You probably belong to any one of these two categories of people.
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First: those who are about to graduate soon and will begin the transition from school to work life.
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Second: people who are already working professionals but are unsatisfied with their jobs.
Both of these groups want to achieve their dream of having the perfect career. But when it comes to having a dream career, dreaming isn’t enough. You need to do thorough research and take concrete steps to ensure you achieve your career goals.
So if you are a student who is about to enter the job market or a working professional wanting to switch careers, here are five steps you can follow to fulfill your dreams.
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Do Thorough Research:
Research plays an important role. Let’s assume you dream of having a career in the public health industry. The first step is having the relevant educational credentials to work in this field.
Secondly, you must study the job options available. Every field has tons of job titles you can choose from, particularly those related to health. For instance, you can become a healthcare public specialist. After choosing the job title you are most inclined towards, search for that job online and look at the job descriptions to understand it better.
For example, if you looked at a public affairs specialist job description you will see the skills, qualifications, experience, and certifications that are needed for this role.
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Hone Your Skills:
After finding out the skills you need for your dream career, the next step is to hone those skills. There are multiple online resources, both free and paid, that you can use to your advantage. Even the most difficult-looking skills can be developed in no time through online courses.
If your dream career requires data analyzing skills, marketing knowledge, SEO, coding, or skills from any other discipline, there are several platforms that can help. The best part is that you will also get certificates by completing online courses, which can then be added to your resume. But don’t undermine the soft and hard you already have. Always keep polishing your existing skills.
The same goes for educational requirements too. If you are a working professional and you want to transition there are tons of online degree programs you can find to get the relevant credential.
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Tailor Your Resume:
Never underestimate the power of a good resume in achieving your dream career. One mistake that people often make is not tailoring their resume according to the job they are applying for. The resume that you made months ago might not be up to the standard of the job you are applying for right now. Always update your resume by adding the new skills or certifications you acquire with time. More importantly, tailor your resume according to the job description.
For example, if the job description says that SEO is an essential skill for that role, edit your resume and include projects that show off your SEO skills. Tailoring your resume makes it appealing to the recruiter. Keep in mind that your resume is also going to get screened by a computer. Thus, it must not only stand out to the recruiter but to the algorithm as well.
More than 95% of Fortune 500 companies screen resumes by using an applicant tracking system (ATS). ATS screens resumes based on keywords and qualifications. So after looking at the job description, add the relevant keywords to your resume so that it will make it into the hands of the hiring manager after a successful screening.
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Connect With The Right People:
Networking plays a crucial role in helping you achieve your dream career. Reading reviews about the job you are interested in is, no doubt, helpful, but you will get a clearer picture by talking to someone directly. Reach out to mentors, former class fellows, professors, colleagues any other person who you may think might help. Find those who are, or were, in the same position you want to be in. A person who is working in the field you are dreaming of being a part of is your best bet. By sharing your concerns, goals, and plans with them and by asking questions, you will get a much more realistic understanding of your dream career.
You will find out about the inner workings, common mistakes to avoid, day-to-day pros and cons, tips to move up the career ladder, etc. Even if you don’t get a chance to chat with someone directly, don’t forget to follow your peers on all job portals. Networking is very important in professional life. According to career experts, less than 2% of online applicants get selected for an interview. Thus, you cannot only rely on online applications.
Knowing the right people in an organization will help your resume land on the right table. 70% of jobs are not even publically published on job portals. So having connections with the right people in a company will allow you to never miss any new job vacancies available, even when these are not published anywhere. This, in turn, gives you a competitive edge.
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Stay Optimistic:
While it may sound clichéd, a positive mindset will lead you to your dream career. Keep in mind that achieving your dream career might not be an easy journey. There will be twists and turns along the way, but you have to stay optimistic and motivated. You will face some hurdles, but these hurdles do not mean that your dream is impossible to achieve. Visualize your goals, keep reminding yourself about them, and they will eventually become your reality.
Many successful people, for example, athletes, visualize giving their best performance, and this visualization helps them improve.
Conclusion:
In life, we all harbor dreams of our ideal careers. For some, that dream has been crystal clear since childhood, while for others, it's a pursuit of passion that develops during their high school years. Surprisingly, even those who have already embarked on a career journey can find themselves yearning for something more fulfilling. Regardless of your starting point, turning your dream career into a reality demands meticulous planning and unwavering execution. In this article, we unveil five concrete steps to guide you on your path to achieving your lifelong aspirations.