Waiting for the perfect job

Tuesday, November 15, 2016

Should you hold out for your dream job, or settle for something that isn't exactly what you want, but similar?

You can sort jobs into three categories, dream jobs, jobs that are good enough, and jobs we'd rather avoid. What makes a job perfect varies from person to person. What I love about my job, you may hate about yours.

What are you looking for?

Have a think about what attributes your dream job would have. Be realistic, there's a difference between a fantasy job and a real job. Do you want it to be close to home or something that allows you to travel, are you looking for something that gives you flexible working hours, would it be in a particular field, using a particular skill set, or just something that pays well? Think about all the things you want from a job that would make it great.

For a number of reasons, in the short term you may have to settle for a job that's good enough. From your list of dream job attributes, what would you be willing to compromise on? I'm not telling you that you should settle for the first job you come across, obviously that decision of whether or not to keep looking is up to you. But sometimes the job we wish we could have right now isn't realistic at the moment, we need to take another path to get us where we want to be.

Set yourself a time frame

If not for outside factors, we'd all keep searching for that perfect job. But as your expenses grow and your savings shrink, sitting around waiting for your dream job becomes a luxury many can't afford. So when you start looking for a job it will be helpful to decide what time frame you're going to stick to. How long are you going to wait and how long do you think savings will last? Are you going to give it a month or a whole year before you decide to expand you're your search and consider jobs that aren't exactly what you want, but are close? Just remember the longer you wait, the bigger those gaps on your resume become.

You may have heard people say that the easiest time to find a job, is when you already have a job. When employers can see that your skills are already being used and valued by others, they'll think, if that person's current employer values their abilities, then they're probably a good employee to have. When you've been out of work for a while there can be concerns, why have you been out of work for so long, are your skills up to date? This can all be addressed in an interview to show their concerns are unwarranted, but first you have to get past the initial reading of your resume and hope it doesn't turn employers away.

Consider your options

Some of us are lucky and find the opportunities that allow us to do the work we want. Sometimes though, we have to take smaller steps and work towards where we want to be in the future. With this in mind think about applying for jobs that aren't your dream job, but are good enough for now. A job doesn't have to be one that you stay in long term, you're going to have multiple jobs in your life so consider what you stand to gain from a job. Each role can help you by giving you skills, experience, or contacts, all important things that help when looking for a new job.

I know not everyone has the opportunity to hold out for a better job, but there are jobs out there where it would be better to hold out than accept them. When you go in for an interview, and the manager or employees are rude to you or one another, if you notice poor working conditions such as a dirty workplace, these could be warning signs of things to come if you accept this job. Don't ignore your gut feeling about a job.

When it comes to getting your dream job, put the effort in and work towards it. Whether it's something that's close to home, something that pays well, has flexible hours, or a job that has none of these thing but allows you to follow your passion, your dream job isn't just going to fall into your lap.

When it comes to job searching, how long do you think you'd be willing to hold out for that dream job of yours?

Would you like to comment on this article?

Name:
Location:
Comments:
	Please type the red letters and numbers into the red box above. This is to protect our system from SPAM and viruses.

Previous Comments

There are no comments for this blog post as yet. If you have recently commented then please be patient while your comment is reviewed by our staff.