In my last column, I talked about developing your “dream job” to use as guidance for your job search.
After getting several questions from readers, it’s clear that I need to go into more detail.
Because the “why” is very important.
When I meet with clients, coming up with the “why” consists of a one-on-one session or group exercise that begins with me briefly talking about what I find attractive about my personal dream job — which happens to be serving as host of The Today Show.
I’ll talk about the buzz of being on a popular daily show that’s watched by millions of viewers, and interviewing celebrities of all kinds and talking about the latest news around the world.
And yes, I do think I’d enjoy living and working in New York City, at least for a while, and I wouldn’t mind the very generous paycheck.
Take out a pen and a sheet of paper
Next, I’ll ask everyone to take out a pen and a sheet of paper and write down their dream job.
I tell them not to worry about the usual constraints like “I don’t have a college degree” or “I don’t think I’d be qualified” or “I’m not smart enough.”
Forget about how much the job might pay or how much money you need to support your desired lifestyle. For the moment, family concerns aren’t an issue. Neither is geography.
There are no constraints. The details don’t matter. The point of the exercise is simply to get yourself thinking big.
Let yourself go!
At first, I usually get little more than perplexed looks. After a minute or so, some begin to write furiously while others wait for inspiration to pop into their heads.
That’s because they don’t understand what I’m asking them to do, mainly because they’ve never been asked to dream big. Or they’ve kept their dreams to themselves.
What we’d like our lives to look like
When we were children, most of us had fantasies about what we’d like our lives to look like. Where we’d live, whom we’d marry, what kind of house we’d live in. And what kind of work we’d do.
Why not now?
Many people, whether they realize it or not, began early in life to doubt their dreams. Often, it’s a process driven by harsh realities, but some people simply lose their dreams way too early.
In our sessions, a breakthrough of sorts happens when I ask them to shout out their dream jobs and add a sentence or two about why. Soon others join in, feeling more at ease. After all, it’s all in fun.
Often people respond by citing a sport they love, usually adding that they’d like to earn mega-millions playing it. Or own their own business. Or run a charity. Or, or, or…
The next step is that I’ll ask them to compile a list of 20 to 30 major and minor reasons why they’d be attracted to whatever their dream job happens to be.
Brainstorming together, we then talk about those attributes, which leads to compiling a list of jobs that have the same or similar attributes.
We usually end up with a handful of fields that seem to be a good fit.
At the end of the session, I tell them that their homework assignment is to dig deeper and unearth what positions are being currently advertised in those fields. Job descriptions will give you a good idea of the reality of potential career paths.
Do you happen to know anyone in any of these fields? Someone who knows someone?
When the client comes back for a follow up, hopefully they’ve talked to one or two people in these fields and learned the good and bad about their real-life jobs. They’ve also researched open positions in those fields and determined what they like and didn’t like.
I highly suggest this approach to anyone wondering what career would make them the happiest and be the most fulfilling.
The ideal job is out there. Know what makes you happy and make it happen for you.
Don’t forget to dream big.
Blair is co-founder of Manpower Staffing and can be reached at pblair@manpowersd.com
