Do ‘Dream Jobs’ Really Exist?

What are 'dream jobs' and do they even exist? They may not be as hard to obtain as you think.

When you were younger, one of the first questions you are probably asked was ‘what is your dream job?’ Or if the person asking you is a little more realistic, they might reword it as ‘what would you like to do when you are?older?’

These questions can help us start thinking about the career path we would like to develop and take steps in our education to help get us there. But it is no surprise many people enter adulthood without knowing an answer to those questions.?

After leaving formal education, a lot of people find that they fall into a de facto career or industry – and if they find that it is their calling, then great! But for a lot of people, this isn’t the case. For those people, they can find that they are at a higher risk of not feeling satisfied with their work.

Amidst a world gripped with the impacts of the pandemic, it’s hard to feel inspired about much these days, let alone your job. With all the extra worry from a rapidly spreading and deadly virus, if you’ve got a job you are probably not putting any thought into if you find meaning in your work or not.?

But you probably should reconsider that.?

What motivates you??

If you’re in a job that isn’t a great fit for you, take a moment to think about what motivates you before you start looking for a new one. You might have heard the saying “find a job you love, and you'll never work again”. It might sound like a cliché, but it can be true for people that are intrinsically motivated.?

The secret behind a dream job is if you are intrinsically motivated by your work.

Intrinsic motivation is defined as doing a job or activity purely for the satisfaction of it rather than in response to consequence. Employees intrinsically motivated in their work are enthusiastic about the challenge of the role rather than working for a paycheck.?

So, what role will motivate me? Well, that’s up to you. Have a thing about what you like, for example:

• Do you like learning new things?
• Do you like working in an office? Or a warehouse?
• Do you like operating a forklift or building the next big social media app?

What is going to give you satisfaction in your work is going to be unique to you. So be sure to think about what this could be before your next job hunt. ?

Try converting what you enjoy doing into your work

The secret to finding meaning and purpose in your work isn’t if you’re an astronaut, a gold-winning Olympian or a researcher that finds the cure to aging, but rather what keeps you engaged and satisfied.

One?way to find that dream job - or convert the one you have into one - is to align what your hobbies and interests as closely as possible to your next role.

Some of the strategies you could leverage to hone in what you want in a role might include:

• Over a day or week, take note of the tasks that make you feel energised or what you are motivated to do. Think about what tasks you would put at the top of your to-do list when you have the choice.
• Try taking an online career quiz.?This assessment?from Deakin University will give you career recommendations. Also, check out?this one?from the Australian Government’s Job Outlook.
• Compile a list of things you would like to see in your next role and sort them into ‘must haves’ and nice to haves’. It can be the small things that make the biggest differences – flexibility of working from home, casual dress attire or pizza on a Friday!
• Review?employment trends?to see the demand in your desired industry or role.

What to do now?

Chances are you're now feeling empowered and know exactly what you need to get out of work to make it more satisfying. If you've found that you can't get that from your current job, that's okay - it's now the right time to look for a new role with record job growth across the country.

With over 50 years of local experience in the Australian market, the team at HOBAN Recruitment are ready to help you land that next dream role. We invite you to have a look at the range of roles available now that might be closer to your dream role.

Can't find that perfect one? No problems. Register your details with us and someone from our friendly recruitment team will keep you in the loop when your dream role rears its head!

Make sure you're connected to HOBAN Recruitment on LinkedIn to stay up-to-date with more job seeking tips, candidate resources and be notified of the great roles we have available with some of Australia's largest employers and organisations.

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