I started writing an introduction, and then thought why waste your time with such banalities? So with your anticipated accord, I’ll simply state my wish for this blog, before recommending some action steps on how to land your dream job. I am hoping that sharing tidbits from the hundreds of lessons that I’ve learned from my strategically diverse career and combined 10+ years in corporate management and image consulting, will inspire and guide others in how to go after their dreams .
Talking of dreams… do you feel stuck in a dead-end job? Are you unhappy with your career? Have you started dreading Monday mornings? Well take heart, you’re not alone. According to a 2019 Forbes article, more than half of the U.S. workforce is unhappy in their jobs. Having helped numerous corporate clients cultivate a more positive and motivated workplace culture, I can certainly attest to this dilemma. However, the good news is that YOU DON’T HAVE to be part of that statistic. I tell you this with great certainty because it’s not by accident that I landed the dream job of each career path. So here are my recommended top 7 steps to getting your dream job:
IDENTIFY YOUR DREAM JOB. The biggest problem is that a lot of people don’t even know what they want. It never ceases to amaze me when clients answer no to having a clear vision of their desired job/career during an initial consultation. How can you find something, if you can’t recognize it? Clearly identifying what job or career path best fit your passion and life goals is an important first step.
ASSESS YOUR READINESS. Bobby Unser said: “Success is where preparation and opportunity meet.” Simply put, are you qualified and ready to step into this dream job today? Now, not being ready isn’t meant to be a deterrent but rather a marker on your necessary transformation metrics. The other component is conducting a true and complete assessment. I am not going to go into details right now, because how to properly perform an assessment is a topic of its own; so be sure to follow my site for a future post on the top 3 effective techniques for an effective assessment.
CREATE A STRATEGIC PLAN. Whether your desired dream job is within/outside your current organization, or you’re unemployed, there’s bound to be a “gap” between where you are and where you need to be. So to effectively and quickly make that jump, you must be honest in strategically mapping out the improvements.
EFFECTIVELY IMPLEMENT THE ACTIONABLE STEPS. You can devise the best plan known to mankind; it means nothing without the follow through of effective implementation. I must second US author Helen Keller that “Ideas without action are worthless.”
ACT & DRESS THE PART. Can we be honest here? Everyone gets judged on appearance and behavior, even if it’s on a subconscious level. It’s imperative for every job seeker to start dressing and behaving as if you already got the position. Looking the part, allows the ones making the decision to envision you in that role. So be sure to include image transformation within your strategic plan.
PRACTICE CONFIDENCE. Yes, I said PRACTICE your confidence. Working with hundreds of people from all backgrounds over the years, have strengthened my belief that anyone can build confidence. When executed well, steps 4 & 5 can actually lay a motivating foundation for this one. It’s truly amazing how just enhancing your professional skills and dressing the part, can boost your self-esteem. I am a firm believer in practicing it till you conquer it.
STAY READY. During my strategically designed diverse career, the biggest thing that I’ve learned is that readiness is a key ingredient in any formula for success. Certainly why “Stay ready, so you won’t need to get ready” became both my personal and business motto. You can’t always fully control the timeline of getting your dream job, but if you stay ready, it will never be a bad time.
I have both experienced and witnessed the power of the process shared above. I continue to passionately guide clients and loved ones in achieving this goal because no one should be unhappy at work. So if this post inspires even one person to transform their life and go after their dream job/career with determination and “practice confidence”, it’s worth sharing.
Thank you for visiting my blog!