Chasing Dreams and Securing Employment: Striking the Right Balance
When we start our journey of career exploration as university students, many of us grapple with a crucial question: “Should I go all-in for my dream job or prioritize my job security?”. Although this process can be overwhelming (and that is okay!), there are steps you can take to navigate this challenge and discover the right balance for you. Building a solid foundation for your career begins with understanding your interests, building meaningful connections, and gaining relevant experience in the fields you wholeheartedly wish to explore. Through this, you’ll be one step closer to uncovering work that complements your skills, passions, and life goals.
I. Charting the Course
Figuring out what your dream job is really just answering two questions: “What do I really like to do? What is the dream?”
Now although these seem straightforward, your initial answers to these questions might not be entirely right. As we grow up, many of us were unknowingly conditioned in interactions with teachers, parents, guardians, and the like to have a more “acceptable” career like “Doctor” or “Engineer” at the ready when the inevitable question came up: “So, what do you want to be when you grow up?”
However, now that you are on an independent path towards becoming a self-functioning individual, it becomes essential to figure out YOUR dream; one that stands apart from the expectations of your parents, high school, and even friends. At the same time, perhaps a traditional career as a doctor or an engineer may appeal to you! The important thing is that your expectations and goals for your work life should be yours and yours alone.
Figuring this out is much easier said than done, but there are some commonly used yet practically useless metrics that you can aim to avoid when starting your journey:
- Chasing the highest salary possible
Studies in economics have shown that although more money can lead to more satisfaction, there comes a point where money won’t make you much happier. In general there are diminishing returns to the gains in happiness you will get from a salary. After a point a normal increase in salary won’t be as meaningful to you.
2. Follow your “passion”
As a piece of advice, this sounds a bit confusing and unclear. Passion is not easy to pinpoint, especially considering how our interests can change over time. For instance, Steve Jobs initially aspired to be a Zen Buddhist Monk before finding his calling in the world of technology. Passion alone is not the sole ingredient for success, and the reality of work life is much more nuanced than a constant state of unbridled happiness.
3. Aiming for a “low stress” job
Surprisingly, having a low-stress job is not all it’s cut out to be. Studies have also shown that having an undemanding job isn’t good — it’s too boring. But having a job that is too demanding is too stressful. The sweet spot is where your abilities match the demands of the position — this is likely where your dream job will lie.
Knowing what to avoid is good, but it might be easier to think about the things you should be looking for when evaluating whether a job aligns with your aspirations. Generally, it would be worth aiming to find:
a. Engaging Work
Aim for a job somewhere that generally piques your interest. Your program choice can be a great guide. For example, if you’ve studied Data Science, you should envision yourself happily immersed in analyzing and presenting captivating graphs and analyses all day long!
b. Work that helps other people
Having a sense that your work is positively affecting other peoples’ lives is a decent way to judge whether the work you are doing is meaningful to you or not.
c. Work you are good (but not yet amazing) at
Strive for a job that you have the baseline skills for but know you can improve at. This will keep you motivated to work towards growth and progress beyond meeting daily targets.
d. Supportive Colleagues
Ever had a group project with people you just clicked with? Imagine if you could always work with those people on projects? When talking to people about their job, most will say that the people make their experience, so it’s important to do your research when it comes to the teams you want to join.
e. Work that fits with the rest of your life
Every job comes with its fair share of challenges, whether it be a long commute, long hours, or perhaps even unfair pay or job insecurity. While perfection may not exist, it’s essential to strike a balance between what you want and what the job provides for you. For your own sake, consider how the job aligns with your work-life balance and personality to ensure overall satisfaction.
II. Walking the Course
At the same time as considering your dream job, part of being a self-functioning individual is being able to support yourself financially. It’s important to also be practical securing baseline employment so that you can pay your bills! The great thing is that your baseline employment can also be a stepping stone experience that leads you to your dream job.
“That’s great, but how can I find the opportunities right for me?”, you might ask.
A great way to approach this question is to approach it through the mindset of Planned Happenstance. Through it, you try to focus less on having super specific plans for your future and focus more on finding opportunities in unplanned events and being responsive to the twists and turns of our career journeys. It doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t have any plan at all, it just means that you should plan flexibly and be ready if opportunity strikes!
On the planning side, figure out how you can help others with the skills you have right now. Do research online to figure out what skills you need for an entry-level or on-campus role and how yours can align and be improved upon. Use videos, articles, and books as sources to get your information, since some responsibilities can be hard to communicate.
On the unplanned side, go to networking events and career fairs — in-person events are often the hotbed of happenstance and opportunity. Vocalize your ambitions with friends, family, and supporters so that they might think of you when someone asks around looking for someone with your skillset. Most importantly, be open to talking with people! Not only can talking to those in your dream career can be extremely helpful in checking if the job meets your expectations, you can also sometimes make friends and mentors that can guide you through your career.
The power of Planned Happenstance lies in being deliberate in your choices to strategically create serendipitous connections, while also having an open mindset. This can transform unexpected encounters into intentional stepping stones along your career journey.
III. The End
Do what you need to do
’Til they discover you
And make you more than who
You’re seeing now…
- La La Land (2016)
Finding a job you enjoy is a journey filled with exploration and growth. Embrace the process, stay true to your passions, be flexible and be open to seizing opportunities that align with your aspirations. As the classic saying goes: “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.” If you have determination, the right mix of experiences and a little planned happenstance, you can be confident that you’re well on your way to your dream job in the stars.
Written by Luca Carnegie.
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