Find Your Dream Job: Insider Tips for Finding Work, Advancing your Career, and Loving Your Job

Statistics show that people change careers around a half-dozen times over the span of their working lives. No matter how many times you switch jobs, you will face obstacles. Silencing your internal objections and taking concrete action, says Find Your Dream Job guest Laurie Erdman, are the first steps toward finding your next position. Taking time off to practice self-care is also a non-negotiable for anyone in a career transition. 

While creating the perfect resume takes time and effort, you don’t have to spend hours customizing your resume for each position you apply for. There are some small tweaks you can do in just a few minutes that can be the difference between your resume getting looked at or thrown in the circular file. Mirroring your resume to use the language the company uses is the first step toward ending up in front of a hiring manager’s eyes, says Find Your Dream Job guest Raine Lunke.

In an ever-changing world of technology, many job seekers are now being asked to do video interviews. But if you only have experience with face-to-face interviews, how do you prepare for an on-camera meeting? Find Your Dream Job guest Kanika Tolver says you need to prepare in two ways: technology and practice. Make sure you install the technology you’ll be using to conduct the interview a day prior and that you understand how it works. Kanika suggests asking family and friends to practice with you.

When you’re searching for your next job, it’s vitally important that you go into the search with some key pieces of information. You need to understand what motivates you, what values you hold, and why you feel the need to move toward a new position. On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Roxanne Myslewski discusses how digging deep into her own personal motivations led to her job at the American Red Cross.

If you are a working parent seeking a better work-life balance, a family-friendly job can make all the difference. In fact, many companies now offer flexible hours and the option to work remotely. The key to finding a family-friendly job, says Find Your Dream Job guest Lauren Bell, is to figure out what “family-friendly” means to you. Lauren suggests being transparent about your needs and communicating them to both current and future employers. 

Career gaps are an inevitable fact of life, you must be ready to explain those gaps to a hiring manager who will see them on your LinkedIn profile. It’s important, says Find Your Dream Job guest Katie Fogarty, to clarify what you were doing with your time and that the gap is now over. Use your LinkedIn profile to highlight your skills and focus on the value you offer, and don’t apologize for your gaps.

If you’re like most people, you don’t enjoy talking about your greatest accomplishments. It can feel uncomfortable to “toot your own horn,” even when a hiring manager asks you about your skills and expertise. If you want to stand out in today’s tough job market, Find Your Dream Job guest Elizabeth Gross says you must overcome this reluctance. Elizabeth shares how to emphasize your accomplishments on your resume, as well as the best way to sell yourself on LinkedIn. 

If you are the parent of a college student, you want to do everything in your power to help your son or daughter find a great job after graduation. However, the things we think are helpful could actually have a negative impact. Encouraging your child to visit their career services center and attend events such as career fairs are specific ways to help, says "Find Your Dream Job" guest Margaret Roberts.

You pursued your dream job, got hired, and you’ve been there a few years. But, what if you feel the pull to pursue a new career direction? On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Ben Oh and I talk about deciding to leave a dream job behind. Ben shares how trusting his instincts and fighting unrealistic expectations led him to a job he loves. Ben also breaks down how he stayed confident that making a career change was the right decision.

Are you afraid of failure in your career or workplace? The truth is taking risks and facing failure head on allows you to be your best self at work. "Find Your Dream Job" guest Dan Cumberland says that fear of failure can cause you to hold back and not share your best ideas with your employer, but taking risks can help you to advance in your career and reach your goals. Dan also shares how to talk to hiring managers about your past failures and why you must fail in order to succeed.

What do you say when a hiring manager asks you why you’re looking for a new job? If this question makes you feel defensive, "Find Your Dream Job" guest Susan Peppercorn says you need to find a way to put a positive spin on your answer, even if the truth is that you were fired or laid off. Susan advises focusing on what you bring to the table and why you’re interested in working with that company.

How do you know if your perception of the hiring process matches reality? There are many prevalent misconceptions and common hiring myths out there about the modern hiring process that are completely false. "Find Your Dream Job" guest expert Dawn Graham says that once you understand how the hiring process really works, your job search will become easier and more rewarding. Dawn also shares strategies for overcoming these myths and finding ways to be more competitive in today’s job market.

Do you see sales as something that only certain jobs require? Does the thought of selling give you less than pleasant feelings? If so, Find Your Dream Job guest Matt Youngquist says you need to change your mindset in order to find a great position. The job market isn’t always fair, so learning how to market yourself successfully is equally as important as possessing the skills for the job. Matt shares the five sales mantras you can use to sell yourself more effectively in an interview.

If you want to get your resume past the robots and into a hiring manager’s hands, there are some specific steps you can take. Keywords are important, but Find Your Dream Job guest Virginia Franco says you should avoid keyword stuffing so that your resume makes sense to both humans and computers. Virginia advises job seekers to use their networks to bypass applicant tracking systems and to write resumes that can be read easily on mobile devices.

If you’ve been in a job where you were overworked and experienced mismanagement, you may need to take a break before looking for your next position. On this bonus episode of "Find Your Dream Job," Stacey Rice and I discuss how to use your network when you don’t know exactly what you want to do next and how doing your homework can lead to a successful interview. Stacey also shares how to bounce back and even start over in your career after huge life shifts.