Your Dream Job. What even IS that?

In other words: WHAT DO I DO WHEN I DON’T EVEN KNOW WHAT I WANT TO DO FOR THE LOVE OF LIIIIIIFE?

It's the question on everybody's lips - well, those who enter my DREAM JOB WORLD, anyway...

I hear ya.

I've BEEN ya.

And I’ve got ya.

The definition of a Dream Job, in my humble (but brilliant and not at all modest) opinion, is this:

It’s one that’s right for YOU.

It’s the hours you want to work, the days you want to work, for the person you WANT to work for.

It’s one that brings out the best in you and one that makes your days HAPPY.

The one you're not always trying to ESCAPE from.

That’s it.

Your DREAM JOB doesn’t have to be one where you’re in the spotlight, on a stage, famous, a millionaire, a Rockstar.

I mean, it can be.

But really, your DREAM JOB is whatever YOU define it as.

Want to work Monday to Wednesday, 10am to 3pm, supporting an office, surrounded by nice people and somewhere that can work around your family life?

 That’s your dream job.

Maybe you want to up-level your skills, more of the same but you’re after more money / closer to home / more travel / less travel / less stress / more challenge?

 That’s your dream job.

Want to do the whole spotlight, stage, fame and fortune thing?

 That’s YOUR dream job.

Guys, it’s NOT as sexy as it sounds and I'm not even sorry for that.

It doesn’t have to be.

Your Dream Job is one that makes you happy and comfortable and allows you to be YOU - it makes your days great which in turn makes you really EFFING smiley in your life.

HOWEVER.

Sometimes we get so engrossed and all-consumed by where we’ve BEEN, that it becomes almost impossible to work out, or make a decision on where we go next.

Even worse, we focus on what we SHOULD do next.

(Should. Gah. Such a pesky word. Or maybe I'm just too much of a rebel for a word like should. Urgh...)

When you feel a bit lost as to where you’re heading, it’s always good to work to a format of past, present and future.

To do this, successfully, you need to put aside all thoughts of job search talk. Forget job titles and stuff for now, this comes first.

THE PAST

Don’t STAY in the past but remind yourself of it.

Re-trace the steps of your career to date.

Who you’ve met, what you’ve learnt, what you’ve experienced, how it’s shaped you, what you’ve taught, what you loved, what you hated, best days, worst days, best managers, worst managers, best colleagues, worst colleagues, biggest compliments received - lessons learnt.

Be grateful for all that it is.

You can’t change it, it’s yours now.

THE PRESENT

They don’t call it a present for nothing.

What a gift.

The here and now, it’s all we really have when we think about it.

Why do we spend so much time and energy trying to be either side of it?!

Everything to this point has played its part in making you who you are, like it or not.

Time to get real with yourself on who this person is, TODAY.

Who are you?

How long has it been since you’ve really even thought about this?!

Who are you?

What makes you smile?

What’s your favourite part of the day and why?

What do you get excited about?

What do you daydream about?

What’s your favourite song?

Who is your favourite type of person, why?

Who makes you feel the most you, when you’re around them?

What do people love about you?

What do you love about you?

What do you want more of in your days?

How would you sum up your career story to this point, in a) one word b) one sentence c) by talking about it for 1 / 2 / 5 / 30 minutes?

What 3 words best describe you?

Why do these questions make you feel uncomfortable? (Yep, I AM in your head. My clients love me for this, in a way.)

In summary, get up close and personal with TODAY YOU and see what comes up.

Even if it feels weird.

ESPECIALLY IF IT FEELS WEIRD.

THE FUTURE

Well, that bit is down to you.

This is where you need me to jump into your life and help you out (You didn’t think I was going to give you ALL my Dream Job Project secrets did you? C'mon.)

The most magical dream job projects are done with an open mind, a grateful heart and a clear vision of where you’ve been and who you are TODAY, just as much as where you moving on to NEXT.

Don’t focus your all and everything on the boring bs (job titles, interview questions, googling stock questions, scrolling job boards and stuff like that).

Make peace with your past.

Get REAL with your present.

And get excited about your future.

Hit re-set and crack on with this lot if you’re feeling that you need a (real) fresh start with the next phase of your life, whatever that may be.

DMx

PS: It’s never just about the CV. But you got that.

PPS: Want more of this kind of rambling but all geared up around YOU YOU BEAUTIFUL YOU? For ￡ZEROBUCKS? Of course you do. I'll see you in my DREAM JOB HANGOUT, we'll hatch plans and let the good times roll. etc.