Tips to landing your dream job

A LOT of people sit in jobs they don’t like, pining for the life they wish they had. But that accomplishes nothing. If you want a dream job, you have to put yourself in position to get it.

It’s unlikely that you’ll stumble into your perfect work situation or that someone will tap you on the shoulder to hire you into your dream job. If, however, you take an active role and accept that it may not be an easy path, you can get there.

Know what you want

It’s important to define what your dream job is and to break it down into a realistic position. For example, it’s reasonable to want to make a living as an actor but it’s less-realistic for your dream to be “become a big star.”

There are some dreams that you don’t control. If you lack talent, you probably won’t make it as a professional athlete, but you certainly can make a living in sports. Figure out what you really want and recognize that there may be different ways to get there.

Know what it means for your lifestyle

If you dream of being a teacher, but you also want to make a lot of money, those goals are largely incompatible. It’s great that you love dogs and want to be a dog walker, but the low pay for that position may not be in line with the other things you want out of life.

In the above cases, it might make more sense to go into school administration or to open your own dogcare business. You have to pivot and be flexible in order to make sure your dream job does not turn the rest of your life into a nightmare.

Network

That old line “it’s not what you know, but who you know,” often rings true. Getting a start in a new field can be a lot easier if you know people. In order to know people, you have to meet them. That means putting yourself out there and being politely aggressive. Networking takes a lot of forms. Attend industry events and reach out to people in the field. Ask for informal informative interviews from people who may someday hire you. You may fail a lot when trying to build a network, but it’s important to keep trying because you never know who will be the person who can open a door for you.

Be qualified

It’s very hard to get hired as a doctor if you don’t have a medical degree. No matter what profession you intend to enter, make sure you have the basic qualifications before you start trying to get hired.

Be humble

Remember that you are most likely trying to win a job that a lot of people are going after. Be confident in your own abilities, but be humble in talking about how you will approach the position.

If the job is one that’s not directly related to what you currently do, address how you will gain the needed skills. Be open to learning and excessively ready to do whatever is necessary. Source: Daniel B. Kline | The Motley Fool | www.msn.com