Create Your Career

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HOW TO GET THE JOB YOU WANT

Focus on what you really love.

You may dream of stumbling upon the perfect job, but most people who love what they do didn’t depend on luck. Instead, they zeroed in on what makes them happy, and then kept their eyes open for the right opportunities to come along. Know what your passion is, figure out how it can make money for you, and stay current with your passion.

Be a good listener.

When you hear others talking about their jobs, listen to see if you would be interested in doing what they do. Casual conversation is often the best way to identify jobs you might like. One of the toughest things about getting the job you want, is getting your foot in the door. If you have a personal contact, it’ll make it easier.

Use your contacts. Ask all your friends to keep an ear to the ground for you. 80% of all jobs are landed through recommendations and leads from personal contacts. Also, don’t get stuck on one track. Apply for jobs that sound interesting even if they don’t exactly fit your job history or education. You never know where you might find a new job lead.

Test the waters.

Before plunging into a new career, try out that line of work first. You can do this by volunteering in that field for awhile to see if you like it and if you have the skills needed to succeed. Or, you could take a short course in the subject related to what you want to do. Most adult education centers offer loads of courses that can help you discover what you might like or dislike about a particular interest you might have.

Before approaching someone about volunteering on a project, jot down a proposal, noting what you want to do and why, and the benefits of allowing you to try.

Compromise a little.

Dream jobs start with an idea that grows. So although you may have one goal in mind, you might discover that a related job is a faster road to success. Don’t be afraid to take a chance on a job that’s not 100% what you wanted. If it’s similar enough, there’s a chance it might be right for you.

Be curious. Ask everyone in your field what they used to do. Changes are, it was a similar job in the same industry – one that might be perfect for you. Also, see yourself as others do. Listen when someone in the know tells you what they think your strengths are.

Find a mentor.

Having a mentor – someone who already had the type of job you’d like and is willing to talk about it with you – is one of the best ways to break into a new industry. How do you find one? Ask everyone you know if they know someone who has a job like the one you want. When you do find someone, call and ask for advice, or an information interview.

Look for information about the job you want in odd places. Biographies, TV shows, even movies relating to what you want to do, might give you some clues. Also, don’t limit yourself to just one mentor. Find as many people as you can in the field you want and talk with them. Each one will give you a different perspective.

Bookmark this page so you can look again next month for another article to help you with your job search.

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Create Your Career
Joyce Fortier, CPRW
Phone: (248) 478-5662
Fax: (248) 426-9974
e-mail: joyce@careerist.com