These bold steps will lead you to your dream job

Few people are fortunate enough to get jobs that they are passionate about. An even fewer number have the luxury of passing off a job simply because they are not passionate about it.

The fact is that jobs are scarce, this scarcity means that one has no choice other than taking up whatever gig comes your way as you wait for the one that you are actually interested in.

That said, your dream job will not come looking for you.

Here are some practical steps you can take to increase your chances of getting that job which you desire and smoothly transition from your current position:

1. Identify an organisation in your line of interest and seek to volunteer with them

This seems like too much to add to an 8am to 5pm schedule, but it is the only way you will put yourself out there and get noticed for your skills. It is called putting in an extra effort. When you volunteer in the field that you are passionate about, not only will you keep yourself abreast with the field’s scope, but you also gain the experience that you need to convince future employers that you have the necessary skills to succeed at this job. And volunteering need not conflict with your day job. Once you find the organisation and your request to volunteer is accepted, you can always work around ways to manage your time by, for example, volunteering over the weekends or taking up virtual tasks after work hours.

2. Take short courses to better prepare you for that job you’re eyeing

Is your passion writing, making films, painting or fashion design? Whatever it is, spend some of your income from your current job to build your knowledge base in the area. No knowledge goes to waste, and in this case, additional know-how will put you in very good stead when it comes to convincing your next employer that you have what it takes to add value to their company.

3.Attend forums and conferences in your area of interest

This means a lot of research on your part to stay in the know. Thankfully, we have social media these days, so ignorance is no excuse. Conduct a thorough scan and begin to follow key personalities and companies in the area that you want to go into. Through this, you will get information about what is happening and what beneficial functions you can attend. This means less free time and sometimes waking up extremely early for the breakfast meetings or after-work meetings, but as they say, the end justifies the means.

4. Find a professional mentor

The concept of mentorship is sometimes confused with looking for someone to give you connections. Mentorship does not work like that. Look for an experienced mentor with the sole purpose of learning from their experiences. A successful mentor-mentee relationship is informed by many factors, such as hard work, commitment and respect on the part of the mentee, so before you even begin to look for a mentor or approach someone just because you saw them on TV or read about them in the newspaper, look inwards to confirm that your values and needs for mentorship align with that of the prospective mentor. Put simply, you have to be very strategic in your search for a mentor – effort and research on the part of the mentee is very important, otherwise no one will take you seriously.

5. Research, research, research

Success at getting that desired job calls for a lot of hard work. Continue to research and to ask questions and to apply for jobs. And ensure that you regularly update your CV and other supporting documents such as recommendation letters and work portfolios. Doing this ensures that no job opportunity passes you by. If there are opportunities such as training workshops that you can attend, it is only through continuous research that you can find out. Proactivity is the name of the game. Always have it at the back of your mind that the competition for the existing and already limited opportunities is cut-throat, and for you to stand out, you must be willing to do away with averages because if you think like everybody else, you become like everybody else.

6. Stand out in your current job

Any employer will become suspicious of your loyalty and ability to execute your tasks if your track-record at your former place of work leaves a lot to be desired. And it will be difficult to explain to them that you did less than your best because you were not interested in that particular job. So, whatever happens, do not underperform. Give your best, whether you like your job or not.