Dream Job Blog

Have you ever gone to a movie after hearing about all the Oscar and fan buzz and then was severely disappointed? Or warned about an obligatory dinner party with boring guests and ended up having a fabulous evening?

Setting clear expectations is challenging, especially in the job search because there are so many variables and unknowns. We’ve heard from hundreds of people on their experiences and wanted to share what they’ve learned (and in most cases the hard way).

Key learnings

1. It took much longer to get the job they wanted

The main reason is because they were making some big mistakes (see top 5 mistakes article) which delayed their success. The other reason is because they were being intentional in their next career move.

We work with many high performers who have received great offers throughout their career. But great offers don’t always correlate to great roles, people and culture. When they come to us, they’re looking for a job where they’ll be fulfilled—one where they love going to every day. It takes time to define what’s really important to them, what companies they want to target and then strategically network.

2. The numbers game is in the networking—not the applications.

Many of clients applied to dozens (some hundreds) of jobs before joining our program. They didn’t understand that the numbers game is in networking, not applications. Once they were more strategic in who and how they were reaching out to, they were able to gain traction that ultimately led them to their dream job.

3. Asking for help is critical.

This goes hand-in-hand with networking. Most of our clients have helped so many friends or colleagues with their job search. However, they were not comfortable asking for help and weren’t sure what to ask for. Remembering instances of how they’ve helped others, reminds them how far a small effort such as an introduction can go and how happy they felt. Perhaps the most remarkable point is that we can’t predict who will be the most helpful. Often times the person who provides the most help is someone you don’t know very well.

Hopefully, these insights will help you expedite your job search and prevent you from making some of the same mistakes that delay your happiness.

Let us know if you need help in finding a job that you’ll love. Watch our video, answer a short survey and then select a time that you’d like to meet with us. We’d love to help you find a dream job!