Waiting for your Dream Job?

“How come you haven’t applied for any jobs?” I ask the young woman on the other side of my desk.

“There hasn’t been anything good,” she complains.

I try to explain how the job market is a reflection of the economy and how the fact that she has very little experience outside of school reduces her potential job selection. I caution, “Unless you put yourself out there, you risk not getting any work.”

“I know,” she says adamantly. “When I see my dream job, then I’ll apply.”

As she exits my office in a huff, I sigh. Here is a bright, talented young woman wasting her time playing the waiting game, rather than getting in the game. And though she wasn’t interested, I do want to share with you why there’s no point waiting around for a dream job.

#1. Your dream job may not yet be accessible. I’m not saying it’s not possible, but it might not be in your current reach. For new grads or new professionals, it may take 3-5 years to build up the experience and network to enable you to be pickier in your job search. In the short term, look for opportunities that allow you to skill-build from in the trenches and get you exposure to as many players as possible in your industry.

#2. While waiting for your dream job, you may miss out. By being too specific about what you want, you may be missing out on experience with companies, colleagues and projects that are imperative to getting you ahead. Too often, I hear from people who only want to work in large, well-known corporations. But often, it’s the startups and non-profit gigs that allow a junior employee to take on a range of responsibilities. Consider the skills you want to gain, not where you want to get them.

#3. Your dream job may not be the same as your dream career. Even if you are successful in nailing down your dream job early on, you may find that it’s not what you expected. I vividly remember crying on my desk after getting my first promotion, realizing I’d gotten everything I wanted, but still, I wasn’t happy. Each work experience you have will help you determine what makes you tick and what turns you off. Following those signs will help you create a path to your dream career – one that is rewarding and one that is uniquely you. It may not look like what you originally imagined, but it will feel right.

Your best bet is to determine what’s important to you right now. What experience are you looking to gain, what kind of people do you want to work with, or what kind of work environment interests you? By broadening your job search rather than narrowing it, you’ll see many more opportunities open up for you. And they just might help you make your dreams come true.