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

Recruiters receive dozens of cover letters and resumes every day. How can you increase your chances of getting noticed by recruiters online and receive more job offers? Find Your Dream Job guest Blake Thiess offers a specific set of strategies. In order to get noticed online, Blake says you need to engage with recruiters in your chosen industry often enough to be recognized. Blake also shares the...

Switching job sectors can be challenging for any job seeker. But it's not impossible to make the switch, especially if you have a strong network of support around you. On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Amy Chu ( https://www.linkedin.com/in/amynchu/ ) and I discuss how she went from a career in technology to a more fulfilling one in the nonprofit world. Amy also shares how she used netw...

Leaving your job sector for an entirely new industry can seem impossible, especially if you have been in your career for a number of years. It is possible, however, to transfer your skill set to a new sector, without having to go back for an advanced degree or specialized training.   Find Your Dream Job guest Minda Harts shares the three steps you need to take to convince a hiring manager that you...

Tech is one of the fastest growing industries in the world today, with a projected 5% growth on $4 trillion in revenue this year alone. There are many opportunities to break into the tech world, even if you have no background in technology or specialized degree. Find Your Dream Job guest Lida Tohidi says that the first step toward finding your ideal job in the tech field is figuring out the roles...

Employers have several main goals for their companies and one of those goals is saving money. There are several ways they do this but one of the most frustrating for job seekers is through lowball salary offers. This doesn’t mean they only have their interests in mind; they’re simply making a business decision. Find Your Dream Job guest Lisa Gates says that as a job seeker, you can be proactive by...

If you find yourself avoiding networking events, maybe you need to change your mindset around them. It’s normal to feel nervous when you don’t know anyone who will be there or you feel unsure of what to say or do. Find Your Dream Job guest Linda Van Valkenburgh says that preparation is the key when attending a networking event. Linda also advises putting together a one-pager to distribute rather t...

You’ve found a great job opportunity and you’re excited about the possibilities. It seems like the perfect fit for you. But is sharing your enthusiasm with the hiring manager enough to get you hired? Not always. Sometimes, the fit may be perfect for you but not for the company. How can you approach your job search keeping the company's needs in mind? Find Your Dream Job guest Susanne Aronowitz say...

You know that you need to ask for help when looking for a job. But what do you do when the people you reach out to don’t respond? How can you get people to vouch for your credentials and become your job search champions? Find Your Dream Job guest Lora Poepping says you need to make it as easy as possible for others to help you by having a clear and articulate message about what you’re looking for....

Every year, the “Find Your Dream Job” team asks listeners for their feedback on the podcast format, length, and topics. We discovered that 18 percent of listeners are interested in exploring the topic of career change, and 15 percent are interested in discussing job search strategies.  Thanks to everyone who participated in this year’s listener survey, your feedback goes a long way towards making...

If you’ve exhausted your personal network and run out of known resources, you may need to reach out to people you do not know online for the next step in your job search or career. But what if they don’t answer you? Find Your Dream Job guest Stacey Lane says that you need to make it easy for the other person to say yes. You do this by getting your ask in quickly without sharing too much backstory,...

Before you send out your next job application, you need to research standard salaries for your industry and position. It’s easy to be so determined to land a new job that you don’t stop to consider what your career and financial goals are. Find Your Dream Job guest Anica John says that you need to enter a job search strategically, playing to your strengths and desires rather than settling for any...

Whether you realize it or not, you have a personal brand; something you are known for and that represents you in your career space. But if you are in the midst of switching careers, you may need to rebrand yourself. Find Your Dream Job guest Lisa Lewis says that building a new personal brand begins with deepening self-knowledge and self-assessment. Developing authentic relationships with others is...

If you’re returning to work after a long break, you need to prepare long before you start looking for that perfect job. Volunteering in your community is a great way to grow professionally while maintaining your skill set. You also have a chance to meet others who share your interests and values. Find Your Dream Job guest Anneliese Davis ( https://www.linkedin.com/in/anneliesedavis/ ) shares how s...

New college graduates often struggle with networking. They may feel that they have nothing to offer or that they’re wasting time with informational interviews. But good networking leads to career success. Find Your Dream Job guest Shawn Lipton says that the best networkers have a methodical approach to meeting and staying in touch with people. They also network even when they aren’t looking for a...

Is it ever a good idea to apply for a job when you are overqualified? Perhaps you’ve moved to a new city or you’re trying to get a job at your dream company, and you’re considering taking a smaller role to get your foot in the door. Find Your Dream Job guest Phiona Martin says you can get hired for a job where you're overqualified, but you must be able to answer a hiring manager’s specific concern...

If you spend most of your time during a job search filling out online applications and responding to job board listings, you may want to consider more active strategies such as informational interviews with targeted employers. Find Your Dream Job guest, Lesa Edwards, says that you need both active and passive strategies for your job hunt. Lesa also shares how to organize your time, based on where...

In the digital age, nurturing our human relationships matter more than ever. This also applies to your job search! Informational interviews are a great way to begin building those relationships and to develop your network. Find Your Dream Job guest Colby Reade says that you need to think of informational interviews like a business meeting. You should go into them with a clear goal, a set of specif...

When changing jobs or career paths, many people send out dozens of resumes, hoping that at least a few of them will result in an interview. If they’re lucky, they might even get a job offer. Before you send out a flood of resumes, however, you need to take some time to figure out your transferable skills and what you can offer to a company. Then use your network to discover jobs that may not have...

As a culture, we are more disconnected than ever before. We move often and change jobs quickly. Many people don’t think about networking until they need help in finding their next job. It’s vital to stay connected to others and to nurture our network even when we don’t need help. Find Your Dream Job podcast guest, Karen Wickre, says a great network can provide you with many benefits other than a l...

If you walk into an interview ready to answer questions but don’t have any of your own to ask, you are not taking full advantage of the interview process. You have a responsibility to not only answer questions but to ask them of everyone you talk to within the company, from the HR staff to the team members, to the hiring manager. The answers you receive will tell you a lot about how things really...

It’s natural to feel discouraged if you’re unemployed. But if you base your identity on what you do for a living, you may self-sabotage when looking for a new job. Feelings of worthlessness or desperation can lead you to apply for jobs that aren’t a good fit or cause you to bomb an interview because of your low self-esteem. Find Your Dream Job podcast guest Kali Rogers says that one way to stay po...

It can feel frustrating to hear that you are overqualified for the job you want. Hiring managers may feel it’s a waste of both time and money to hire you if you have more experience than the job requires. There are ways around this, including doing your research to understand where the company is heading and taking advantage of any connections you have within the company. On this bonus episode of...

If you are preparing to return to work after some time as a stay at home parent, you may feel unsure about where to begin. How do you explain the gap in your resume while also showing what you’ve accomplished during that time? Find Your Dream Job podcast guest Stephanie Smith says a smart job search strategy starts with getting your career documents in order. Stephanie also stresses the importance...

One of the biggest challenges older job seekers face is connecting with younger hiring managers. Too many older workers look for jobs with the wrong employers and are not clear about the value of their experience. Today’s guest on the Find Your Dream Job podcast, Ruth Winden, says that if you have trouble working with younger hiring managers, you can fix it. Ruth encourages older workers to begin...

There are many reasons why you might stay in a job you hate. You may be worried about what others will think or perhaps you feel that you’ve invested too much time in the position to walk away. Quitting can be good for your career, however. It can be one of the tools you use to carve out the career and life you want. Today’s guest on the Find Your Dream Job podcast, Lynn Marie Morski, says that qu...