Do you remember what you wanted to be when you grew up? Did you manage to make your dreams come true? If you haven’t, don’t worry. There’s still time. Here’s a quick and sightly unconventional guide to how to get your dream job.
Candidate Yourself
Find a company who offers your dream job and go directly to them. There is not a lot of rocket science in this, but for some reason most people still think that if the job isn’t listed, it doesn’t exist. Do some research. Figure out who is the person at that company who could be your boss. Write them directly, briefly explaining who you are, what you’re looking for and why they should care. Be professional, enthusiastic and keep it as brief as possible. Include links to any relevant work, or to your resume or portfolio as needed. Even if they don’t hire you, there is a good chance that they’ll be impressed with your proactive attitude and will keep you in mind if future opportunities arrive. Keep writing back on regular intervals. If you can get their phone number, call and try to schedule a meeting. Anytime you can meet someone in person it’s always the best option. Out of the box things are more likely to happen in person, so use your personal network and connections if you have them.
Don’t let NO Stop You
No one ever got what they want by stopping at the first ‘no’ they encountered. Countless success stories are written about insistence, perseverance and never taking no for an answer. If the first person you meet doesn’t believe in you, go find someone else who does. You’ll convince them through your success to believe in you. Don’t get down about it and don’t take it personally. Some people have more narrow visions of the world, but that doesn’t make them right. Don’t let someone telling you you can’t do something be the end of your dream. Know that you can and work to overcome any obstacles that might appear in your path.
Go Step By Step
If you dream job is somewhere up in the sky and you’re still down on the ground, don’t fret. This does not mean you’re looking at an unreachable or impossible goal. It just means that you’re going to have to figure out how to break that goal down into logical steps and work towards it.
Write down what it takes to get where you want to be. Do you need to go to school, get investment, make a connection? Create a step by step plan and follow it every day. Note: this is not going to be instantaneous. Accomplishing long term goals takes persistence, determination and faith.
Lets say what you want to do is design and build furniture:
You’re going to need some initial investment in tools. You’ll need a work space, maybe a to take a course on furniture making. Then you’ll need to figure out what materials you want to use and where you’ll get them from. Is there a cost? What’s transport like. Did you research your market so you know who you’ll be selling to. Maybe you’ll want to make a deal with a local furniture shop to sell your items on consignment, or create an amazing marketing plan to sell them yourself through social media or other online recourses. Once you’ve got a plan, its time to put it into action. Don’t expect the first pieces you make to be perfect — they might not even be sellable. You’re going to have to learn your craft and that might take time. Don’t get discouraged though. As the masters say, every journey of 1,000 miles starts with one small step.
Invent Your Dream Job
Let’s say your dream job is to be an ice cream photographer. Job listings in the field might be few and far between — but don’t get discouraged. If there is no one hiring, than you can simply invent the job for yourself. Maybe you start an ice cream photo blog and send your work out to top creameries. Or a prolific Instagram feed could be your ticket to the dream career in ice cold dairy photography. Possible brand extensions: personalized cow portraits of the ladies responsible for the cream.
Accept What’s Right for You
Remember that your dream job might not be a vocation. Not everyone is looking to devote their career to fulfill a creative or intrinsic desire. For many, a dream job might be the one that provides you with the resources and financial security to live the lifestyle you want. If that’s more true to you, accept it about yourself. You don’t have to be a professional surfer to surf every day. You could find a job at a surf company like Quicksilver or Roxy, with a paycheck that allows you to have a great beachside house and take several surf trips with your buddies during the year. Maximizing your happiness is about building a life that allows fulfilling all of your personal and intrinsic desires, whatever they may be.
Originally published at www.thehotelyogini.com on May 21, 2016.
Originally published at medium.com