By Natalie Arroyo Camacho, Well+Good
Whether you’re on the hunt for a new gig because you don't feel your workplace is supporting your needs, you're looking to switch fields, or you're more simply looking for a related position at a different company, starting the job search can be daunting. It is, after all, important that the career shifts we make be made with intention and self-awareness because we spend so much of our life working. But, knowing how to find a job you love can feel at once impossible and like a luxury. (We need paychecks to live, regardless of how much we enjoy (or don't) how we're securing those funds.) Furthermore, being able to identify that a potential opportunity is one that aligns with your goals and interests isn't necessarily so simple, either, since you'd be hard-pressed to find a job for which you love all components and responsibilities.
That said, plenty of people do seem to be making moves: According to a January report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in November 2021, a record 4.5 million people quit their job amid what's being called the Great Resignation. With people considering the factors of personal fulfillment, company values, and flexibility, among other components of a given job, many are considering what actually fits their needs.
To get specific regarding how to find a job you love, recruiting consultant Bert E. Miller shares three tips below to help you optimize your professional future as you're on the job hunt.
1. Take a self-inventory
Taking self-inventory means evaluating your commitment toward personal, professional, and financial goals—and the exercise can crucially help you identify what you want from a future role that you're not getting from a current one. Miller suggests writing an ideal job profile for yourself as part of your self-inventory to help you gain clarity about what you’re looking for in job opportunities.
Your job profile should showcase who you can become.—Bert E. Miller, career expert
“Be clear and transparent with what you want. Job profiles should detail the position while also highlighting the company mission and why you would be the best fit for the position and company,” Miller says. “There should be a balance between understanding the role and learning about the company. Your job profile should showcase who you can become.”
In your inventory, include the job title, where the position is based, whether it’s full-time or part-time, what the salary range is, a summary of benefits, facts about the company (specifically its values and purpose), and the role as well as its responsibilities.
2. Update your LinkedIn page and other relevant digital profiles
“Make sure you get a professional headshot—not one sitting in a car, in the gym, or a selfie,” says Miller. “Next, when building your digital profile, ensure your ‘mission’ is clear under the ‘about’ section. The same goes with the description in your profile. Create a title and phrase that is concise, to the point, and searchable.”
Miller adds that the focus here should be leaning into how a given role aligns with the job profile you created in step one. “It’s important to showcase how you've taken the skills you have acquired in previous jobs and leveraged them to move forward. Putting that into writing and having conversations about how those skills will…make recruiters see how you can help the company’s objectives.”
3. Be a learner
Being a lifelong learner is a great skill that translates directly into the workplace. When you’re learning about a company that you want to work for, Miller says it’s key to know where the company is aiming to go. “It’s important to immerse yourself in their news," says Miller. "Company leaders like intrinsically motivated people who have a thirst for continuous learning in their craft.”
Read more: How to Become Your Own Career Coach
To learn more about a company, check out their website, search for news about them online and in trade publications, and on LinkedIn. “Using LinkedIn, seeking out connections there, and following what current employees are doing can also be helpful,” says Miller. “You can also stand out by posting on your own social media, sharing posts that are [informative], educational, and inspiring to others.”
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