How to Find Your Dream Job: Useful Tips & Life Hacks

The first step of finding a dream job is to identify what your dream is. We see people who spend their whole lives stuck at a job they do not love, without any idea of what they want to do in their lives. They never get a chance to reflect on their lives and the course of their career. According to a Gallup survey, 60% of millennials are not satisfied with their jobs and are looking to change their careers. Clueless of their passion, they just go with the flow and never ask themselves the question “how to find your dream career.”

During childhood, when people asked, “What you want to be when you grow up?” You probably replied that you want to be a scientist, an engineer, a doctor, or an artist. You did not know what these professions meant. You just wanted to do something big. You used to dream of the day when you would live in a big house with everything you ever needed in life. As you grew up, you realized that things are not always as simple as they seem. Even identifying what you want to do in life is a gruesome task.

Finding the right career

As explained by Wikihow, to find the right career, you have to go through certain steps.

1. Excluding the factor of money, ask yourself what job you would enjoy doing.
2. Identify what makes you feel truly happy.
3. Search for jobs that align with the things you enjoy doing.
4. Analyze the pros and cons of that job.
5. Now include the factor of money and see if that job will meet your financial goals.
6. Include your skills and experiences to make it easier to decide.

There you have it. A job that makes you feel happy, has more pros than cons, is financially viable, and complements your skills and experience. It’s your dream job.

How to find your dream job

Now that you have identified your dream career path, it is time to focus all your energy on finding your dream job.

Do online research

Before jumping right into the career path you have identified, there are some things you need to analyze before making such a big decision. Do online research about the demand for your dream career path. See if there are enough opportunities available in that field, if yes, what level of experience and skills are required of the employees to secure a good job opportunity. This will help you set your goals and pave the way for your exceptional success in that field.

Talk to experts in that field

It is super easy nowadays to get ahold of experts in any field and get their insights. Contact professionals in your dream career path and inquire about that field’s inner reality. Ask them if it is worth switching that field or not. Collect further information about what employers look for in employees for that particular job and how you can prepare yourself to maximize your chances of getting selected. This will further help you to find the best career for you.

Learn the skills and gain the experience

If you do not have some of the necessary skills needed to advance in your dream career, enroll yourself in short training programs, and equip yourself with that skill set. You do not want to enter your dream career without knowing how to do the job. It will do more harm than good, and you will fail miserably.

If you have the skills but have not put them into practice, it’s time to do that. Theoretical knowledge and real-life experience are two different things. You will find that many of the things you learned in college are outdated or do not apply to the real world. Practical experience enables you to figure out your dream job in an absolute sense.

At the start of your career, do not just look for opportunities that pay well. Remember, your primary motive here should be to gain practical knowledge, not to earn big bucks. Once you have the experience, people will be willing to pay you a higher salary. Look for internship opportunities in your dream career path to get started.

Find job opportunities

Now that you are fully equipped with your primary arsenal regarding getting a dream job, it is time to start looking for real job opportunities and applying. The Internet and newspapers are primary sources of information when it comes to finding job opportunities. Find and bookmark websites that maintain a database of all the job opportunities in your dream career path. Keep visiting those websites regularly and see if anything matches your criteria. Some companies do not advertise openings, but they post them on their websites. Keep checking their job portal section for available opportunities.

Create your resume

The next step in finding your dream job is to create an impressive and persuasive resume. Your resume allows your potential employer to judge you based on your skills, passion, and experience. It is up to you to convince them through your resume that you are the perfect candidate. Your work experience, education, skills, and passion should be highlighted in your resume so that the potential employer can understand your value.

Many people make a mistake by creating a general resume and using it for every job opportunity without making any changes. Every company is unique and requires its employees to have a different skill set. If a resume does not represent the employer’s specific needs, it’s just a waste of time for you and them. So, tweak your resume according to the requirements of every company to which you apply. Do not be lazy. This little effort will pay off big time in the future.

Devise your cover letter

Your cover letter should reflect that you are following your career path by expressing your passion and interest in that field. Make it personal and share what motivates you to do this job. Let your potential employer feel that this is what you want to do with your life. Convey how the company’s objectives align with your passion and how you would add value to the company if selected.

Have a look at www.getcoverletter.com example of a cover letter for a technical writer to make your journey of finding your dream job seamless.

Polish your interview skills

Interviews are the primary determinant of your fate for any job opportunity. For a fresh graduate, interviews can be intimidating. Sometimes people are not even able to communicate properly due to the pressure of the interview. To ease the tension and build confidence, conduct mock interviews with friends or family before your main interview. This will enable you to perform better when the time comes.

Identifying your dream career path and finding a dream job is easier said than done. It can take years of doing useless jobs, months determining what you want, and countless sleepless nights to figure out your dream career. But once you know what you want to do, acquiring the necessary skills and experience will cement your chances of being successful. Like any other job, a resume and cover letter communicate your value to your potential employer, and the interview gives you a chance to impress and convince the employer in person.