You’ve probably had a job you hated — it may even be your current job. You watch the clock constantly, gaze out the window, and live for the weekends. You’re bored, uninspired, and burnt out. There’s nothing worse than dreading going to your job, because your job is a significant part of your life. Finding and pursuing a job you’re passionate about can change your entire life and help you wake up in the morning looking forward to your day, whether it’s Monday or Saturday.
However, it can be overwhelming and challenging to find a job that excites you and better suits your interests and passions. Where do you even begin? And what if you don’t have the skillset you need?
It is possible to have a job you love. Following a few concrete steps can help ease this process and get you on your path to success and happiness quickly and efficiently.
Identify Your Passions
The first step in pursuing a job you’re passionate about is to identify exactly what your passions are. This can be harder than it sounds. If you can’t seem to find a job you love, you might need to spend some dedicated time thinking about your passions, interests, and talents. It will be worth the time because when you’re in the right job, work might not even feel like work.
“While long hours may be required, successful people spend their time on the right things and in the right roles,” says Forbes. “When all these factors are aligned, most of these people can’t even tell you how hard or long they ‘work.’ For them it is not a question of how many hours they put in during a week or work/life balance, but about doing what they love as much as possible.”
Start with a pen and paper and make a long list of everything you’re interested in and passionate about. It could include anything from leadership styles and teaching to video games and the outdoors. You’ll probably start with a fairly long list and narrow it down to your true passions. You might find that certain things on your list fall under the same umbrella, helping you narrow down your list.
Don’t be afraid to dream big here, even if something seems out of reach. Remember, you’re just identifying and brainstorming. Why not really go for it? If you’ve always wanted to be a firefighter but have never donned the suit or slid down a fireman’s pole, don’t let that stop you. Just write it down.
You also shouldn’t limit yourself to jobs that put you in a position of working for other people. If you can’t find a business you’d love to work for, perhaps that means you should start your own. Northeastern University experts on entrepreneurs and employees say that qualities of successful entrepreneurs include passion for the work they’re doing, the ability to think ahead, and a commitment to lifelong learning. If these qualities apply to you, you might consider straying from the world of traditional employment in favor of an entrepreneurial endeavor.
Once you’ve completed your list, you should have a pretty concrete idea of your passions and lines of work you might be interested in pursuing. Remember, you can’t pursue a job you’re passionate about if you don’t first identify your passions.
Cultivate the Skills You’ll Need
Once you know what type of work you want to pursue, you’ll need to know if you’re prepared already or if you need to cultivate the skills you’ll need to succeed on the job. Especially if you’re trying to break into a new career with no experience, identifying specific skills needed and doing whatever you can to attain them will help you in the application process.
A great way to start is to put yourself into the shoes of the people who would be hiring you, funding your start-up, or otherwise in a position of oversight. How will they see your resume? What strengths will they see? What gaps? Learning how recruiters use applicant tracking systems to assess your resume can help you avoid simple mistakes, load your resume with the necessary skills, and make it through to the next round.
If you’re interested in starting your own business but don’t know the first thing about digital marketing, you might need to take a class on digital marketing basics. There are lots of free resources out there as well as classes and courses designed for professionals. Consider looking into online schools and learning databases like Coursera, edX, Code Academy, and iTunesU, just to name a few.
Don’t forget about the wealth of knowledge that exists in your peers as well. Reaching out to other people in your desired field and picking their brains is a great way to gain new skills and insights that will help you succeed. You may be able to shadow or intern with someone you admire to get an inside look at what a career in that field would be like. Things like this look great on a resume as well.
Nail Your Interview
After you get your resume in line and receive an invitation to interview, it’s time to shift your focus. Your skills came through on your resume, but now it’s time to show off your passion and personality. Nailing your interview is one of the most important parts to pursuing a job you’re passionate about.
First of all, remember that interviewing is a two way street. As much as the company is interviewing you to assess whether or not you’re the right person for the job, you’re also interviewing them to make sure the job is right for you and that you’ll thrive doing it.
Make sure you have a list of questions to ask your potential employer. For example, you might want to know about vacation time, company culture, scheduling flexibility, or opportunities to practice creativity and leadership. You should also be prepared to answer their questions. Being familiar with common interview questions will ease your stress and increase your success rate. If you prepare well, you’ll feel more relaxed and in control during the interview process and therefore more able to communicate your passion and interest in the job.
Finding a job you’re passionate about is an important step in living a happy and fulfilled life. If you take time to concretely identify your passions, cultivate the skills you need to succeed, and thoroughly prepare for your interview process, you’ll be well on your way to achieving the career of your dreams.
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