By Courtney Sprague, Guest Contributor
Dream careers, we all have them, whether we discovered it at age 5 or 55. Some people are fortunate enough to realize these dreams at a young age, while others fortuitously stumble into their ideal career while making their way through life. While some dream of being famous, others dream of helping people. No matter what it is, there will always be some element of desire and need to do something exciting in a career.
So what makes a job, a dream job? It’s a hard question to answer, and answering it can require a bit of soul searching. While answers to this question may vary, there are usually a few underlining themes in common. Passion is one word that can make a job a dream career. If you are passionate about a cause, program or position, you will most likely not feel as if you are working but just enjoying life. Another is purpose. One usually wants to feel that they have a purpose—that what we do should total more than the sum of its parts. Without sufficient passion and purpose one can feel as if they are not using their full potential and may become bored in their current position.
Start to think of the things that motivate you–what do you like or dislike? Perhaps you enjoy being so busy that you do not have enough time to eat lunch or, on the other hand, you enjoy slow days that allow you time to brainstorm and an opportunity to ease yourself into the day. Whatever your ideal dream job may be it is important to consider an industry or company that fosters an environment conducive to your career goals. If you hate making decisions, you may not wish to be a high level executive of a Fortune 500 company, even though the salary and perks appeal to you. You must consider all aspects of jobs before fully jumping into a career because it seems to fit.
There are no right or wrong answers when it comes to a dream career–the possibilities are endless. Have you stopped and thought about what may make you happy in a job? What aspects do you want and do not want to deal with on a daily basis? Not everything is roses and you will more than likely run into a few instances where you are stuck completing tasks that are not your favorite. But if you love 95% of your job, chances are you will be happier. Once you decipher what makes you happy, seek out the careers in line with what you value about life and begin to shape your resume and experience to get you there.
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