Do you hate your job? If so, you’re in good company. In fact, according to Gallup’s World Poll, 85% of the world’s one billion full-time workers are unsatisfied with their jobs. That means only a meager 15% of people are actually happy in their work. Think about that, only 15% of people feel they have their dream job.
This is alarming considering work is where we will spend the majority of our time.
If you’re one of those people who dread Mondays, I get it. I spent nearly a decade in a construction job I absolutely hated. I used to despise going to work each day, so I completely understand (and can relate to) your frustration.
However, I was fortunate enough to escape. And now, I have my dream job; making a full-time living as a writer. I love what I do and am so grateful that I can work from home doing what I enjoy most.
All of this is to say that there is a way out. And if you’re willing to take my guidance, I’ll provide you with the roadmap. Keep reading to learn the way.
1. Hone Your Skills
Landing your dream job entails that you’re actually competent enough to do the work. No one
is going to hire you if you lack the skills necessary to perform.
So step number one is to hone your skills. Set aside a certain amount of time every day to work on and improve your skillset in whatever it is you do.
I recommend an hour a day.
If you’re serious, then that’s a reasonable amount of time. Anyone can fit in an hour a day to develop their craft and build their skills. And if you can’t do an hour, then do 30 minutes. And if you still can’t do that, then rearrange some things in your life so that you can.
You have to carve out time to work on the skills that will make you more valuable. This is non-negotiable if you want to land your dream job.
It doesn’t matter whether you’re a painter, videographer, audio engineer, coder, public speaker, or anything else you can think of.
The world needs people who are competent. And it will reward you handsomely if you become one of those people.
I wrote every single day for over two years before I ever received a paycheck as a writer: I journaled, I started a blog, I self-published my first book, etc. All of these things bolstered my writing skills.
Now, it’s my full-time job!
I work remotely; writing articles all day long for a multitude of businesses across Canada and the U.S., I work when I want, where I want, and for how long I want. But that only happened because I put in the time, FIRST.
And the same principle applies to you. So make a commitment to set aside a certain amount of time in your schedule — every day — to practice and develop your skills.
Here are some additional ways to bolster your abilities:
- Practice daily
- Listen to podcasts about your specialty
- Watch YouTube videos
- Read books
- Buy courses
2. Get Yourself Out There
Now, practicing and improving your skills is great, and it’s a necessary prerequisite. However, that’s only half the battle. Landing your dream job is going to require a proactive approach to getting yourself out there.
You can’t just lock yourself away and practice, practice, practice — no, you have to take action.
When I began looking for remote writing jobs, I started applying everywhere I could — every day. Nonstop. As a result, from the day I began taking action to when I landed my first freelance writing gig, it took me two months.
Not bad, right?
And all it took was a little elbow grease and persistence. Yes, I got rejected (a lot), yes I got taken advantage of (I wrote a 2000 word “paid” test article where the guy never compensated me, just took off with my writing).
But I kept putting myself out there, and eventually, I got it. And now, I’m living the dream! Start looking for opportunities; and be vigilant because they can come in many forms.
Sometimes it’s a friend’s Facebook post announcing a job opening at their company (that’s how I landed my main writing gig), other times it’s the local brick-and-mortar business pivoting to the online realm, and then it could also simply be job boards looking for decent, competent people.
3. Rinse, Recycle, Repeat
At the end of the day, success in any endeavor requires persistence. Landing your dream job won’t happen overnight, it will happen over time.
And as a direct result of you following the previous two recommendations: continuously improving your skills, and perpetually putting yourself out there.
It’s the confluence of these steps repeatedly taken that will begin to move the needle.
I began writing every day back in April 2019, I landed my dream job in July 2021. That’s over two years of consistent work before I reached my desired outcome.
Are you prepared to go two full years of daily work before seeing the fruits of your labor? If not, then maybe landing your dream job isn’t for you.
Now, I’m not saying that it will take you two years. You may do it quicker or it may take you longer, it really depends on your work ethic and how bad you want it. I just want to get the principle across.
There are no shortcuts, you have to be patient with the process because you will have setbacks and challenges. But if you remain steadfast and persistent, I promise you, it’s only a matter of time before you land the job of your dreams, whatever it happens to be.
But you have to hang in there for as long as it takes.
Start Today to Find Your Dream Job
When it’s all said and done, nothing changes until you do. Unless you begin making these personal changes: improving your skills, putting yourself out there, and staying consistent, then don’t expect anything to improve. You gotta take action!
So why not begin today? The sooner you start, the sooner you’ll finish. And I’m telling you, one of the most rewarding things in the world is waking up every day doing what you love, making your own schedule, and feeling like you have complete control over your life.
It’s worth the effort. And one day, you’ll be looking back saying the exact same thing.
