Identify Your Dream Job

Whether you are graduated from college or switching careers, entering the working world is supposed to be one of the most exciting times of your life. Cliche slogans are thrown at you like blinking Vegas advertisements: "Endless opportunities await you!" "Start your career in computer technology!" You literally could go into any type of job you want! But the fine line between dreaming and finding your dream job can sometimes act as a blindfold rather than a guide.

The fact of the matter is, there are endless opportunities out there. It is just a matter of finding which ones fit and then finding a way to obtain them. Most importantly, you need to determine what you like to do and what you are good at.There is no point in obtaining a job which provokes you to bang your head against the elevator wall on the way to your cubicle every morning. Make a list of these things without stopping until you hit the end of the page. What are you passionate about? What gets you up in the morning? When you are finished, write down your dream job, regardless of money, location, etc. This should focus your interests and help narrow down the career paths to take. If your own list doesn't help, there are online tests available that will suggest what career would match. There are also career counselors available. Even just talking to friends, family, professors and classmates can help you out with a career choice.

Research Job Opportunties

But, what good is knowing what you like if you don't know what types of jobs utilize your skills? Instead of searching by job titles, (marketing, sales, accounting), why not explore what industry you see yourself in. Do you want to work in government, fashion, food & beverage, corporate, education? What do you want to be surrounded by every day? If you still have no clue, do your research verbally. It is one thing to get online and read, but the best sources you have are the people who live the jobs.

Schedule lunch meetings with people who have the job you want so you can pick their brains. Ask them, "How do I get to where you are?" What advice do they have on what you should do or what you would thrive in? Most of the time people are more than happy to help.

Get your Foot in the Door

If you know what you want to do and are searching for how to get started, the best way is to think of people you know in the field. Getting your foot in the door is one of the biggest hurdles to jump when finding a job; it goes back to the old saying, "It's not what you know, it's who you know."Let people know you are available.A position in their company may become available and your name will be at the top of their mind.

There is an array of ways to go about finding open positions. Online is the most popular in today's world, but remember that everyone is doing that. Human Resource offices receive thousands of resumes a day. If you can get face time, you are already ahead of the game. Despite the competition, the Internet is still a great way to get interviews. Besides using career sites like Monster.com, go straight to the company's webpage. They will have a link for careers and most likely you can submit resumes online.

Don't forget about your University career centers. They will probably have an alumni page which posts job opportunities directed towards college grads.

Once you have obtained an interview, you still may not know if the job is right. Don't sell yourself short by accepting the first company that accepts you. Make sure you feel comfortable and ask yourself if the compensation is sufficient. Do you like the relationship the employees have with their boss, with each other? Do you like the physical surroundings? Does the company treat you with trust and respect? Is the company itself healthy, and does it provide you with the right tools to grow? The answers do not all have to be perfect, but weigh them against each other.

After submitting resumes, don't get frustrated if you don't score an interview in the first month. The career hunt is a lot like going to the gym. You dedicate a lot of physical effort and time into reaching your goal, but results are not visible for at least a few months. So don't quit because it seems like nothing is happening. There are people available for moral support, but if we are talking about careers, they won't always be fit and wearing spandex.

By: Jennifer Cohrs- copywriter

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