How to land your dream job

We all have that dream job we aspire to do in life. It can be a result of love for the profession or the fact that we have people in the industry that we look up to or admire. Regardless of your reason for choosing that dream job, it is important you put certain things in place before that dream can come to actualisation.  

Different jobs require different processes and steps before any individual can be rightly placed for it. And no job will come to you automatically because it is your dream job. So, you need to know the right things to be done so that that dream job of yours can be made a reality.  

Discussed in this article are steps to take in order to land your dream job.  

1. Have a plan  

Proper preparation is said to prevent poor performance. In this case, the proper preparation you need to make in order to land your dream job is for you to plan ahead.   

Dreams don’t come to pass when steps are not taken. The mere fact that a certain job is your dream job doesn’t automatically mean it will come to you. So, you need to plan adequately if you will land that dream job of yours.   

The first step toward achieving your goals is setting them. To achieve your career ambitions, articulate your goals and develop a plan to get there. Start with your vision, or where you want to be in five to 10 years. Then, identify the organisations you admire and the specific roles that will help you get there.   

After drawing a plan, the next thing to do is for you to get to work.  

2. Hone your skills  

Gone are the days when skills acquired years ago are still applicable and sufficient to perform the daily requirements for different professions today.   

Part of your planning process should be an honest assessment of your skills compared to those required for the job you’re pursuing. Go through your resume, what skills are required in your dream job that is missing on your resume? Outline these skills and look for means of acquiring them as soon as possible as time waits for no man.  

Identify your strengths and weaknesses and work on how to improve them.   

The presence of online courses can also go a long way in helping you hone your skills in preparation for that dream job.  

3. Tailor your resume accordingly  

A mistake common among job seekers is that they make use of a single resume to apply for different jobs with unique requirements.  

For any job you intend on applying for, you need to take a close look at the requirements for the job and make sure your resume highlights those essential qualities.  

According to Harvard Business School, you need to make your resume stand out not just to recruiters, but also to computers. This is because according to CNBC, more than 95 per cent of Fortune 500 companies use an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) to screen resumes for relevant keywords and qualifications. Using keywords from the job posting can help your resume move through the screening process into the hands of a hiring manager.  

So, when applying for that dream job of yours, make sure your resume is tailored accordingly to the requirements of the job posting.  

Check out things that can make you miss out on your dream job   

4. Networking/asking for help  

One of the critical steps in landing your dream job is for you to seek help from the right people and LinkedIn is one of the best places to get professional or work-related help.  

If as a professional, you are not on LinkedIn then you are missing out. Make use of LinkedIn as a means of connecting to the right quarters.  

CNBC reports that up to 70 per cent of all jobs are not published on job search sites, which further emphasizes the importance of networking. Through your connections, you’ll likely discover jobs before they’re advertised, giving you a competitive edge.  

5. Prepare and practise for interviews  

Once you secure an interview, the next step to take if you must secure that dream job is for you to prepare ahead for the interview.   

The fact that you know someone in the organisation doesn’t mean you shouldn’t prepare for your interview.   

To adequately prepare for your interview, you need to do your homework about the organisation. Spend time on its website to learn about the business, the goals, vision, mission statement, core values its leaders, staff and every other important detail about the organisation.  

It is also worthy of note that interviews are not just about the employer asking you questions; you should also have a few questions to ask about the organization but note that this should be done with great caution.  

You deserve to get that dream job of yours and nothing can stop you from doing so except you stop yourself.  

I am rooting for you champ!  

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