The vast majority of people have days when they moan about their work but do you continually find yourself thinking that your ideal job is out there somewhere if you only knew where to look.
Here are six steps to follow in pursuit of your ideal job:
- Assume responsibility
I have met several people in search of their ideal job who come to me hoping that I can provide them with the definitive answer; what they are really looking for is someone who will remove the responsibility from them. However, if you want to change job and find your ideal career, you have to be prepared to take responsibility, make decisions and then act on those decisions. No one else can tell you what the right career for you is, and if they do, then you are notn empowering yourself and taking charge of your career development.
- Imagine career ideas
Most of us imagine ourselves in a career every day. Have you ever heard the voice inside your head saying things like, “what if I had my own business?” or “how would I be as a project manager?” but then you just dismiss this voice and the ideas never sees the light of day. I believe that when it comes to figuring out the right career choice, you have to consider all of these ideas before you dismiss them. In other words, I want you to be “unrealistic”, think about all your life experiences that have had a big impact on you and consider what kinds of jobs or careers that experience suggests to you. Thinking realistically does not create successful business empires, it just stifles creative ideas. Some of the best careers emerge from what initially appear farfetched ideas. In the beginning you need to let your ideas flow freely before choosing a few to explore in more detail.
- Use your motivated skills
Your motivated skills are those that you enjoy using and have achieved the most with and it is really important to spend time considering these skills and what makes you unique. This not only helps to boost your confidence as you realise how much you have to offer but can also give you clues to your most important values and therefore an indication of what type of work you would be a good fit for.
- Deal with negative thoughts that inhibit career progress
We are all good at putting ourselves down. Many people have anxieties, fears, or self-defeating thoughts that can prevent them from taking action in pursuit of their ideal career and you will need to find ways to overcome these negative forces. One way to do this is to list the problems as you see them and then come up with ways to overcome them.
- Figure out the steps to your career goal
Rather than saying, “I can’t do that kind of work. I’m not cut out for it” recognise that your motivation and skill development will determine your career progress. Career development is about cultivating the skills you need to do the work you want to do. Talk has to lead to action and the best way to take action is to break down your career goal into small action steps, the completion of each step taking you that bit closer to your end goal.
- Choose work that has a sense of meaning and purpose
If you can translate your career ideas into action steps to a goal and then follow your action plan, this shows that you are motivated and if you are motivated to doing something, then the chances are that it has meaning and purpose. A strong purpose will assist you in acquiring new skills and doing whatever it takes to get the job you want. You may well need a job to pay the bills but the real purpose for wanting a particular job will go beyond that. It can take time to find a job that has meaning and purpose and it may be that you have to take a different role initially as a stepping stone to your ideal job. For example, if you are really driven to have a job where you help the environment, you may not be able to immediately get a job in that field so you might need to find a way of staying involved in that and keep looking for job opportunities while earning an income in other ways.
How do I know that following the above steps will help you find the right job for you?
Check out my story. I’ve been there and gone through these steps and it does work; if you are prepared to put the time, effort and hard work into it.
© Anne Galloway
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Anne Galloway is the Careers Consultant for those who want to put the fun and passion back into their working week. Find out how Anne can help you along your path to career success at www.power-to-change.eu
