Think your “dream job” is as far-fetched as the Easter Bunny? Think again! Obtaining a gratifying career isn’t some urban legend or fruitless quest; sure, it might take a lot of hard work, gumption, and the ability to accept a little rejection, but it IS within your reach! (seriously)
Take a look at this article from our Medix website for more tips on chasing that illusive “dream job.” What is your dream job? Is it what you always wanted to be as a kid? How did you obtain it?
Remember back in the day when the only concern on your mind was how late you’d get to ride your new bike around your block? Life was simple, desserts didn’t add to your waist line and you felt as though you could be or do anything! A doctor, astronaut or even a princess…sky’s the limit. What happened to those dreams, those beliefs? Well, you grew up, that’s what happened! Growing up is inevitable, and as you grew up you realized that there was a difference between imagination and real life. You had to work hard for what you wanted, you fell in love for the first time, and discovered the horror of paying bills. Yup, reality sank in; but despite the fact that you had to grow up, you know what didn’t have to change? Your dreams of being anything you wanted to be! That’s right, even as an adult…YOU CAN BE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO BE! Now, we all need to be realistic, as we can’t be superman and fly or pull a Kate Middleton and become a princess, but you can be anything you set your mind to. Even if you have already stumbled into a profession, it’s never too late to change your career to follow your dreams. Ever! After all, with all the time that you commit during a week to work, why wouldn’t you be doing something you’re passionate about?
Now, if you aren’t sure what that dream job is, that’s okay too! If you are unhappy in your career and know in your gut that you are meant to do something different, something more, there are ways to figure that out. Sometimes, you just have to play some detective work to help you figure it out.
First and foremost, we recommend answering a few questions to help you figure out why you’re unhappy.
– Do you find yourself anxious on Sunday evenings at the thought of work the next day? Do you find that you aren’t as happy-go-lucky anymore at work and dread each workday?
- If you answered yes to the above, then that’s usually a signal to start looking for a new job. When you’re unhappy at work, it not only affects your well-being but actually affects others around you, including your employer. Disengaged employees are cancerous to any organization and brings culture, productivity and morale down.
– Now, create a list of cons or things that are causing the abovementioned anxiety and determine what you actually don’t like about your current job.
- The list of cons that you provide will show you that finding a career in the same field is most likely not going to help. Granted, most of the time individuals leave a manager/organization and not the job itself, but there is also a strong chance that what you’re doing is what is making you miserable.
- This will also help you to decide a number of things such as skills you aren’t utilizing that you want to start using and what type of environment you are seeking.
Now, let’s start painting the picture of your dream job. It’s time to ask yourself some things:
– What do you envision your dream job to be? What would you like to be doing? What do you really want to do?
- Do you want to help others?
- Make an impact in your community?
- Get into a certain industry?
– Where do you want to do your dream job?
– What will it take for you to make the switch and obtain it?
- Continued education?
- Location change?
- Good connections to help you get your foot in the door?
By this time, if you’re really listening to your inner-self, you should have hopefully determined that dream job. Now, before you jump off the deep end and just go for it, you have to be reasonable and make sure that it makes sense, i.e. does your passion match your skills? Does it financially make sense for your current and future situation? If the answer is yes, then it’s time to get started! The first thing you’ll want to do is a little research. Yes, even though you’re grown up now, you still get to do homework! Do some research on the field, shadow a friend, gain a mentor and learn all about the pro’s AND con’s of the field. Sometimes you might find out that it’s not so dreamy after all but we most certainly hope it is! If it’s everything you hoped for and more, then it’s officially time to rally up your connections and start your search.
On the other hand, if you still need some further assistance, there are a number of career tests out there that can help. What they’ll do is take your most coveted skills and passions and list out some potential opportunities that match up. Also, don’t hesitate to seek out some advice from a peer and get a mentor. Sometimes just talking about it to someone can really make a difference.
Whoa…. a lot of questions, right? Well, soul searching, or as we like to say career searching, usually is; it’s a lot of interviewing yourself and figuring out what you truly want and need. The most important thing to remember is that if you aren’t happy with what you’re doing….if you’re not passionate about it, change it. You have the power to make your life better and do what makes you happy. Life’s too short not to. Sometimes it just takes a little hard work and soul searching to get there.
