3 Questions to Ask Yourself When Looking for Your Dream Job

Posted on March 30, 2019 by Edna Crane

A lot of people, when they think of their dream jobs, imagine some half-thought-out fantasies that involve them lounging around on a beach drinking Pina coladas for most of the day, and then spending a bit of time teaching a surfing class, or checking in with their remote business empire via their laptops, before getting back to the party again.

Everyone should take steps to work towards their dream job. And for that matter, to discover what their dream job might be via an ongoing process of trial and error. But that doesn’t mean that you should be naïve about things.

When you’re looking for your dream job, it’s important to ask yourself certain relevant questions. If you were a registered nurse, for example, and were planning your future. Would you be happy staying in your current role, or would you prefer to become a family nurse practitioner?

Here are a few of the sorts of questions you should ask yourself, on your quest to find your dream job.

Could you fall in love with the work itself, and not just the results?

A dangerous mistake to make when thinking of your “dream job” is to visualize the results and benefits of the work, and fall in love with those, without taking into consideration the nature of the work itself.

When all is said and done, however, money is unlikely to bring you happiness or satisfaction if it comes at the cost of you spending the majority of your waking hours doing something that you more or less hate.

The first question to ask yourself when wondering whether a certain career path could lead you to your dream job is, “could I fall in love with the work itself, or might I just interested in the results?”

Does the job “scale” well?

It’s one thing to think that a job seems meaningful, interesting, and potentially fulfilling in the here and now. But if you’re considering what your “dream job” would be, you also need to consider how your job develops your skills across time.

When assessing a particular career path, ask yourself whether there’s enough of a ladder to climb there for you to keep increasing your level of responsibility, and your pay grade, over the years—or not.

If your would-be career of choice caps out at a pay level that you couldn’t ever be content with, that’s not a great sign.

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Does the job expand your options in different areas?

Here’s a useful thing to realize about “dream jobs”; you’re very unlikely to enter a particular job role in your youth, find that it’s the perfect fit for you, and stick with it for your entire life.

What actually happens, if you’re motivated, is that you keep amassing skills, exploring new and parallel job roles until you find one that is a good fit for you.

An ideal “dream job” should therefore be one which expands your skill set and maximizes your options in different areas, so that you can always expand laterally in your professional development, down the line.

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The Character Traits You Need to Chase Your Dream Job

Posted on July 17, 2018August 19, 2018 by Edna Crane

We all hear a lot about “following our bliss” and pursuing our dream job in today’s world of upbeat songs and Instagram inspirational photos.

This is, of course, a good thing. Everyone wants to do something that they enjoy and find meaningful, with their lives, and it’s definitely better to put yourself out there and to try your best at a worthwhile goal than to leave it alone and forever wonder if you could have made it up.

But what does it take to really pursue your dream job, anyway? If you wanted to know how to become an air ambulance paramedic, or a successful author, what would you need to know? And how would you go about turning those dreams into reality?

Here are a few traits you’ll need to pursue your dream job and have a good chance of achieving it, too.

Awareness and Insight

The first thing you need in order to achieve your dream job is awareness and insight.

You need to spend a good deal of time thinking about what exactly you want to achieve with your life, and how you want to spend your time. This has to be something that is deeply personal to you.

If you think you may kind of want to be a millionaire, because you know that millionaires can buy a lot of nice stuff, then you’re not approaching this exercise with the right mindset.

Once you’ve identified your dream job, analyze yourself. What character traits will you need in order to achieve this dream? And which negative habits and traits will you need to let go of in order to make it work?

Courage and Commitment

Pursuing something big, ambitious, and statistically unlikely to succeed, is a daunting task. In order to keep your spirits up, and to drive on through and win against the odds, you’ll need courage and commitment.

You’ll need to remind yourself on a regular basis why you want to achieve this goal, and you’ll need to visualize and feel it, deeply.

You’ll also need to have enough grit to push on through when the days are grinding, and when progress seems slow or nonexistent.

In other words, you’ll need the courage the venture out into the unknown, day after day, and the commitment to keep moving towards your goal when the road proves bumpier than you expected.

Humility and Patience

Various life coaches, productivity gurus, and self-help figures will use the term “beginner’s mind” to refer the kind of mindset you should adopt to have the greatest possible chance of success in your undertakings.

The idea here is that you’re humble enough to assume you don’t know everything, and to be open to learning, both from other people, and from your experiences themselves.

This kind of humility is essential in pursuing and winning your dream job, because you will always be journeying from a place of less competence to a place of more competence, and leaving behind some of your preconceptions en route.

You will also need the patience to absorb the learning experiences presented by mishaps and unexpected events.

Quick Things to Do to Start Preparing for Your Dream Job

Posted on July 13, 2018August 19, 2018 by Edna Crane

What is a “dream job” to you? Is it the ability to work doing something you love, or is it just a job that provides financial freedom and stable income to you? Everyone has their own idea of what a dream job is, but what people often don’t realize is just how simple it can be to obtain it.

We’re not saying that it’s necessarily easy to land yourself a dream job. However, the steps you take to achieve it can be rather simple as long as you have the right plan and motivation. In this article, we’ll be discussing how you can achieve your dream job as long as you’re willing to work towards it.

1. Define Your Dream Job

Your dream job should be a part of your dream life; it’s something that you can do without thinking “ugh, Monday mornings” and it’s something you can integrate with your lifestyle. Think about the people you want to meet, the skills you want to use and the things that interest you. Brainstorm them if you have to and connect the dots to find what could be your dream job. If you don’t have an idea of the type of work you want to do for the better part of your life, then it’s going to be hard finding a source of inspiration for your dream job. In short, have a good think about what you consider to be a fantastic career opportunity and keep a note of it.

2. Start Clearing Hurdles

Once you’ve identified your dream job, it’s time to start thinking about the hurdles that are preventing you from achieving it. Is it because you don’t have the right qualifications, or is it because you have a criminal record that is preventing you from being hired? When dealing with a lack of qualifications, it’s simply a case of studying hard and learning new skills to help you find your dream job. This can involve online lessons or you might be able to land an apprenticeship in your industry of choice.

For criminal records, you can consider services such as DuffyLawCT.com/state-crimes/expungement/ to help you clean your record. Expungement will help you find better job opportunities and will make it easier for you to pass initial checks that employers typically carry out on new employees.

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3. Build Your Support System

Once you’ve identified and cleared the hurdles, it’s time to look for support. Support can come in a variety of different forms. For instance, some people consider emotional support to be the most important kind, and others believe that networking can help you find better job opportunities and can help you get your foot in the door. This guide at HelpGuide.org can teach you how to make use of networking opportunities to actually find new jobs and build relationships.

While getting a dream job is in no way easy, it’s also not the hardest thing in the world assuming you have the right support and mindset to achieve it.

Do You have what it takes to Reach Your Dream Job Goal?

Posted on July 3, 2018August 19, 2018 by Katie Evans

Landing your dream job isn’t as hard as you think it is, as long as your dream job is fairly realistic. If you dream of running your own company, you can absolutely do it. You set your goal and plan each step to reach it. Then, start working through the steps until you achieve your goal. Most dream jobs can be achieved this way.

Those who don’t achieve their dream job fail for one of three reasons:

Their dream job is unrealistic (Like, “I want someone to pay me millions of dollars to shop all day”)
They don’t want to put forth the effort to reach the goal
They have limited thinking instead of believing in limitless possibilities

If you’re not working your dream job right now, are you taking steps to reach your goal, or are you stuck for one of these reasons? If you’re stuck, it’s likely you that is standing in the way of your dream job.

Is Your Dream Job Realistic?

When you are seven, your dream job should be wildly unrealistic. You should want to be a rock star, a movie star, a professional basketball player—you name it. These jobs are just like any other dream job, really. You can be a rock star if you learn an instrument or learn to sing, join a band, jam at the right events, hire a manager, record a record, go on tour, and keep making music for your adoring fans. These days, you may even have luck with creating a YouTube channel and finding a marketing manager that can take it viral. The problem is, this kind of dream job is a lot of work, and you will have people constantly telling you that you can’t do it. You can—you just have to be willing to put in the effort.

But what if you’re 45 and your dream job is still to be a rock star? You can still do it, but it’s a lot harder. The level of effort you will have to put into it is insurmountable for most people, and you have to overcome societal bias and stereotypes of what it is to be a rock star. It’s hard to convince the world that you’re rock ‘n roll when you’re driving a minivan. But hey, don’t stop believing. You have extra steps to reach your dream job, but they are still actionable steps.

[bctt tweet=”It’s hard to convince the world that you’re rock ‘n roll when you’re driving a minivan. But hey, don’t stop believing.” username=”perfectlyemploy”]

The problem with unrealistic dream jobs comes when you think everything will just be handed to you. If you’re the best rock singer in the entire world, but the only place you ever sing is your shower, yet you expect that one day a recording studio executive is going to corner you on the street and give you your big break, you have unrealistic expectations.

Millennials have a reputation for expecting things to be handed to them, but it’s not as generational a problem as you might think. People of all ages have unrealistic expectations, and they use them as an excuse as to why they don’t have their dream jobs. They blame luck and fate instead of the truth that they’re not willing to set their goal, list the steps to reach the goal, and start working towards it.

Yes, I just told you that you can be a rock star. Now, do you want it bad enough to do what it takes to achieve your goal? If not, it’s not your dream job—it’s just a dream.

Do You Lack the Motivation Required to Land Your Dream Job?

If you’re working a job you hate that has no logical path to any future position that will bring you what you want for your dream job, you probably lack motivation. Unless, of course, you’re paying for college or some sort of education that’s on your list of steps towards your dream job, or you’re making ends meet while applying for other positions that are on the list of steps towards your dream job. Which is it for you?

If you lack motivation, ask yourself why. Is it because you don’t think your dream job is realistic, or is it because your dream job isn’t really your dream job? Have you psyched yourself out so bad that you don’t think you can reach any goal? Or, do you just not know where to start on your path to reach your dream job?

Where to Start: Education

If you’re having trouble figuring out where to start on your dream job goal path, most likely the best place to start is with figuring out what sort of education you need to do your dream job. Start by looking on LinkedIN to see what sort of education and certifications people with your dream job have. Then, start looking for places near you or online that you can gain that education.

For example, most leaders have some sort of college degree. If you’re a woman considering a leadership role, take a look at USC’s leadership infographic for inspiration and ideas.

If your dream is to run your own beauty salon, look into beauty certification courses at your local vocational school. If you want to be the top real estate broker in town and make millions of dollars per year, look into your state’s requirements for real estate agents. If you want to be a rock star, look for music programs at local colleges.

If You’re Stuck, Network

If you have an education but aren’t sure how to use it, ask for help. You should have a LinkedIN account filled with former professors, fellow graduates, and people in the industry you want to join. Send them messages and start asking questions. Find out what has made them successful so you can figure out what your next step should be.

Talking to people is especially hard for introverts, but from one introvert to another (I’m an INTJ), you have to do it. Without networking you can never really hope to get anywhere in your career. Go to Meetup.com and find a local group dedicated to your career passion. It’s free (usually), and you’ll be amazed what you can learn over a $2 cup of coffee while talking to the right people.

Write Down Your Plan

If you need motivation, you should write down your dream job goal and the steps it will take to reach it. If you don’t know the steps, ask your network or hire a career coach. Either way, make a physical representation of what you need to do to reach your goals. Then, when you complete a step, cross it off and happy dance.

Put your step list where you can see it everyday and it can remind you of your goal and how to reach it. If you’re brave, put it on the refrigerator. If you’re shy, tape it inside a cabinet door or inside your closet door. Seeing it will help motivate you—just knowing it’s there is sometimes enough to inspire you to take the next step.

Take One Step

Remember the proverb that a journey of 1,000 miles begins with one step? That first step is often the hardest to take, but it’s also what builds momentum. Do one thing, right away, towards your dream job. Maybe it’s as simple as Googling places to take classes or signing up for Meetups, or maybe it’s applying for a job. In a year, you will remember what it was like to take that first step, and it will inspire you all the more.

What to do if You Have Limited Thinking

We are bombarded with messages that we can’t do what we want to do. Even my favorite career blogs write topics like “Don’t do What You Love.” If you wanted to be a rock star when you were 7 but gave up on the idea by the time you were 15, likely it was because someone in your life convinced you that it wasn’t going to happen for you.

Limited thinking is a problem for all of us, and it’s one we have to work at overcoming daily. The truth is, you can have anything you want if you believe it’s possible and you put in the work to get it. This isn’t just me being optimistic, either—it’s a truth repeated by successful people everywhere, from Oprah to Warren Buffet.

One strategy to help you overcome limited thinking and reach your goals is to surround yourself with people who speak positively. Love your negative friends and family, but also remember that their limited beliefs contribute to their own personal setbacks. You don’t have to follow in their footsteps. Write down your goal, and do what it takes to reach it.

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There’s no big secret to landing your dream job, even though I wish their was so I could make a billion dollars selling it. If you set your goal, plan your steps, and work to accomplish each step, your success is inevitable.

How to Start Planning for Your Dream Career

Posted on June 22, 2018August 19, 2018 by Katie Evans

Your dream career isn’t going to fall out of the sky and smack you on the head. You have to plan for it.

If you are completely lost and unsure how to plan your dream career, there are a few things you can do right now to identify the steps it will take to reach your goals. Once you’ve identified the steps, reaching your goals is simply a matter of completing each step!

To figure out the steps to the best career for you, try these ideas:

Research Companies in Your Chosen Industry

When you’re envisioning your dream career, picture the physical place where you’ll work when you’ve achieved your goals. Is it a corporation? A small business? A college? A hospital? An airport?

Now, from that vision, research companies that will allow you to work in your perfect location. You can Google to find companies, or surf on LinkedIN. Do your research to find out as much as you can about companies that offer your ideal work environment. You want to know about their company culture, what kind of projects they do, the different job roles within the company, and who their employees are.

Once you know who the employees are, you can follow them on LinkedIN, or at least look at the kind of skill set they have. Pay attention to their previous work experience and the degrees they hold. Make a list of common skills, education, and previous work experience you see among the workers.

After you’ve made a good list of common skills and education among employees at your target companies, start looking through their open job advertisements. Is there anything listed that you could do now to start networking within the company while you improve your skills for your dream job? If not, pay attention to the wording in the job advertisements. Are there even more skills and experience the company wants?

If you can find three companies where you’d love to work and research them thoroughly, you will see patterns in the skills, education, and work experience between their employees and their job advertisement. You will begin to form a clear picture of the skills and experience you need to gain.

Network and Ask for Advice

With a clear vision of the companies where you want to work and what skills you’ll need to get there, the next step you should take to planning the steps to your career goal is to start networking with the people who do the job you want to do. Send emails to people in the role you want and ask them if they mind talking to you over coffee or Skype. Start making connections so that you understand your dream job better. These connections can help you find internships and recommend you internal positions within their companies.

You should also consider finding a career coach. A good career coach can help you set goals, make plans, and clearly see your next steps toward your dreams.

Strengthen Your Skill Set

If you’ve researched companies in your chosen industry and networked with people doing the job that you want to do, you should have a very clear list of skills and education you need to land your dream job. Now it’s time to start gaining the skills you need.

Outside of traditional college education, companies like Training Connection offer computing courses for those wanting to boost their IT skills. You can also find workshops and certifications for almost every industry. Don’t count on your college education alone to get you a job—in most cases you will need skills outside of your degree to find your dream job.

Intern, Extern, or Volunteer

To break into your chosen industry, you will need work experience of some sort. One of things you can do if you can’t find a job is to take an internship. Believe it or not, a lot of internships are paid, and those that aren’t offer a wealth of experience and networking opportunities.

If you’re out of college or don’t feel comfortable taking an internship, look for opportunities to extern or volunteer. Contact HR departments at the companies where you want to work and ask if they’re open to volunteers. Explain that you’re trying to gain experience in the industry and you’d love to work for them. Very few places will turn down free work, so it doesn’t hurt to ask.

Plan Your Next Move

Everything on this list so far should help you clearly see the steps to at least entering the industry for your dream job. You should have actionable steps to start today to start down your career path. Your next move should be to either research companies, network with people in your industry, gain skills, or gain experience. Make a list of the steps to your dream job and start checking things off the list!