as an “Advanced Degree Consultant,” but I wouldn’t recommend additional years of tangentially related education to become a consultant unless you will be very happy if you don’t become a consultant.

How to make the most of your next shot

I have 4 big tips for making the most of your next shot

1. Try to get feedback

There are three groups of people you should pursue for feedback. First, see if you can get feedback from your interviewers (if you had an interview). Many will be willing (and obviously the best positioned) to tell you what kept you from getting the offer. Tread this one carefully as firms approach post-interview feedback differently; some firms provide it standard, others ask their interviewers not to provide it. If I felt comfortable with the interviewer during the interview, I would typically ask if they would feel comfortable getting in touch later on.

The second group of people to seek out will be your contacts in consulting. They may hear things through the grapevine that they consider appropriate to share with you about your performance. They’ll also likely just have insight from knowing & working with you on what likely you will need to do to advance or get an interview next time.

Last, consider hiring professional guidance. Some ex-consultants have started businesses entirely focused on helping applicants get into consulting. I’m sure they’re expensive (I haven’t used them myself), but if your attitude is “consulting or bust,” they could be worth a shot.

2. Get additional experience

You didn’t need me to tell you this, but we should cover what kind of experiences to focus on. You have four big things to think about here.

First, act on the feedback you received. If they told you an experience you need, go get that and ignore the rest.

Second, when in doubt, get a good brand-name – especially if you did not get asked to interview. It means a lot for recruiters when they can look at a resume and instantly know that you worked somewhere with its own rigorous hiring process. They know that if you’re doing corporate level work at a well-known company, you have probably passed some level of capability.

Brand-names can speak louder than well-articulated impact on a resume because recruiters know that not every consultant-level individual has necessarily learned the art of sharing impact on resumes. Recruiters sometimes discount impact on resumes because they find it challenging to accurately compare across individuals. But a solid position at a well-known firm is a pseudo-endorsement by another firm’s recruiting team that you were worth taking a chance on.

Third, in spite-of what I just said about impact, make sure you do make an impact and practice articulating it. Plan from the beginning of your experience on how you will leverage your skills to make measurable changes to the firm you go to. Even if this may not get your resume through, you must articulate your impact clearly in the interview itself.

Finally, focus on getting a job or internship at a firm and with a position you could see yourself enjoying long-term. After all, you’ll obviously do a better job if you enjoy your work which will set you up well for consulting applications. Even better, you might decide that you would rather stay in that job then go through the consulting gauntlet again. Don’t forget – consulting is a great job, but it is just a job, and not one that everyone enjoys. If you find something you love, don’t be afraid to stick with it.

3. Articulate how you changed

You already exposed your heart and soul to the consulting firm, and they said no. When you put yourself out there again, you will need to show them why they should say yes this time.

If you received feedback, lean on it, but don’t stop there. For example, if they felt that you hadn’t had the sort of leadership experience that you would need, clearly articulate the leadership experience you’ve gained since and how it applies, but add other ways that you’ve grown as well. Show that you throttled the time between now and the last interview (just don’t come off as cocky as you do so J).

4. Keep practicing – eventually

If you got turned down for an internship, then it won’t be more than a year before you find yourself at interview season again. That will fly by faster than you think, so try to keep your skills up. Don’t keep the same pace you had during recruiting season, but do things like find a friend to practice cases with on occasion, download a math game on your phone to keep your mental math skills sharp, drill frameworking on occasion, and read business articles like the WSJ.

If you got turned down for full-time opportunities, you won’t likely find yourself under the microscope again for 2 or more years. It probably isn’t worth doing much practice for a few years until you confirm that yes, you want to go for it and yes, now is the time. Try to make those decisions a few months before any real application comes due to make sure you have time to practice. Experienced hiring often goes on a rolling basis, but firms do seem to look for experienced talent the hardest in the January to April timeframe.

You’re not out yet

Rejection hurts, especially after you put so much time and energy into succeeding. Take advantage of this time to better yourself, find other things you love, and keep your head high for another round.

Keep seeking truth.