Defining Your Dream Job

Discovering the Perfect Career for YOU

The perfect career awaits you...but first, you have to figure out what that means! Here are some steps to help you visualize your personal idea of a "dream job".

Finding the perfect job can be a challenging task. For many, it becomes a life long journey that can feel nearly impossible to reach. Though you’re taught that the right education prepares you for the perfect career, education typically fails to help you identify exactly what the perfect career actually is for you. Each individual may have a very different idea of what that means. Before you can effectively prepare for (and more importantly, search for) your dream job, you have to first define your vision of it.

To help you identify the key pieces of your ideal career, consider the following:

What Income Would You Like to Make?

Like it or not, the ultimate purpose of your career is to earn a paycheck. It’s not volunteer work! Take some time to consider how much you need to survive. At a bare minimum, your chosen profession must be able to provide this amount on a continual basis. However, most people don’t want to merely survive. Consider how much you would have to earn to feel truly comfortable. Include the amount necessary for various, occasional luxury items and savings. Remember your long term goals and dreams and the money you will need to earn in the future to obtain them. In general, search for a career that will allow you to earn at least the necessary amount for survival with the potential to earn significantly more based on performance and/or experience. This will keep you feeling motivated while still provided for.

What is Your Ideal Lifestyle?

Do you enjoy travel or would you rather work from home? Do you enjoy starting work early or would you rather sleep until noon? How you want to live your life is a critical component of defining your dream job. Ideally, the perfect profession should fit into your ideal lifestyle – if not now, than the potential should be there for the future.

What Do You Enjoy Doing?

What would you choose to do if you didn’t have to do anything? This is the fundamental question to help you determine your ideal career. Many people worry that turning a hobby or personal passion into a job will somehow reduce your enjoyment of the activity. Consider this possibility and weigh the pros and cons of going professional with a hobby. Ultimately, the decision is yours. The most important point is to simply remember that you will spend a minimum of 40 hours a week (on average) performing the various tasks associated with your career. Make sure it’s something you at least feel a mild amount of enthusiasm for. Otherwise, work will become tedious and monotonous.

What are You Good at Doing?

You don’t need to be an expert when you start a new career but it helps to have some natural ability that applies to the job. For example, a natural “people person” will often have an easier time with sales positions. Likewise, a technologically astute person will likely find more success with technical jobs. If your natural abilities are rare, be sure to recognize your gifts and use them for leverage when negotiating for a position. Again, experience is not required when choosing a new career. Focus on the underlying skills needed and work on building your personal skill set to reflect them.

What Gives You a Sense of Satisfaction?

Consider your long term life goals. What do you want to accomplish? What kind of legacy do you want to leave for your family? Choose a career path that brings a sense of satisfaction and contentment. Of course, your career is only one piece of your life and it should not be the sole thing that defines you. However, choosing a profession that is meaningful to you complements the many other areas of your life where you are striving to make an impact. You have the power to choose a career that helps improve your overall sense of satisfaction with life. Don’t settle for something that simply pays the bills.