Are you currently working in a job that you wouldn’t describe as your dream job? Do you have career goals and dreams that you hope to one day reach? If so, maybe it’s time to ask yourself what’s holding you back? If you’re not in your dream job right now, why is that the case and when will things change? Working in a job that you feel excited, passionate and challenged by can make work seem like something enjoyable rather than a chore. If you’re ready for a change, here’s a look at some tips that can help you to land your dream job and usher success into your life.
It’s Time for a Little Honesty
To land your dream job, you first need to know what your dream job is. For many people, this can be a very tough exercise to work through, as sometimes they end up rather surprised at the answer. If you’re having a hard time figuring out what your dream job is, here are some questions you can ask yourself:
- What are your strengths, what do you excel at?
- What are your weaknesses?
- What do you feel passionate about?
- What are your past experiences and skills?
- What makes you unique?
- What kind of lifestyle do you picture for yourself (salary, how many hours a week you work, do you want to travel for work or even relocate, etc.)
The more honest you can be in your answers, the easier it will be to narrow down your options and figure out what would make you happiest.
What Gaps Do You Need to Fill First?
Now that you know what your dream job is, it’s time to fill any gaps you may currently have in terms of education, certificate/licence, experience and relevant skills. This could mean you need to work your way up the career ladder, make a big move and change industries altogether or even go back to school. Whatever you need to do to make your dreams a reality, it should all be on the table.
Networking Can Be Your Best Tool
It is often said that it’s not what you know, but who you know, and often that ends up being the case. This means it’s time to perfect your networking skills and get out there. The more contacts you can meet in the industry, the more doors you can potentially open for your future. Networking can be done by attending industry events, seminars, conferences, trade shows and even through social networks like LinkedIn. It can be a bit intimidating at first, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll see that it becomes much easier. Just be sure that when you show up to events in person, you have business cards to hand out. You want contacts to remember you and to be able to reach you.
Craft an Exceptional Resume
As soon as you’ve got all the necessary skills and experience to apply for your dream job, it’s time to craft an exceptional resume. Remember, this needs to catch the eye of potential employers so it needs to stand out from the competition. The ideal resume should be short, concise, professional and directed at that particular industry/job.
Master the Job Interview
For many people, the biggest hurdle in landing their dream job ends up being the job interview. This can be a source of stress, anxiety and even a bit of fear as you want to come across positively and be sure you say all the right things. As the saying goes, you only get one chance to make a first impression, so a lot is riding on the interview.
While there are many tips that you can use, being prepared is probably the most important. This means anticipating both the easy and the difficult interview questions so you can be prepared with an answer. This is exactly what Placement’s guide discusses, helping people to prepare for the hard questions they will undoubtedly be asked. They take a deep dive into what’s behind the questions being asked and how you can craft the ideal answers while remaining authentic, truthful, natural and professional.
Stay Positive and Confident
The final tip is more a state of mind piece of advice. It would be great if your first interview led to your dream job, but that’s not always going to be the case. Typically it’s going to take a lot of interviews and a positive confident attitude. This means you may experience rejection along the way, which is okay and shouldn’t be taken too personally. Instead, use it as a learning experience, hold your head up high and move on to the next opportunity.
If you’re ready to shake things up and go after your dream job, all of these tips are sure to help you find success.