From childhood, it is drummed into us that getting a good career is one of the most important things we will ever do. As we have gotten older, we have realised the truth in this but we have also noticed that there are some caveats to it. Yes, we want our dream career but what exactly does that consist of? For some, it will mean making as much money as possible in order to be able to live the lavish lifestyle they always dreamed of. For others, it means making an impact and feeling that the work they are doing is important and valuable. Of course, the real dream is to have both of those elements but that is pretty hard to come by.
Regardless of what you look for in a career, there are some ways to go about bagging your dream career that work for everyone. Here are my tips on how to secure the career that suits you best.
Work out what you like
The first thing you need to do before you start searching for jobs is to work out what you like and what you don’t like. Are you good at writing? Do you hate administrative tasks? These are all important to know. So, make a list of everything you like and don’t like and use that to guide you towards jobs that might interest you. However, make sure you don’t narrow your vision so much that you exclude any jobs that have a single element that you might not like. Even the best jobs in the world will involve tasks that you don’t enjoy as much.
Cast your net as wide as you can
Having an idea of what you want to do and where you want your dream career to go is helpful but only as long as you can stay flexible with it. You should keep your mind open to every possible job that could come under the umbrella of the industry you would like to join. This way you have the best chance of being hired. Once you are in a job, you can then work out how to move from there to the next rung on your career ladder.
Get qualified
I cannot stress this enough. The job market is fiercely competitive nowadays and often you will be competing against hundreds of other people for a single job. Being as qualified as possible is a sure fire way to get your CV noticed by recruiters. However, make sure you are choosing relevant qualifications. If you want to get into the energy sector, for example, don’t waste your time doing a Master’s degree in literature. Tailor your education to the career you want and you will find that more and more doors begin to open for you.
Never settle
You will never fully enjoy your job if you simply settle. Getting an entry level job might be necessary to begin with but you should constantly be on the look out for ways to improve and move forward. Keep you eyes open for promotion opportunities and other ways to progress your career. This way you will always feel stimulated and challenged rather than having the depressing feeling of stagnation. Being ambitious is one of the best assets you can have in the modern workplace, it impresses executives and helps you accomplish great things.
