Find Your Dream Job: Insider Tips for Finding Work, Advancing your Career, and Loving Your Job

You don’t have to search far to see companies hiring these days; it seems there are openings everywhere. But that isn’t true for everyone who wants a new job. Some people are struggling to find a job even in this job market. Find Your Dream Job guest Cathy Lanzalaco says that part of the reason is due to passive job seekers, those people who didn’t plan to look for a new job, but just want to know...

What happens when you find the job you feel you were made for but your background and experience don’t seem to fit? You may have all the right skills but in an entirely different field. On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job , Steph Routh (https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephrouth/) and I talk about how to present yourself in such a way that hiring managers can relate your experience to the pos...

The skills listed in a job posting aren’t the only things you need to focus on in a job search. You bring a lot more to the table than merely a list of hard skills, says Find Your Dream Job guest, Dr. Carol Parker Walsh. Carol suggests making a list of every skill you have, figuring out what you care about the most, and then deciding which of those things match the job you want. Carol says that em...

Switching careers is a challenge at best and can become overwhelming. What if there was a way to shorten the process and make it less painful? There is, and the answer is to find mentors to help you, says Find Your Dream Job guest Kwan Segal. Kwan suggests you start by identifying the industry and specific companies you’d like to work in. Be flexible and willing to meet with someone in that compan...

Do you know it’s time to look for a new job but you keep putting it off? Maybe it seems overwhelming or you don’t know where to begin. The way to beat job search procrastination is to figure out exactly what you’re avoiding. Find Your Dream Jo b guest Dr. Ursina Teuscher suggests deciding what your next step should be and taking only that step. Dr. Teuscher also recommends treating a job search li...

Are you spreading the net too wide when it comes to looking for your next job? You need to remain flexible as a job seeker but without focus, says Find Your Dream Job guest Markell Morris, you are likely to become overwhelmed with options. Markell suggests beginning by defining exactly what it is you want to do and the skills you can bring to that position. Clarity is paramount when deciding where...

Preparing for behavioral interview questions is a crucial part of any job search. But what if you don’t have a specific answer to one of the questions you’re asked? Find Your Dream Job guest Ryan Yip says you can address it with a philosophical statement that addresses the root of the question. Another suggestion Ryan gives is to prepare these statements for several categories and then record your...

Whether you’re afraid of backlash or of being let go, it can feel scary to tell your boss or coworkers that you’re looking for a new position. But what if they are the very people who could give you a lead on that job you’d love? On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Daniel Thornton (https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-thornton-37959b18/) shares how his current boss gave him the lead on his...

Every job seeker knows the importance of networking. However, just talking to a lot of random people isn’t the way to find your dream job. What you need is a strategy for intentional networking. Find Your Dream Job guest Justin Chin says that begins with reaching out to past colleagues and their personal connections. Justin recommends building a team of people who will ask you hard questions and c...

If you’ve decided to pursue a career in nonprofit work, it’s likely because you have a passion for the mission of the organization you’re applying to. How do you use that passion to create your personal brand? According to Find Your Dream Job guest Dr. Jasmine Escalera, it all starts with sharing why the company’s mission is important to you. She also tells us how to use the job description to cre...

The wage gap between men and women is well-known, but did you know that women also approach their job search very differently than their male counterparts? Women are more cautious, more hesitant to share their strengths, and generally ask for less money. Find Your Dream Job guest Jennifer Kass offers several ways women can change this approach, starting with creating a list of skills and achieveme...

You’ve received an offer for your dream job, but the salary isn’t quite what you had hoped it would be. How do you negotiate the salary with confidence? Find Your Dream Job guest Kate Dixon says you need to be prepared to ask for what you need. Share your expertise and what your research shows the market will bear for someone with your experience. Kate recommends establishing a collaboration with...

Networking is a valuable skill to take into a job search, but only if you go into it with the understanding that not everyone you spend time with will have a job to offer you. On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job , Alex Dolan (https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexdolan/) and I talk about how talking to others helped him during his job search, even if it was just a friendly conversation. Alex al...

Maybe you’ve been thinking about making a career change for a while now but you don’t know where to begin. Taking action toward a new career doesn’t have to be overwhelming, says Find Your Dream Job guest Julie Sliga. Julie recommends starting with research, both of your fears and the potential of the field you’re considering. She also advises taking advantage of informational interviews and maint...

If you want to get the attention of a hiring manager, the most important thing you can do is to stand out. And one of the best ways to do that is by using video. If you’ve never considered creating a video resume, there’s no better time, says Find Your Dream Job guest Rhona Pierce. And it’s not as difficult as you might think. Rhona gives suggestions on how to develop your talking points, how long...

If you set up your LinkedIn profile and haven’t been to the site again, you’re missing out on a great job strategy. Recruiters and hiring managers use LinkedIn to find candidates for open positions. How can you use LinkedIn to find your dream job? Find Your Dream Job guest Jonathan Javier suggests beginning with a list of companies you’d love to work for. Search for people who work for those compa...

We often hear about the importance of authenticity in the workplace. But how can you show your authentic self at work if you haven’t shown it during the application and interview process? Do you want a job that forces you to be one person at work and another in your personal life? On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job , Meghan Prichard shares how she added her unique personality to her resu...

If your resume simply lists your skills and qualifications, it won’t grab the attention of a hiring manager. Your resume is your personal marketing document, says Find Your Dream Job guest Pamela Leone, and you need it to showcase exactly what you have to offer. Pamela says you need to highlight the skills you have related to the job opening. But you can’t stop there. Provide concrete examples of...

Are you trying to transition to a new position or field? If so, you need to go into the process with a definite strategy in place in order to get a new, better, fantastic job, says Find Your Dream Job guest Peter Paskill. Peter says that starts with knowing your skills, desires, and talents, and using them to do a targeted job search. Having the right qualifications isn’t enough; you need to show...

Networking is a great way to get input as you progress in your career, but networking alone can’t help you make specific decisions. The best way to get personalized advice, says Find Your Dream Job guest Nii Ato Bentsi-Enchill, is by surrounding yourself with people who are invested in your life. These relationships can be formal or informal, and you can form them in your company and outside it. N...

As job seekers, it’s natural to focus on the skillset and benefits of a position. But those aren’t typically the things that cause a person to stay at a company. Your day-to-day experience is what makes it a dream job, or one you can’t wait to escape. How do you find a job that offers a great employee experience? Find Your Dream Job guest Joni Roylance says you need to think about what hasn’t work...

Are you hopeful that having a large skill set will help you land your next job faster? That’s not necessarily the case. You’re better off focusing on the things that make you unique, says Find Your Dream Job guest Kevin D. Turner. With the sheer number of applicants for every job posted growing rapidly, you need to stand out if you want to be noticed. Kevin suggests doing a self-audit to figure ou...

Working with a recruiter can be a great way to find your next position, but finding a recruiter or getting noticed by one isn’t easy. The trick, says Find Your Dream Job guest AJ Eckstein, is to network before you need a job. AJ says you need to focus on building organic relationships, especially with those in the field and geographical area you want to work. And don’t focus on work alone; get inv...

We all know that networking is a crucial piece of the job seeker’s puzzle. However, networking alone won’t get you a great job. You have to be strategic in who you’re talking to and where you spend your time. On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Joseph Hernandez (https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephjhernandezmba/) shares how strategic networking got him noticed by a recruiter and ultimately...

Networking: a word that can strike fear even in the most outgoing of job seekers. But what if you fear it because you only do it when you’re under the stress of finding a job? Is there a better way to network? Find Your Dream Job guest Lav Chintapalli says yes. Daily networking, which Lav recommends, turns the dreaded “meet and greet” into real relationships with people you care about. Rather than...