If you’ve been eagerly searching for your next big gig, right here is where you need to be if you’d like that gig secured in the next 30 days. Over the next few weeks, we will take weekly actions to lead us happily into the jobs of our dreams. How will we go about doing so? By taking the practical, tactical approach.
Let’s get started with our tasks for week 1.
1. Map out your course
Though it is extremely important to decide what you want to do next in your career, it is also essential to know where you’d like to head following that next move. Knowing your expected career trajectory can help you better define what you’re willing to pursue or accept in your new position. Will the title you want set you up for the next level? Which company could better assist you in getting to your next move? Which company aligns with the field you’d ultimately like to land in? What will potentially happen with your earning potential following accepting a job at this company? Knowing where you’d like ultimately to go should inform where you want or need to be right now.
2. Check out several job boards
Become as familiar as possible with the job you want before even starting your search. Some jobs may seem perfect on the surface but can become less ideal after reading the fine print. Scour the marketplace to see if the job you want matches your skill set, your desires, and your ambitions across the board. Try not to define your dream job based on a single person, experience, or job description. See what several companies are looking for in your particular position and ask yourself if you wouldn’t mind doing the position wherever you land. Yes, you may dream of being a writer, but what if that would also mean giving up your weekends in some spaces? Are you willing to do all that your dream job would take?
3. Stalking has its benefits
Find those who are doing a version of what you’d like to do and watch how they’re going about doing it. This is where social networks become your best friends. Follow those who are living your dream and you’ll likely find insight on what the ins and outs of your dream job are really like. Does this person seem constantly stressed? Is this person getting rest? How is their livelihood? Judging a person’s “happiness†can be difficult given that most people prefer to only post highlights on social media, however, if you look closely enough you can gauge if the style and/or commitment required for the job you’d like matches your true desires.
4. Prepare your package
Now that you know exactly what the job entails, you know how to properly prepare to compete for the job. Now is your time to update your portfolios and websites, if the job you want requires it. Here is when you’d begin tailoring your résumé, taking last minute crash courses, crossing your T’s and dotting your I’s. Prepare to be what your dream job is looking for.
Week 1 is laying the foundation. Check back next week to see how to begin to build on top of the groundwork we’ve laid here.
To continue and complete the #30DayChallenge, be sure to check out Week 2, Week 3, and Week 4.