There is a difference between a job that pays the bills and a dream job. Everyone wants a job that they enjoy. So why not love what you do? It’s never too late to follow your dreams and be happy. The perfect job won’t just fall on your lap, you have to take deliberate actions to make it happen.
Here are some tips to help you make this dream a reality.
1. Define your dream job
Be clear about your career goals and what you dream of doing. That sounds like a no-brainer, but experts say the mistake most job seekers make is not being able to articulate what kind of job they want. Be very explicit in your definition include everything from the size of the company, the company culture, the work environment, your daily tasks and duties and how you would like to be rewarded. Visualise yourself at this job and jot down everything you see yourself doing.
Do remember to dream big but remain realistic, you need to be qualified and able to perform this job, if you do not have the necessary qualification and skills yet do not give up on your dream, rather take time and up-skill yourself. Almost everyone dreams of taking home a huge pay cheque but remember remuneration is not limited to a salary, you could get privileges such as work from home a day week or a great deal of flexibility.
2. Research
Careers24 did an article on the 8 most promising jobs of 2017. This articles included a brief description of the various roles along with median salary to give readers an insight to what they can expect. Career fields are very broad and you need to do the research, so you can figure out what your primary focus will be. Research can also help you identify what tasks or duties you would be responsible to know. Also do a little research on what the market-related salary is, Mywage.co.za and PayScale.com are great tools to give you insight into what the average pay is per role.
3. Have impressively outstanding CV
While sending out your well-written resume to target companies and contacts is necessary and can be productive, keep in mind you are not the only one targeting that role. Recruiters get hundreds of CVs per role to scan through and shortlist. Yours can easily get lost in the pile, however, if your CV stands out it is highly unlikely to go unnoticed and it will speak volumes about the kind of candidate you are.
Once you’ve done the research, then you need to figure out a game plan. How are you going to accomplish what is necessary to attain your dream job? Write it down, so you can visually see exactly what you will need to do in order to make your dream come true. Since you’ve already researched your dream job, you’ll be able to map out what steps you will need to take in order to get where you want to be.
Remember that things do not happen overnight, so you’ll need to be patient and pace yourself. You will accomplish your goals and attain your dream job but you have to be realistic as well. Don’t get discouraged. Reward yourself when you achieve one of your steps/goals. It doesn’t have to be an expensive or elaborate reward but having an incentive to look forward to can be a great motivator.
Whether it’s having less free time because you’re working an internship, having less money because you have to pay for college, or whatever it may be – remember that there will be sacrifices. Make sure before you decide to pursue your dream job, that you are willing to make the necessary adjustments to get where you want to be. Know that everything will be worth it in the end.
