We’re all familiar with the standard approach of looking for a new job: you spruce up your resume, start searching for suitable roles through Recruiters and Job Boards like Seek and then start applying for roles. If you want to land your dream job – the type of role that you spring out of bed for each morning, the process is slightly different.

What’s my passion?
The first question you need to ask yourself is: ‘What is my passion?’ This might be difficult to answer if you haven’t spent any time thinking about it. We found some great exercises from Entrepeneur.com to help you determine what your passion is. It involves thinking about activities you have always enjoyed and strengths you have. A great question to ask is: If you had to swap jobs with anyone, whose job would you have?
Define why you work
Determining the reason why you work is the next step to landing your dream job. The answers to this question are far more complex than they first appear. Barry Schwartz in the book ‘Why We Work’ looks at the role our work has in defining our purpose. We work for a more significant reason than a salary: most people find that they are motivated to make a difference in the world. This might take the form of making life easier to others or bringing joy. If you can determine why you work, the next step is finding out how you work best.

Find out how you work best
Different types of people work best solving problems, building relationships or interpreting data. Themuse.com has segmented people into 4 different groups:
• Community-centred professionals who build relationships with others
• Human-centred people who develop experiences for individuals
• Structure-driven workers who look at the integration of different systems and processes
• Knowledge-driven individuals who interpret data to better understand people, patterns or applications
By understanding your passion, what drives you to work and how you work best, you get close to determining your dream job. The next step is ensuring that your online presence presents you as a strong candidate for your dream role.
Showcase your Skills
Ensure that both your LinkedIn and resume highlight the skills that relate specifically to your dream role. If you’re not certain what these are, perhaps conduct some online research or reach out to your network. You might know someone in your network that has a job that works alongside your dream job and can help you showcase your skills correctly.
Reach out to your Network
Do you have a mentor that supports your career development? Mentors and people that have influenced your career can be a great place to start when trying to uncover new job opportunities. On a broader scale, there is your network which consists of friends, family, colleagues past and present. Among them are people who may have connections that might be able to help you on your path.
Speak with a Recruitment Consultant
Recruitment Consultants are a great sounding board as they keep abreast of market trends and fluctuations, giving you an insight into what is happening in your area of interest on a broader scale. Many industries can be impacted by economic factors and Government stimulus or sanctions that could mean growth or decline in a number of industries. They could also help with identifying potential employers once you have confirmed your employment path. Contact Flexi if you would like to speak to a Recruitment Consultant about how to land your dream job.