How to find a job you really, really love

Dream big!

Before you get started on your job hunt, it’s time for some soul searching.

Now, there are lots of online quizzes you can do to unmask your dream career (personally, I’m always a little sceptical because I once got EITHER a beautician OR a funeral director. Neither of which would suit me at all…)

But YOU know what your passions are. What sparks joy? What excites you? What can’t you shut up about when you’ve had a glass or two of wine? Think about these things to get a clearer direction of where you’d like your career to take you.

Once you have what you’re passionate about at the front of your mind, have a look if there is a role in this space you can do – or work towards. Start a dream jobs list – write it down somewhere – which is a list of jobs you think you’d love.  

You might not get your dream job straight away, but by working in the field you’ll be able to open doors and work towards the role you really want.

Reflect on what you don’t like

What is it you don’t enjoy about your current job? Answering this will help guide your decisions for the future.

It could be you don’t enjoy working at a specific company rather than the role itself, in which case you could try applying for similar roles in different businesses – or even temping for a while.

Ask for a second opinion

While it’s ultimately you who must make the decision, it’s worth asking your friends and family for their opinion.

The people who know you best might remind you of things you’ve forgotten you love or that you’re brilliant at. Sometimes a reminder of something you used to do (or want to do) can be the driver for change.

Ask them what they think your strengths or talents are – and about your weaknesses.

But equally, don’t let them put a dampener on a career change. Yes, it might impact them in the short-term, and they may have a list as to why it’s a bad idea. Take their concerns on board, but ultimately, you need to make the decision for yourself.

Life is too short to be miserable at work.

Do some dream job research

LinkedIn is your friend here.

It’s the ideal place to see what’s available in the areas you’re interested in.

Log in and click on the ‘Jobs’ tab and then search for the jobs on your dream jobs list. LinkedIn will show you results for all the jobs currently advertised.

Click on the ones which seem appealing to you and read the job descriptions.

Ask yourself if you’d enjoy doing the job (don’t worry too much about having the relevant skills and experience at this point). Visualise yourself working there. Will you enjoy the job every day?

If you answer yes, add the job to a new list: More research.  

Network, network and then network some more

Once you have a few jobs on your new research list, it’s time to find out some more detailed information about these roles.

Look at your existing network and ask for introductions to people who are working in the space you’re interested in. Ask them questions about how they got started and what you’d need to do to be successful – and if they know anyone who might be recruiting!

Look for recruitment days, or networking meetings you can attend. Get your face known!

Post on LinkedIn sharing your knowledge and comment on other people’s posts. It might sound trivial, but it really does work.

You can also be proactive.

If there’s a company you really want to work for, get in touch with your CV and a cover letter about what type of role you are looking for.

They may not be actively recruiting right now, but you never know when an opening may come up. Making them aware you’re looking may just save them recruitment costs down the line.

Think about what you’ll be doing

What would a day in the life look like of any jobs you’re considering? What appeals – and what doesn’t? If the doesn’t list is longer than the positives, we’d suggest it’s probably not the role for you!

Write a list of what excites you about the job and focus on those areas.

Remember though, even those of us who REALLY love what we do (and I consider myself amongst them) have some areas of the job we’re less keen on. And those things do change over time as we grow and develop.

Interview the interviewer

If you’ve got to the point of final interviews for a new role, use this as an opportunity to ask your own questions to ask and make sure it is a role you are going to love.

Ask to meet the team you’ll be working with – and anyone you’ll be reporting to. Try to understand the company’s ethics and ensure they align with your own.

There are some more tips on that in this blog post: How to interview like a pro.

It’s also fine to ask for time to consider a job offer. Don’t feel pressured into accepting immediately, especially if the new role will involve lifestyle changes, like a longer commute or less flexibility.

As we mentioned earlier, we spend a lot of time at work, so it’s important to get it right!

Think about your salary expectations

While we’re all conscious of money (and probably now more than ever, with the cost-of-living crisis), don’t immediately take salary into consideration.

While a well-paid job might be what you think you want, it won’t necessarily bring you happiness. And you’ll have to be prepared for the stresses which come with climbing the career ladder. If you’re not passionate about the career in the first place, then you’ll never love the job, no matter how much you are being paid.

To get to where you really want to be, you may have to be prepared to take a pay cut – so think about the MINIMUM salary you can accept as a start point.

And remember in many instances, salaries are negotiable, so apply for the jobs you know you would love – and then negotiate.

Try before you buy…

At redwigwam, we believe it’s as important to know what you DON’T like doing as to understand the things you really love. And really, you’ll only know this by trying out range of different roles, in different sectors.

Which is where redwigwam comes in.

We encourage all our wigwammers to try different roles. To accept jobs which they’d usually ignore.

Sometimes they don’t enjoy the role and ignore it next time. But sometimes they find they really love something which they would never have tried, leading to a whole new outlook on their career.

And because the beauty of redwigwam is you work one shift at a time, booking only the jobs you want to complete, there’s no long-term commitment (unless you want there to be!)