How To Get Your Dream Job
Maybe you’ve just graduated from university and are
struggling to figure out what your dream job might be. Or perhaps you are
already working a 9-5 job but are feeling unfulfilled in your current role.
Landing your dream job may seem like a daunting task but it can be done with
motivation and persistence. You will first need to identify your dream job or
the qualities of your dream role and then focus on getting the necessary skills
and education for the job so that you can then apply for your dream job and
improve your chances of finally landing it.
1. Think about what makes you feel happy and
fulfilled. The first big step to getting your dream job is
identifying what roles, positions, or skills make you feel happy and fulfilled.
Your dream job should be a position that you truly love to do, day in and day
out, despite any challenges or obstacles that you may come across. Think back
to any times when you were happiest and the most fulfilled.
This could be something you enjoyed doing as a
child, such as drawing or writing, which could then lead to a dream job in the
arts like graphic design or creative writing. Maybe you loved building
structures with legos as a kid, which could lead to a dream career as an architect
or a builder.
You should also consider activities you do now on
your off time that you enjoy, such as a recreational sport or a hobby. If you
love playing hockey for example, you may consider getting into the retail sport
business or starting your own hockey club.
You may be doing certain skills or roles in your
current job that you enjoy and may want to leverage as ways to transition into
a dream job. If you like the people management side of your current role, for
example, you may want to consider a career in human relations or a more people
focused
role.
2. Identify your personal values and ideals.
When you think about your dream role, you should think about your personal values and ideals. Your personal values are the core beliefs or ideas that are the most important to you. Identifying your personal values can allow you to really focus on what you are passionate about in your career. Consider some guiding questions to help you identify your personal values:
2. Identify your personal values and ideals.
When you think about your dream role, you should think about your personal values and ideals. Your personal values are the core beliefs or ideas that are the most important to you. Identifying your personal values can allow you to really focus on what you are passionate about in your career. Consider some guiding questions to help you identify your personal values:
Identify at least two individuals you respect or
admire. Think about why you admire them. What characteristics do they possess
that you admire or appreciate?
Think about what you would change or shift in your
community. This could be a small issue or a larger issue. Consider what issues
or problems get you the most riled up when you talk to others.
Try to identify any themes or common ideas in your
answers to these guiding questions. These could then be your personal values,
which can help you identify your priorities in life. You can use these
priorities to get a better sense of what your dream job might entail.
3. Write down your personal
goals. Personal goals can motivate you to pursue a certain career option or
an educational option which could then become your dream job. Writing down your
personal goals forces you to be self-reflective and consider what activities or
moments are meaningful to you. You can then use these goals to focus on what
you are passionate about and how you can achieve your passions, or your dream
role.
Create a schedule for your personal goals so you
are motivated to achieve them. Depending on how complex or simple the goals
are, you may have different timeframes for each personal goal.
4. Do a best possible self-exercise.
This exercise can help you to visualize a best possible future self and home in on your dream job or role. Even if you do not have a clear picture of your best possible self, it will help you get better insight into your goals, motivations and passions for the future. It will also require you to be self-reflective and use critical thinking to determine where you see yourself in several years.
This exercise can help you to visualize a best possible future self and home in on your dream job or role. Even if you do not have a clear picture of your best possible self, it will help you get better insight into your goals, motivations and passions for the future. It will also require you to be self-reflective and use critical thinking to determine where you see yourself in several years.
Use a prompt to do this exercise: “Think about your
life in the future. Everything in your life has gone as well as it possibly
could. You have achieved your life goals and realized your dreams. Write down
what you see.”
Write to this prompt three days in a row for 20
minutes a day. On the fourth day, read over your responses. Underline or circle
any themes, goals, or ideas that appear multiple times in all three writing
responses. These repeating ideas could be useful guides for where your passions
might lie and how you can achieve them.
5. Determine
your skill set. A big element of achieving your
dream job is having the necessary skills to acquire the job. Depending on the
skills required for the job, you may be able to learn these skills or work
toward learning these skills while you are doing the job. You should consider
what skills you already possess as you pursue your dream job, as this can give
you the confidence boost you may need to really go for the job.
For example, if you already have a background in
human resources and have several years’ experience working closely with others
in teams, you may be able to translate these skills into practical skills for a
dream job working as an HR representative. If you have extensive knowledge of
hockey and strong connections to individuals in the sports community in your
area, you may be able to lean on these skills to start your own hockey club.
6. Research the educational requirements for your
dream job. To increase your chances of landing your dream job, you will
need to show potential employers or investors that you have the educational
requirements for the job. Depending on the dream job you are pursuing, you may
only need to take a few continuing education classes to understand the key
elements of a field of study, or you may need to consider enrolling in a
program to get a degree that will allow you to get hired to do your dream job.
Do an online search of the educational requirements
for a particular role or job and talk to a career advisor at your school. If
your dream job is to a dolphin trainer, for example, you should get a good
sense of the educational requirements and the skillset required to qualify for
the position. You can then decide if you would like to pursue the career and
enroll in the necessary degree program.
You can also ease into your new career by keeping
your full-time job and taking night classes that will help you get one step
closer to your dream. Over time, you may ask your employer for a work schedule
that allows you to go to school part time and gain the education you need for
your new, dream career.
7. Identify the skills required for your dream
job. To get a better sense of the expectations of your dream job, you
should research the skill set required to attain the job and do well in the
role. You may find you already have some of the skills required for your dream
job or have skills that could be useful when transitioning into your dream job.
If your dream job is to be a forensic psychologist,
for example, you may realize you have several skills or traits that may help
you become successful in the role. You may have strong problem solving skills,
strong observational skills, and excellent people skills. Having these skills
may give you a leg up on others who are also pursuing your dream job.
8. Reach
out to mentors, teachers, and other professionals. Get advice and guidance
on what it will take to land your dream job by talking to mentors, teachers,
and professionals in the field you are pursuing. You should try to find a
mentor who is currently doing your dream job or who works closely with
individuals who have your dream job. Be willing to listen to their advice and
ask them if you can shadow them for a day to learn more about your dream role.
You should also ask the mentor, teacher, or
professional about the most important thing they have learned in their role and
how it has helped them to become successful. Find out more about what you can
do to get to where they are and to achieve your dream job.
9. Join a professional association that relates to
your dream job. A professional association or organization can be a great
way to meet potential mentors, employers, and peers. If your dream job is to be
a dolphin trainer, for example, you may join a marine mammal trainers
organization in your area.
These professional associations can also offer
continuing education courses to further your skills and networking sessions
where you can get to know potential employers, bringing you one step closer to
achieving your dream role.
10. Look for opportunities that offer
hands on experience in the role. Hands on
experience in your dream job can help you to confirm you would like to pursue
the role and to get a better sense of a typical day in your dream job.
Internships, fellowships, and volunteer positions can be good ways to get hands
on experience and to learn from a more senior individual in the field.
You may qualify for internships or fellowships once
you complete the education required for your dream job or you may be able to
apply for an internship or a fellowship based on your existing skillset and
education. Volunteer roles are also good ways of getting some first-hand
experience and training, especially if you still exploring your dream role and
do not yet have the educational requirements for the role.
11. Translate
internship positions into full time positions. If you manage to get an internship position, you should try to network
and connect to as many individuals in the organization as possible. Make your
presence known at the company or organization and show that you are willing to
learn from more senior individuals. Being a good intern can show the
organization that you may also be a good full time employee and you may be able
to use your passion, charisma, and eagerness to learn to your advantage.
It may also be useful to talk to your supervisor or
boss at the end of your internship about possible part time or full time
positions at the organization. Even a small part time role could lead to a more
extensive position and help you get one step closer to your dream job.
12. Tailor
your resume to your dream job. Before you send out resumes to potential
employers, you should tailor your resume to reflect the educational
requirements and skillset needed for your dream role. Doing this will show
employers that you are aware of the requirements of the dream role and have
considered what you as an employee can offer them.
If your dream job is to be a dolphin trainer, for
example, you should list any educational experience that relates to the role
and any hands on experience you have working with animals, even if the animals
are not dolphins. If you belong to a marine mammal trainer association, you
should also make note of this to show employers that you are part of the
community and are actively involved in the field.
13. Demonstrate
passion, drive, and an eagerness to learn in your job interviews. While you
may not have all the educational requirements or the skills needed for the
role, you can use your passion, drive, and eagerness to learn to show employers
you are a good candidate for your dream job. Often, employers are looking for
employees who will be motivated, self-sufficient, and able to think of their
feet. Demonstrating that you have these skills may help to make up for your
lack of expertise or hands on experience, as passion and drive can often be
more enticing to employers
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