How to Land Your Dream Job

For most people, work is a necessity.  In order to pay your bills, support yourself and live a happy life, you need to have a job.  It’s the only way to survive in the world especially in a city as expensive as New York.  But ask a friend how work is going and the majority of them will respond: terribly.  Millions of Americans are miserable in their jobs.  They don’t like their bosses or their co-workers, they find the work tedious and boring, they’re not inspired daily, they feel stuck in a rut but most people are wary of leaving a steady job to pursue their dream job.  While, yes, it can be terrifying, landing your dream job can only benefit you in the long run.  It’s likely to make you happier on a daily basis and decrease stress in your life.  When you love what you do, you’re more likely to excel at it and feel that work is adding a sense of value and accomplishment to your life.  So how to take the plunge and land your dream job?

First off, the best advice I can give you is never take a job just to take a job.  In essence, while many people are attracted to jobs that pay big money, never take a job for a paycheck alone.  If you do, it might be the worst decision of your career.  Even if a job pays less but you feel you can excel, grow and thrive in it and build your skills, jump at the chance.

Network as much as you possibly can.  It might sound trite but landing a job is a full-time job and if you’re trying to land your dream job, it takes even more hard work and effort.  Talk to people in the industry you’re trying to enter and garner advice from them.  Don’t be afraid to ask them to put you in touch with people that might be able to help you.  You need to make as many connections as possible if you’re going to land your dream job.

Grow your online presence.  Follow businesses of likeminded interest on social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook.  Join LinkedIn groups and enter into a conversation with people.  Make sure all your online profiles are professional and won’t do anything to jeopardize landing that dream job.  Employers often do their homework on prospective hires.  Be an advocate for yourself, not your own worst enemy.

Don’t solely rely on job boards.  Often jobs posted online don’t really go anywhere.  Your best bet for landing that dream job is to go through recruiters.  That said, don’t just use any recruiter.  Use recruiters that are in your corner and look out for your best interests not recruiters that solely see you as a commission.  Keep in constant contact with them and follow-up on opportunities they present to you.  Never let them pressure you into going on an interview for a job you feel isn’t right for you.  Follow your gut.

Keep your resume up-to-date.  Constantly be adding to your resume with each new skill you acquire at work.  Don’t just list what you do on a daily basis but list your achievements and milestones you’ve met at work.  Be your own advocate and think smart.  Employers want to see how and why you excel at what you do.

Don’t be afraid to take risks.  If you feel that you’d like to move into a new industry, go after it.  Don’t pigeonhole yourself into a career path.  It’s never too late to start over and reinvent yourself.  Believe in seconds chances or even third chances or fourth chances; as many chances as it takes you to get where you want to go.

Don’t overlook opportunities.  Explore every job opportunity that comes your way.  Research it and give it thorough consideration before you pass it up.  Of course, if it’s not right for you, then you shouldn’t pursue it but don’t be so short-sighted that you could miss a potentially great and exciting opportunity.  In essence, keep an open-mind.  You never know where buried treasure lies.

Let your financial ego go and don’t focus solely on salary.  Of course, you don’t want to take a job that doesn’t pay fairly but remember sometimes you might have no choice but to take a pay cut for your dream job.  With hard work and effort, there is always opportunity for a bonus and a raise.  As you settle into your dream job, develop your skills and prove yourself as a valuable asset to the company you work for, you’ll be rewarded financially in the end.

Do your homework.  Once you land an interview for a job you really want make sure you’re extremely well-educated on what the role requires of you on a daily basis.  Know all about the company and the people you’ll be interviewing with.  Go on their website and devour it.  Take thorough notes.  Research your interviewers.  Visit their LinkedIn profiles or do a Google search of them.  You might find you have common interests that will allow you to connect with them better when you do finally meet them in person.  Be prepared to ask the right questions.  This will show the company you’re applying with that you’ve studied them and have put in time, effort and thought into the interview process.

Promote yourself and be your own best advocate while on an interview.  Engage the person interviewing you.  Don’t just answer questions: yes or no.  Give thorough and concrete examples of your achievements.  If the interviewer isn’t asking the right questions, take charge in a subtle way and guide the conversation so you can really sell yourself and your abilities.

Embrace failure.  If you don’t land your dream job right away, don’t give up or be ashamed of it.  Learn from your experiences and examine what went wrong.  Remember it takes a lot of time and hard work to land your dream job so instead of getting down on yourself, stay positive and think about your next move.

Diversify your career options.  Don’t be so set on industry.  For example, a person might actively be pursuing a role in finance but be so focused that they don’t realize that the same role exists in a creative or different environment as well.  Keep as many doors open for yourself as possible.

Lastly and most importantly, don’t give up.  Dream jobs don’t just happen or get handed to you on a silver platter.  You have to pursue them with passion and realize that it could take months or even close to a year to land the dream job you’ve always wanted.  Don’t get frustrated or throw in the towel too quickly.  Keep faith and belief in yourself and stay positive.  Keep a focused mindset and don’t stay stagnant.  Keep moving forward and eventually all that hard work and effort will pay off and you will find yourself with the job you’ve always wanted, the job that makes you happy, the job that inspires you daily, the job that challenges you, the job that is, in fact, your dream job!

So how have you been able to land your dream job?  What are some plans you mapped out for yourself to help you achieve it?  What were some road bumps you hit along the way and how did you overcome them?  Let’s start a dialogue and conversation and exchange ideas!

Here are some articles you might want to check out about landing your dream job:

“Ten Secrets to Getting Your Dream Job”: http://www.anvilmediainc.com/about/digital-marketing-resources/articles/ten-secrets-to-getting-your-dream-job/

“How to Land in a Dream Job”: http://www.wikihow.com/Land-in-a-Dream-Job

“6 Tips to Help You Land Your Dream Job”: http://mashable.com/2013/04/27/work-tips-dream-job/

“New Year, New Career: How to Land Your Dream Job in 2014”: http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/5676-career-search-tips-2014.html

Until next time…