Find Your Dream Job in 5 Easy Steps: The Ultimate Guide
It’s 10 am on a Tuesday, and you just left your third meeting of the day.
Third.
And you were bored. Really bored. You can say it.
That’s why in between your third cup of coffee — and what’s probably your 20th yawn this morning — you open up LinkedIn to see what’s new with your professional network.
You’re flooded with celebrations and updates by EVERYONE from:
🎉Your former colleague who just started their own business,
🎉A recent professional acquaintance who landed their dream job at a company with great benefits,
🎉And a new connection — hey you don’t know them personally, but the passion they have for their newest project is contagious.
Everyone seems to be moving in a bright direction.
Except you.
It’s not that you’re jealous — you’d never.
You’re always happy for your colleagues and their accomplishments.
And you’re also level-headed and logical, and know not everything you read tells the whole story.
It’s just that, well…
There was a dream job you wanted once, too.
And this mid-morning peruse of your professional social feed has served as a subtle reminder: somehow, along the way, you landed a job that’s left you wanting instead.
You’re not alone.
Despite what you may read or hear, many struggle to find their dream jobs. Instead, like you, they find themselves on career pathways they just ended up in.
I get it.
Life moves fast. You have financial, family, and personal responsibilities.
Not to mention, pursuing your dream job — especially one that requires a big career transition — can be:
😐Filled with uncertainty
😐Uncomfortable
😐Scary
😐And about a dozen other anxious emotions – you fill in the blank!
I hear you.
As a Career and Job Strategist, I’ve helped hundreds of executives onto a path toward the career and life they love, through implementing my Career Formula Program.
From these experiences, I’ve created this comprehensive guide to help dream-job-seekers just like you.
If you’re asking yourself: How do I land my dream job?
You’re in the right place, my friend.
Dream jobs look different to different people.
And, before you secure it, you have to figure out what you want and then find it.
That’s where I come in.
Overwhelmed yet?
Don’t worry. I’ll walk you through everything.
Grab a cup of coffee (or maybe water for you, since you’ve already had 3 cups 😉), and let’s get started.
Need a thinking partner to bounce ideas off of? Book a time to chat about your career with me here.
Step 1. Take Inventory
Step 2. Research Potential Career Paths
Step 3. Craft a Captivating Resume & Cover Letter
Step 4. Ace the Interview
Step 5. Negotiate Your Dream Offer
Get Support Along Your Journey to Your Dream Job
Step 1: Take Inventory
The first step — and arguably the most important — before embarking on any journey is discovery.
To get to your destination — aka your dream job — it’s important to know:
✅What you have
✅What you want
✅And what you need
Think about the last time you took your weekly grocery shopping trip without surveying your refrigerator and pantry to see what you already have and making a list of what you need.
Did you get everything you need for the week?
Or did you end up with an extra bottle of ketchup you won’t use for another 6 months…and no toilet paper?
(No judgment here. We’ve all been there, but…facts are facts 😏)
So, for that reason, we’re starting with “What you have.”
What You Have: List Your Current Skills
You’ve been in the workforce for a while now.
And that means you’ve picked up loads of valuable experience, skills, perspective, and insight along the way.
Remember, just because you’re going through a career evolution now, doesn’t mean all that accumulated knowledge and expertise goes to waste.
Everything you have in your arsenal. Each experience you’ve earned stays with you.
So take a few minutes and think about your career so far.
From helping hundreds of people in search of their dream job, these are some questions my clients often bring me:
❔What are some of the biggest lessons I’ve learned in my career?
❔What are my greatest accomplishments and what?
❔What results have impacted a company and why?
❔What awards or recognition have I received for my contributions?
❔Which areas have I received certifications, formal or extended training?
❔What feedback have I received from my colleagues, supervisors, or clients regarding my strengths and areas of expertise?
❔What have I mastered? When someone asks me a question about X, I’m confident in my answer.
❔Are there any skill or knowledge gaps that exist? If so, what are they?
💡Bonus Question: Are there things on this list you’d rather avoid? If so, make a note of them. It’ll help you in the next section.
⚡Hint:
This exercise comes in handy for both STEPS 3 and 4. Keep reading to see the connection!
Next, let’s move on to “What you want.”
What You Want (And Don’t Want!) in a Dream Job
Finding it hard to pin down what you like in your current job or identify what you want next?
Start with what you DON’T want.
This may seem counterintuitive, but sometimes it’s easier to start with the negative, to flush out the good.
So go ahead, pull at that thread, and see where it takes you.
Visualize a particularly rotten day on the job.
◾Were there tasks or responsibilities that left you frustrated?
◾How about an experience you had that spiked your stress and anxiety levels — 90-minute commutes, anyone?
◾What parts of your job would you change if you could?
◾Which ones drain your energy by the end of the day?
Now, close your eyes and think back to a time when you felt energized.
When you shut your computer down for the day or got home from work and were content.
What happened that day? Which parts of your job were you doing that led to a happier and more passionate version of you?
Here are some prompts that have helped my clients narrow in on the good stuff and get a clearer understanding of what they want:
◾When do I feel the most fulfilled at work?
◾What tasks or responsibilities give me energy?
◾How well does my job align with my long-term career goals and aspirations?
◾Do I feel valued and respected by my company, colleagues, and leaders? Why or why not?
◾What leadership style and support do I prefer?
Assessing the good, bad, and in-between of your current job situation helps you pinpoint what you want….and avoid what you don’t.
Lastly, let’s dive into “What you need.”
What You Need: Establish Non-negotiables
Now that you’ve made your list of everything you do (and don’t) want in your next job, it’s time to zero in on those non-negotiables.
Your no-compromise, won’t settle for less, “Must Haves” list.
This is all about you, so there aren’t really any right or wrong answers.
But if you’re feeling stuck, here are some common ones I recommend to my clients:
✔️Salary and overall compensation: Base salary, stock options, year-end bonuses, what’s important to you and what do those numbers look like?
✔️Location: In-office, remote, hybrid…it’s 2024, and there’s no shortage of options here.
✔️Growth opportunities: Think ongoing training, promotions, advancement within the company, etc.
If this sounds like a lot of work. I understand. In some ways, it is.
But it’s important work.
It’s why I dedicated a whole portion of my Career Formula Program to identifying your ideal job criteria.
Going through this exercise ensures the steps you take on your career path, going forward, are toward your dream job.
Step 2: Research Potential Career Paths
Armed with your lists, it’s time to do some research.
If you noticed gaps in your Current Skills section from earlier, start there.
Already have a career pathway in mind? Great! Jump into that rabbit hole feet first and start exploring.
Does your dream job require a specific skill set? Look into certification programs, boot camps, online courses, mentorship, or management programs, and start mapping out your game plan.
If you’re still fuzzy on your exact dream job, consult the wisdom of Google to spark some inspiration:
💻Free personality and career aptitude tests
💻Certifications or online courses to develop [insert desired skill set]
💻Management programs near me
💡Bonus Tip: Partner with a certified Career and Job Strategist to help you navigate this process and design a customized road map to the career of your dreams.
Step 3: Craft a Captivating Resume & Cover Letter
You know the saying “Many roads lead to Rome?”
It boils down to the idea that there are lots of different ways to accomplish something.
When it comes to finding your dream job, the “many roads” applies to
🛣️ Your resume
🛣️ Cover letter
🛣️ And LinkedIn profile
Basically, however your future employer finds you.
And the “Rome” is your dream job — aka, the destination.
With a variety of companies, hiring methods, recruiting, and searching tactics, you never know how exactly your next employer will find you.
So don’t put all your eggs in one basket.
Give all three — your resume, LinkedIn profile, and cover letter — a good polish to increase your chances of being found.
Here are some of my top tips:
🗒️Tailor your resume to job postings
🗒️Make sure your cover letter speaks to the value and experience you bring to this specific position and employer
🗒️Keep your LinkedIn profile up-to-date, including a current photo
💡Bonus FAQs: Resume & Cover Letter
-
Yes.
On average, a Recruiter or Hiring Manager spends 3-5 seconds reading your resume.
Tip: Templatize…within reason.
A good rule of thumb is your resume should be about 95% done. The last 5% is really for you to tweak details slightly — and quickly! — so it appeals to each job you’re applying to, without taking tons of time.
-
Yes…mostly.
If you’re applying to a job that asks you to submit one, do it.
Sure, not every hiring manager or recruiter will read every cover letter, but if they’re teetering between a couple of candidates, your cover letter could be what sets you apart.
If a job doesn’t require one or if you don’t have the time to customize it, hold back. Chances are the person reading it can tell it’s a one-size-fits-all, and it doesn’t make you look good.
-
Yes.
What’s the first thing you do when a colleague tells you about a new company? You look them up online.
Your potential employers and recruiters are no different and will most likely do the same with you.
Plus, millions of professionals use LinkedIn. Creating a LinkedIn profile — or beefing up your current one — increases the likelihood you’ll be discovered.
Sure, the task of writing each of these takes time and reflection, but when done strategically, they’ll start to work for you.
This exercise also refreshes your memory on your whole professional work life, making recall a lot easier for those interviews you’re about to go on.
Step 4: Ace the Interview
Two words: preparation and practice.
Feeling nervous before a job interview — whether it’s been a while since you interviewed or you had one this morning — is completely normal.
Though it’s impossible to plan for absolutely every scenario you’ll be hit with during your interview, there are plenty of ways you can prepare ahead of time.
Be sure to consult this checklist before the big interview:
✅Do company research: Get familiar with their values, company mission, and culture, in addition to what they offer their customers.
✅Use the job description: It gives you insight into the direction their questions will take and helps you think of specific examples ahead of time.
✅Ask questions: Have some in your pocket and jot a few down during the interview
✅Peek back at that “Must Have” list to make sure the job is up to snuff and checks those important boxes.
💡Bonus Tip:
Tired of practicing in the mirror?
Grab a friend, family member, or career coach to do a mock interview! It’s a great way to shake off the nerves, especially if it’s been a while since you interviewed.
Step 5: Negotiate Your Dream Offer
Congrats! *Cue the 🎉confetti. *
Your dream company has called you with an offer for your dream job.
Now that you’ve patted yourself on the back, it’s time to negotiate.
You read that right.
With all your years of experience, expertise, and accumulated knowledge, you — yes, YOU — have earned it.
When negotiating your dream job offer 😏:
💲Whip out that trusty “Must Have” list again — it’s getting a workout, isn’t it?
💲Have everything you want to ask for laid out in front of you to eliminate more back-and-forth than necessary
💲Be prepared for a potential compromise, but stand firm on your non-negotiables
Don’t forget to thank them for the offer before the negotiation begins.
Express your excitement about the job, and be sure to confirm when they’ll get back to you with their final decision.
💡Bonus Tip:
Negotiations can be intimidating, so it’s a good idea to practice what you plan to say so it feels comfortable.
Need a pep talk and a plan to get through it? I’ve helped hundreds of people create a negotiation plan and ACE it! To start planning yours, click HERE.
Get Support Along Your Journey to Your Dream Job
Well done. You’ve gone from inventorying your past and present, to cementing your non-negotiables and crafting a strategic plan forward.
You’ve done a lot of work.
If it’s still feeling like a bit too much to do on your own, there’s no need to go through this by yourself.
Partner up with a professional career coach for step-by-step support along the way.
By linking up with me, one-on-one, I clear the fog, break each step down further, and design actionable solutions for you.
My signature program, The Career Formula Program, takes you through these steps — and so much more.
Land your dream job faster with…
◼️A 90-day action plan customized specifically for you and your goals
◼️Results-driven resume optimization for applicant tracking systems
◼️Customized LinkedIn profile audit to boost visibility
◼️Six, one-hour personalized 1:1 career coaching sessions with me
◼️Plus office hours to walk through any other questions you have
If you're ready to take the next step toward a career and life you’ve always dreamed of, book a free call with me today.
And let’s turn your dream job into your reality job.
