Top 10 Tips To Find Your Dream Job

Career Guide to Take Your Career Search to the Next Level

Many people fantasize about their dream job while toiling away in their day job, because they just aren't sure how to make their dream a reality. Are you prepared to take the next step in that direction but aren't sure quite how?

If you're thinking about a career change or just starting out, consider these 10 tips, based on advice from retired career coach Natalie Silver of the Career Coach Institute, an international career coaching, training and certification company.

1. Stay Positive

It's easy advice to give, but harder advice to take. Nevertheless, staying positive is the key to keeping your sanity through the tumultuous, exciting, anxiety-filled process of finding your dream job. "Your attitude greatly affects everything that you do. It can literally make things happen for you—or not," says Silver. "The best advice I can give to people is to always frame things as optimistically as possible."

For inspiration, try reading Po Bronson's book, What Should I Do With My Life?, which tells the stories of a number of ordinary people and their search for fulfilling careers.

2. Know Yourself

Many people hunt for new career training with instant gratification in mind; for example, the highest salary often wins the prize. But while money is grand, is it enough to keep you happy? Think about your long-term needs:

• Are you a morning person? Then working nights won't cut it.
• Hate leaving friends and family for work-related travel? Keep that in mind when considering jobs that will put you on the road.

These may seem like small details in your career search, but they add up. Silver gives this advice: "A good career—and pay check—are ideally things that you grow into. The key is choosing a career that you can happily invest in for years." So consider the day-to-day basics that make your life enjoyable.

3. Know Your Interests and Skills

Examine your interests and skill sets by making a list of the things you like doing in your free time. If you spend your weekends volunteering with children, why not explore careers that involve working with children? Do you love being outside? Then nix the office jobs and start exploring your outdoorsy options. If you spend your evenings on your computer, consider starting your career search in technology. The key is to notice how you spend your free time, and turn your weekend hobby into an enjoyable career.

4. Know Your Personality

If you have a hard time coming up with a list of interests and skills, start with the basics: your personality. There are many tests that are designed to evaluate, identify and explain what makes you tick, the most famous of which is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). This multiple-choice test is administered to everyone from college-bound students contemplating their futures to middle-aged managers considering a career change.

By evaluating your personality, you can better understand what type of job will best suit your temperament and personal strengths. The MBTI also includes lists of career options that people with similar personalities often gravitate towards.

Other tests such as the Riso-Hudson Enneagram Type Indicator and the Keirsey Temperament Sorter also provide useful insights into your personality when considering a career change or multiple job options.

5. Be Flexible

The perfect career might not be down the block—it might be located in Kansas. Prepare yourself to be flexible (and perhaps mobile) when looking for a career that suits you. Silver adds, "There is a fine line between being flexible and caving in. Know ahead of time which job criteria you are willing to bend on, and which need to stay firm for your personal happiness."

6. Consult a Career Coach

If searching for the perfect career alone seems overwhelming, consult a career coach. These professionals are knowledgeable about a wide variety of careers—including education requirements, competitiveness, job growth and salary—and can offer objective advice based on your skills and preferences. Career coaches can assist their clients in all aspects of a career change, including resume building, interview preparation and cover-letter writing.

Many colleges and universities have resident career counselors or coaches available to help struggling students, and helpful Internet sites such as My Life Coach, Mind Tools and Career Coach Institute can assist those who aren't in school. Career coaches generally range in price from $100 to $150 per session, although some offer a free consultation to start.

7. Do Your Homework

If paying for a career coach doesn't suit you or your budget, it's time to hit the books. Career guides such as Paul Tiger's Do What You Are, or the infamous What Color is Your Parachute? by Richard Nelson Bolles, allow you to methodically examine aspects of your career history, as well as your personality, to find out what works best for you and what doesn't work at all.

8. Get Out and Network

All right, all you Dale Carnegie fans, time to put your networking skills to use! One of the best commitment-free ways to explore new careers is by talking to people. If you've always been interested in law, take a lawyer out for drinks and give him the third degree. If you fantasize about dropping your monotonous office job to attend beauty school, chat with a cosmetologist while getting your hair done.

Find out what these professionals love about their jobs, what they don't like, and more importantly, the path they took to get there. This information will provide you with a vital insider's look into prospective careers and good advice on how to become successful in those career fields. Networking is also a great way to find out about new job openings, so start talking!

9. Find a Career College

If you are unhappy with your job but feel that it is all you are qualified for, remember that it's never too late to go back to school. Many people know what their ideal career is—or at least have an inkling—but they feel under-qualified and thus stuck in their present job. "Being in a learning environment makes you more open and available to new ideas," Silver says. "Suddenly you'll have options in front of you that you've never even considered."

All Career Schools can help you locate a program that focuses on fields that interest you. You can also use it to find career training programs to hone the skills you need to land your dream job.

10. Be Patient

Finding the perfect career for you isn't about quick fixes—it's about patience and planning. As the old saying goes, "Good things come to those who wait," and that applies to finding your dream job. So don't worry if the perfect career doesn't instantly fall into your lap—by following these top 10 tips, you'll set yourself up for success in the long run!

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