Take Stock
After taking stock and conducting a bit of personal assessment, chances are you’ll determine what it is you value about your work. Asking yourself what areas of your work you actually love and figuring out what work gets you motivated to the point that you lose track of time is a great way to hone in on work likes and avoid dislikes.
By digging deeper and determining which parts of the job you can’t stand – you’ll be able to avoid a complete job mismatch. Taking career assessments and finding job information at a site like The Bureau of Labor Statistics, http://www.bls.gov/oco/ will help you decide what jobs are interesting. Make a list of your top interests so you can choose the jobs that are a perfect fit for you.
The reality is that identifying what brings you happiness and fulfills a sense of purpose is the best way to find your ideal job. Here are four quick tips to keep you moving in the right direction.
Tip #1
Take the job information you’ve amassed from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and decide which particular jobs are ideal. Picture yourself in each of the jobs on your list – what parts of the job do you like? What about the job do you think would make your day fly by? Would you enjoy collaborating with customers on design choices? Working with
teams charged with the development of new legislation? Increasing automation and instituting lean manufacturing techniques? Maximizing system robustness? Make note of whatever it is about the job that keeps you enthused and energized, and keeps your eyes off of the clock.
Tip #2
Take that same job information gathered from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and decide which of the jobs have aspects that are not so ideal. Are you tied to a computer all day? Do you care for cranky patients? Will you have any autonomy or will your boss manage your day? Will you be heavily involved in meetings? Will you have to travel? Are you required to be on call? Are you going to be challenged? What is it about the job that you absolutely hate?
Tip #3
Send out resumes to the companies on your ideal job list even if you’re not 100% qualified. Remember you don’t need to meet all of the qualifications. Take a chance and apply for positions that you are at least 70% qualified to fill.
You should have the majority of the qualifications necessary to do the job, but if you don’t meet some of the qualifications, you can always work on those in the future. Most of the time, employers are looking for the right personality fit.
Tip #4
Send a TARGETED resume and cover letter for each position for which you apply. Remember, there is no effective one size fits all resume. If you are sending out the same resume for every opening, you are doing yourself a disservice.
Use these tips to focus on identifying what brings you happiness and fulfills your sense of purpose. Do that and you’re sure to find your ideal job, shift from I hate my job to I have my dream job, and set your course on a new career path.