Think about your dream job. What does it look like? Pretty great, huh?
Next, think about the job you are in now. Is it a job that is going to help you reach your goals and move into your dream job? If it isn’t, then what are you doing now to move towards your dream job?
If you don’t know how to answer that last questions, we have some practical tips to get you out of a job you hate and into one you love.
Step 1. Assess your Situation:
The first step is to assess where you are and where you want to be in the future. What career would you like to pursue? If where you are and where you want to be are not connected, then it is time to think about building a pathway to where you want to go.
Step 2. Research Your Dream Job:
Once you know what type of career you would like to move into, it’s time to research the skills you need to make the move. You can do this by performing job searches on sites like Careerbuilder or Indeed.
These job searches will show what skills employers are looking for when they hire people to fill these positions.
Step 3. Map your Goals:
At this stage in the process, it’s important to analyze what steps you need to take to develop the skills for a career change. This may include taking classes. Write down the steps needed, and set goals that you can check off during the process.
If you need to take classes, these goals can include X number of classes per semester. If you need to work towards a certificate or degree, those are goals you can set. It is important to write your goals down so you can them check off as you accomplished them.
Step 4. Build Your Resume to Reflect Your Dream Job:
Start looking for opportunities that might be used to improve your skills and build your resume.
Are there volunteer opportunities available that will help you build your resume?
Think about who you can use as a reference for future employers to contact. Are there contacts in the industry that you know?
What skills from previous jobs translate to the new career you wish to seek?
These might be customer service skills, computer skills, or supervisor skills. Often jobs that seem unrelated have skills that can transfer to other fields. Highlight those skills on your resume.
Once you’ve gathered the information you need to create a solid resume, use a site like Canva to make it look organized and professional.
Step 5. Make Smart Job Moves:
As you work to build the skills you need for your dream job, you can make smart job moves along the way. Do you want a career as a medical assistant? You can look for a job working at the front desk of a Doctor’s office while you go to school.
This will give you experience in a medical office, and you will gain a greater understanding of how the office is run day-to-day. It also gives you access to people who are already in the field. This is helpful because you may have questions that come up as you finish school.
Step 6. Stay Focused:
This is a very important part of the process. When you are working toward a goal, it is very easy to lose focus when the path gets difficult. It will be difficult, but it will be worth it in the end.
If you can remember the hard work in the short-term is worth the long-term goal of having a job you love, then you can stay on track through the process.
Oprah Winfrey once said, “Do what you have to do until you can do what you want to do.” You have the power to move into a job you love, but it is up to you to take the steps to make the move. We are here to help you reach your goals.