Do you dream of spending your days acting, teaching, helping others or designing clothes or magnificent gardens? Whatever your career aspirations, there are several ways you can be proactive in making your perfect job more attainable.
Researching
The best place to start when trying to get a new job or engineer a change of career is to research. Find out what you need to do to get the job you want. In some cases, you may need to apply for courses or gain qualifications, while in others, it may be advisable to look for opportunities to gain practical experience or get an entry-level job. Read job adverts and industry magazines and blogs and try to speak to people who have succeeded. This will give you an insight into how you can maximize your chances of hearing about opportunities and getting interviews, trials or auditions.
Studying and learning
Some people may already have the skills, experience or qualifications they need to apply for their dream job, but often, studying, learning and training can help you enhance your career prospects. Look for courses, workshops, online classes and training sessions that are relevant to the industry in which you want to work and figure out which kinds of courses would be most beneficial for you. Search for mentors and read up on teachers and educators like Travis Preston with CalArts to find the best programs. If you’re currently working, and you don’t want to give up work or sacrifice your income, you could study online or look into options like doing evening or weekend classes.
Gaining experience
Most of us have been in a situation where we’ve been turned down for an interview or rejected because we don’t have the necessary experience. The trouble is that it’s very difficult to get the first break and to access opportunities to gain the experience needed to get a job. If you find yourself in a scenario where you can’t get onto the ladder, it’s worth investigating internships and entry-level jobs and contacting companies and organizations that take on people with limited experience. Volunteering and doing unpaid work could help you get your foot in the door, especially in industries such as journalism, working with charities, TV, and media, PR and events.
Networking
If you’re looking for a job in a highly competitive industry, there’s every chance that you’ve been told that it’s not what you know that matters, but who you know. Networking is a means of building a contact list and it can help you find out about opportunities and meet people who may be willing to give you a chance to impress. Look for details of events, join online communities within the industry in which you want to work and follow up on leads. It’s a good idea to go to an event with a card that has your contact details on and a mental list of questions you can turn to if the conversation dries up or you want to break the ice when meeting people for the first time.
The average adult spends around 36 hours at work every week so it’s natural to want to find a job you love. If you have ambitions and aspirations, hopefully, this guide will help to make your dream job more attainable.