Imagine yourself in your dream job. Does it seem like you’re never going to end up there? Maybe you’re thinking you don’t deserve the opportunity, why would a company pick you over someone else? Or perhaps it seems impossible to get your foot through the door at the company you’ve got your eye on.
Truth is, the majority of people have thought the same at some point. But the difference is, there are people who do nothing as a result of these thoughts and there are those that persevere to get what they want.
The process of getting from where you are now, to where you want to be can feel like an uphill struggle with a minefield at the peak. But, like with accomplishing any task, when you break down the process into individual steps, it doesn’t have to seem impossible.
As unattainable as a dream job might sound, with the right amount of forethought and preparation, you can make it into where you want to be. Following these six tips will help get you started.
Identify your dream company/companies and job role
Say you want to be the Marketing Manager for Disney. The next step would be to search the company and find the role on LinkedIn.
Once you’ve identified who this person is, you can look at what skills they have and what kind of experience got them into that job. By doing this, you can see if there are any gaps in your own skillset and experience. You can also see what other roles and companies the individual has worked in prior to their current position. This will help you gain an understanding of their career path and how they got to where they are now.
Update your skillset
As well as learning new skills in a job, there are a number of online courses and workshops available which can help broaden your knowledge base. I would recommend looking first at the industry body ones from Chartered Institutes. Not only are the courses recognised by many employers as being valuable, but some tutors on them may be able to provide you with career guidance. These courses are however usually costly and can take months to complete.
Other organisations that provide high quality courses for a lower cost are:
Find any potential opportunities
Are there any opportunities listed on the website or on the company LinkedIn page that you can apply to? Don’t just check these avenues once then forget about them, set yourself a reminder to check back every couple of weeks.
Reach out to a relevant person in the company
You may be able to find email addresses of some people in the company from their website. Alternatively, LinkedIn is a great platform to reach out on. If the company is relatively small, you could reach out to the CEO or founder. Introduce yourself and express why you are interested in working for the company.
Remember to keep your message concise and do your research into the company and their values first. Showing how your values match those of the organisation will help you stand out over other people.
Get your free template for an email/LinkedIn message.
Attend networking events/conferences
A great platform to find events is on Meetup and Eventbrite. As well as meeting industry professionals, attending networking events and conferences will provide you with information on the latest tech and news in your sector which is always important to be aware of. Plus, they’re a great excuse to meet new people and have fun!
Don’t give up
As much as we all wish it would, often the things worth getting in life don’t come to us straight away. As long as you’re always taking steps in the right direction and working hard, there is no reason you shouldn’t get your dream job.
