What's Your Ideal Job?

While often portrayed as some abstract dream, your ideal job should be a very tangible and clear thing if you want to navigate your early career with intention. There's a huge difference between some extravagant musing that you had as a child (though if that is still your ideal job, amazing for you!) and a thoughtful goal developed after guided reflection (and ideally some expert advice).

How to Start Picking Your Ideal Job

Set aside a time and a place where you can reflect. Think about key aspects of a job that are important to you - your deal breakers so to speak. Really consider the idea of your ideal job thoughtfully. Get beyond what you think you "should" say, think or do, and try to get to the heart of what you actually want.

Important Factors in Choosing Your Ideal Job

There are so many different factors to consider. It all really depends on you. What is most important to you? Here are some ideas to get started...

• Ideal industry(ies) and role(s) do you want to work in?
• Which of your core skills do you hope to leverage?
• What size is your ideal company?
• What is the work culture (and this can mean a lot of different things)?
• Additional factors that are personally meaningful for you?

How to Actualize Your Ideal Job

After thinking about the attributes of your ideal job, what do you do with that information? Firstly, it's a great idea to speak with trusted advisors, mentors, friends, family, colleagues, classmates and anyone else you think will give you honest and constructive feedback about the characteristics that you've identified as essential to your future job and ideal career trajectory. In fact, if you haven't considered how your ideal job might fit into an overall ideal career path, that's another thing you can do to ensure that you're on the right track. There's also always the possibility of working with a career coach to help you refine and articulate your ideal job, then defining a path toward that goal.

Want Career Guidance to Choose or Get Your Ideal Job?

Knowing what your ideal job really looks like is crucial to ensure that you are navigating toward a fulfilling career that will bring you toward your true goals. What you dedicate to this now will serve you manifold in the future - while you enjoy your dream job.

Need more support? Here are a few options:

1. Get immediate access to Early Career Executive Coaching free resource bank. Access Resources Here.
2. Book a free 1:1 career consult with me! We'll go over your initial thoughts on what an ideal job looks like for you and find ways I can support you with recommendations or 1:1 coaching. Schedule Here .
3. Get on the waitlist for the next cohorts of ECEC's core webinars on Interviewing, Networking or Personal Branding!

Who am I?

Hi, I'm Bill. With over 40 years of experience in talent acquisition, human capital management, diversity/equity/inclusion strategies, HR program development, one-on-one coaching mentorships and partnerships with several universities, I'm here to help students and young professionals maximize their early career success with my coaching platform Early Career Executive Coaching .

Learn More Here