Have you ever heard; "You have the coolest job!". I have too. Back when I was Marketing and Promotions Director of 102.1 the Edge, people used to always say "You have the coolest job!" Before that when I was part of the original team that launch FLOW 93.5, Canada's 1st Urban radio station, people used to say "You have the coolest job!" Well, I'm here to crush all that. The coolest job in the world may be what you are doing right now. If not, then what are you waiting for? It's out there, go get it. Here's some tips to point you in the right direction...
Step 1: What excites you?
What are you in to? Do you love cars? Is it baked goods or toothpaste or clothing or technology? Think of some brands you are in to. Write them down somewhere... we'll get back to that later. Think of some activities you love to do: is it shopping or eating or creating or planning or organizing? Write down some of the activities you like doing... we'll get back to that later. Consider an exercise that your high school guidance counselors may or may not have shared with you. If you could spend the rest of your life getting paid to do something, what would be? Maybe you have an answer right now or maybe your don't. Either way, it's cool.
Step 2: Who Do You Know?
Remember that list of places you think you may want to work? Brands that you're in to? So you have this list, now what? Very recently a friend told me his dream places to work. It was all related to the aerospace industry. He listed about 5 companies by name and said "It would be a dream come true to work for one them". I asked him if he had any friends or acquaintances that currently work there or have some connection to these companies. He did not have any.
You need to build your network as wide as you can, or as focused as you can. If there are places you want to work and you don't know a single person there, then you're doing it wrong. Your network can help you. That's actually why you have said network. Use it. Do whatever you can to get a foot in the door at one of your target places. Cold call, email, try and connect, buy coffees, get meetings... rinse and repeat.
Step 3: Listen.
What are you good at? Be honest. Remember that list of 'things you like doing'? Take it out and try to assess if you are actually good at these things. You do not do this alone. You need input. Talk to the people closest to you. Friends, family, current managers & associates, along with past managers and colleagues. Sometimes the things you think you are great at may not be the things you are actually great at. Put on your big boy or girl pants and listen to what others have to say. Really listen.
Step 4: Get Ready.
Hate to be the one who has to break this to you, but sometimes not everything is at is seems. A lot goes in to a workplace. Some of which you may not like. What you may think is your dream job, may be more like a nightmare. A work environment is a complicated ecosystem. The people, the space, the culture, the work, the politics, the hierarchy, the hours, the left-over cake in the kitchen. There are many things that may turn you off of your dream job. Just prepare yourself that anything can happen. Just because you thought this was the job for you, doesn't mean you have to stick to it. You can change your mind. It's ok. On the flip side, sometimes it does work out just fine. If so, congrats.
4 simple steps. Many of which you are probably doing already. For the record, I have not found my dream job yet. I love what I do and the people I do it with, but I'm convinced that my dream job has not been invented yet. Maybe one day I'll get around to inventing it. As always I'm Jon Sinden on Twitter if you' like to connect about this blog.
cheers,
::js
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