The myth of the dream job
You see an ad for a job – and it’s perfect. It’s exactly what you want to be doing. You imagine yourself being there and all the great things that you expect to go with it – loving what you do and doing what you love, not feeling like you’re going to work, and being completely fulfilled in it. (And maybe a little bit of telling people where you work?)
Hold up there.
Why there’s no such thing as a ‘dream job’
It’s true that you can have a job you really love, and can’t imagine doing anything else. But one thing you should ditch right now is the idea of the ‘dream job’, because they’re exactly that – a dream.
Jobs can be great. You can work with amazing, fun people, and be really committed to the work because you believe in the company. But there are always going to be parts of it you don’t like, so go in with your eyes wide open. If you do, you’re more likely to accept the inevitable hard stuff.
There’ll be days that suck. Clients will be rude, you’ll mess something up, you’ll work on a project you don’t enjoy, sometimes you won’t be feeling it.
And, because life happens, what was a dream job might not stay that way. Head office might make changes that negatively affect you day-to-day. Your work friends or fabulous boss might move on. You might reach the end of your pathway there and find that there’s nowhere for you to go.
How to find a job you love
That being said, you can give yourself a better chance of finding a role you really like – or even love – through coaching. Thrive for Girls have a whole range of services to help you. With an Extended DiSC profile, you’ll find out more about your strengths and what helps you thrive. With coaching we can help you set and keep realistic and achievable goals and expectations. And if you want a self-directed introduction into the world of work, there’s our Job-Ready programme.
So don’t look for your dream job. Look for the ‘good enough’ job – because if you’ve got that, then the remaining piece of the puzzle is your enthusiasm and motivation.
And they’re what really create job satisfaction, and keep moving you forward.
Author - Coach Lucy Smith Lucy studied at the University of Waikato, completing a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in English. She holds a Graduate Certificate in Professional Coaching from the Southern Institute of Technology. Lucy is available to support students and schools in Hamilton and the Waikato face to face and for anyone else via zoom. Learn more about her HERE. Don't Miss A Thing. Our subscribers are the first to know about new courses and special offers. Simply let us know you're interested by emailing us at hello@thriveforgirls.com