How To Land The Job Of Your Life

By: Emma Larkins

Break Studios Contributing Writer

You'll never truly live happily until you learn how to land the job of your life. Many people spend their lives slaving away at jobs they hate. Make sure that isn't you. By following these simple steps, you'll be sure to land the job of your life:

Know thyself. Socrates may never have had to worry about choosing a profession, but his words still apply to the job-seeking process. You'll never be able to find the job of your life until you know exactly what you're looking for.
Ask a lot of questions. The decision to land the job of your life brings up a lot of questions. Where do you want to live? How many hours do you want to work? How much money do you want to make? You might not be able to pin down the answers to all of these questions right away, but you'll need to have at least some idea of where you're going before you head out.
Don't be afraid to experiment. If you've never even gotten close to your dream job before, it's going to be hard to hit the target without taking a few test shots first. You may think that the job of your life would be leading tourists up the slopes of Mount Everest, but until you've gotten a taste of it, you'll never know for sure. Take classes, intern, or simply ask someone in your career of interest if you can tag along for a day.
Avoid the naysayers. Are you the type of person that most people can't see working somewhere that you would consider to be the job of your life? Don't be discouraged when people tell you that you're doing something out of the ordinary.
Connect with people doing what you want to do. When you decide to actively seek the job of your life, it's important to talk to others who might know something about it. Don't start asking for work right away, especially if you're unqualified. Instead, use your contacts as guides—learn how they accomplished what you want to accomplish, and follow their lead.
Develop the necessary skills. Almost any career that's worth pursuing will require you to learn specific skills. Do you want to be a dog groomer? You'll need to learn how to use clippers. Would you rather write travel articles? Brush up on your writing skills. If you need to go back to school to get the job of your life, figure out the details of how you'll make it work.
Redefine the word "job." New careers are being created every day, and the job of your life might not even exist yet. One definition of a job could be "something that provides enough income to allow you to live the life that is meaningful for you." Your definition might be different. You might decide that you're willing to eat beans and rice for a few years while freelancing, or you might feel that you need the security of nine to five employment. Don't limit yourself to predefined "jobs" or "careers."