How To Define Your Dream Job

2-time #1 Best-Selling Author and Executive Career Coach at Wasim The Dream helping professionals land their dream job within 8 weeks.

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So many times, we hear people fantasizing about their dream jobs. For some, the dream centers on the perks of a nice office with a gym and great food. For others, it is the freedom to primarily work from home, except for in-person meetings. For most, a dream job challenges you, brings out your best and helps you evolve.

The first piece of advice I give my clients is this: if you cannot articulate what your dream job is, you may never find it and settle for something that you don’t like. The first step is to simply have an idea of what you want. Initially, start with an understanding of your interests.

Now it’s time to build a vision for the new job. Let’s live in la-la land for a second here and ditch all the doubts and the “how” to get that job. What would a typical day in this new job look like for you, from the moment you wake up until the end of the day? What types of teams do you enjoy working with? How do you see yourself thriving? What’s the personality type of the boss or manager you see yourself working with? Give that some thought.

Then finally, would you rather be traveling to an office or working remotely from home? Build a beautiful image of this dream job that will inspire you to work hard for it every day.

Step 1. The Details Of The Job

Define the types of roles, companies and salary you are interested in.

Example: I want a software engineering/architect/programming lead role at Facebook/Google/Amazon/LinkedIn/HP with a $100,000 salary and an amazing compensation package (stock options, bonuses, etc.).

Step 2. The Timeline To Land The Job

Set a definite date for when you want to start the job.

Example: March 1, 2023 (or “within six months”)

Step 3. The Vision For The New Job

Create a beautiful image of this new job (remember that we are still in la-la land).

Example: I see myself waking up every morning, fired up and excited to go to work. I go into a beautiful office with an amazing view, and I am surrounded by a group of fantastic people. My boss is genuine, supportive and nice. My team members are on fire, and we have great synergy. The culture is aligned with my values, and I feel a deep sense of fulfillment. At the end of the month, I am excited to receive my paycheck because I’m getting paid the type of salary that I feel I’m worth.

Personally, the way I envisioned my future job was 50% remote work and 50% in the office. My ideal workplace environment was in a high-rise building in the middle of the city with a view that overlooks the entire city skyline. I saw myself doing something I am passionate about and that makes me feel like I’m making a difference. Every single day, I feel like I’m making the world a much better place.

You are probably thinking, This all sounds nice, but I have a vision for my job and have failed at getting it. I don’t believe this can happen for me. Every time I talk to people about building a new vision, the first thing they tell me is, “Okay, well, I had this dream, and I had an idea of what I wanted to do, but I never got it, so I settled for this job.”

Yes, all of that may be true, but that is in the past. We are now starting a new page in your job search, and with all the new tools that you can learn to use, you’ll be able to turn that vision into reality. I have helped hundreds of people do this, with amazing results, so I know it’s possible.

When you have the right type of mindset and a solid strategy in place, this will all become very easy. Most people struggle with looking for a job, so you are not alone. Again, that was in the past; now get ready for an exciting future!

Now let’s switch out of la-la land before hopping on to the next section. While this vision looks and sounds great, the journey will not be easy. In previous articles, I have talked extensively about how to deal with rejection and failure. It is part of the journey, whether we like it or not, but when you learn how to deal with the negatives, your life becomes easier.

My client, Paul, found success when he was finally able to define and visualize his dream job. When I first started working with Paul, he was completely lost in his search for a new job transition. He was a senior developer with more than 25 years of experience, and he did not know where to go. The first thing we did was write down his vision for his dream job. He wrote, “$200,000 base salary, working in a culture similar to a start-up, full-on remote, and a location close to New York City so I can be close to my family.”

We worked together for more than six months, and Paul went through many good interviews, some not-so-good interviews and even a few failed offers. At one point, he almost gave up and didn’t want to continue. I kept him on track mentally and always pushed him to keep going. At the end of the period, he got not one but three different offers! He picked the one that resonated with his needs the most.

After he signed the contract for his new job, we went back to the vision he had written down for his dream job. They were extremely similar, and that completely blew his mind! This is the power of having an idea of what you want. After having an idea of your dream job, check out this article to learn the next steps so you can start getting interviews.

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