Finding a job can be hard enough in today’s market, let alone a job you love. This doesn’t mean you should give up on your dreams, however. Plenty of people enjoy what they do for a living, and with the right amount of hard work, dedication and talent, why should you be any different?
Tired of slogging it out in an unfulfilling 9-5? Ready to get off the corporate conveyor belt and follow your passion? To help you find a job you love, here are some usual pointers for you to consider.
Identify your passion
Making money doing what you love is one thing, but what if you don’t even know what that is? Many people find themselves in this dilemma, especially after years of working in a job they hate. If possible, take some time off work so you can get back to basics and spend some quality time with number one – that’s you! Think about what you enjoyed doing as a child, and what excites you now. Getting back in touch with those instincts is your first step toward following your passion.
Consider your skills
What do you enjoy doing that you also do well? Is your passion also a unique skill that you could bring into a professional setting? Write a list of the things you enjoy doing and all the ways you could make money from them. For example, if you love drawing, you could become an illustrator, sell your art, start a design blog, set up a graphic design business, run sketching classes and so on. You may also need a bit of training to start your business. For example, if you want to go into makeup, you may need to go on an eyelash training course before you start getting clients. If you want to do affiliate marketing, you need to learn basic SEO (source: SEOlutions.
Think about the money
Let’s not pretend money doesn’t matter. While financial security shouldn’t be the only reason you do your job, you do need to make a living. This means you need to think about your skills and whether you can monetize them. You might need to complete some extra training or go back to college, so you’ll need to decide whether returning to education is worth it in the long or short run. Given that the average American retires at 62, that’s a long time to do something you hate – suddenly a few more years in education doesn’t seem so bad after all.
Begin your search
Once you’ve brainstormed your different passions, thought about monetizing them and considered any further education you might need, it’s time to begin your job search on a website like Gumtree. Here, you can search jobs according to type or location (for example, “jobs in Glasgow” or “jobs in recruitment”). Remember: you may not find the dream job right away. You could spend months searching before a position comes along that interests you. You might not hear back from most recruiters, or you may have to do something you don’t enjoy for a while in the name of getting your foot on the ladder.
Be patient
Finding a job you love is a journey, not a destination. You may discover other jobs you like along the way, or you may change your mind about what you want to do long-term. Don’t be disheartened if you can’t follow the exact path you set out on. Most people stray from their dream careers to make money or because they need to find a viable pathway to the top. Be patient and persistent, and the right job will come along eventually.
