How to find a job you love - 4 things you MUST do

Figuring out how to find a job you love AND at a good company to work for, can feel like a job in itself.

I wish I could’ve traded any one of my math classes (preferably pre-calc) in high school for a course to help me discover a career I’d love.

I can’t be the only one who feels this way, can I?

I know there are some people in this world who could care less about loving their job.

For them work is work. They clock in, clock out, and are totally detached from work emotionally.

My brain, however, doesn’t work like that. And since you’re reading this post, I’m guessing yours doesn’t either.

So, how do you find a job you love?

How to find a job you love – 4 Things You Must Do

There are 2 key parts to a job you’ll love:

Work you enjoy
Getting to do that work at the right company

Finding a good company to work for can be just as challenging as finding the kind of work you’ll enjoy doing. Check out this post for a deep dive into discovering what you’re passionate about: 21 Questions to help you discover your passions.

Once you’ve discovered your passions and you know what industry/field you want to be in, it’s time to land the right gig. How though?

Here are 4 places to start when searching for your dream job, or at the very least, a job you’ll really enjoy.

Tip 1: Review your previous experiences to find these 2 things

One of the easiest ways to figure out what you want for your future, is to look at your past. Reflect on the previous jobs, projects, and volunteer assignments you’ve worked on.

[bctt tweet=”One of the easiest ways to figure out what you want for your future, is to look at your past.” username=”mrsbwhyte”]

As you review each one, ask yourself:

What are some of the things you liked/loved about it?
What are some of the things you disliked/hated about each of those experiences?

Actually take the time to write those answers down for each experience.

This foundation helps you avoid what you don’t want and points you in the direction of the things you do want.

Tip 2: Start with your must-haves

When you look at your past experiences, especially the things you didn’t like, you’ll start getting a clear idea of what’s important to you.

I can’t stress this enough – if you’re not clear on what you want, you can end up landing another job just like the ones you’ve disliked in the past. Take it from someone who knows – that sucks!

So, look at the list you wrote down before and highlight the major themes – these will become your must-haves.

It’ll help you narrow down the scope of your job search so you can focus on the companies that align with your goals.

My primary must haves include remote work (I hated commuting, so I made a lifestyle switch to working from home. Now I commute from my bedroom, across the hall to my office.) One of my husband’s must haves is team size. He hates working for small teams, so he looks for jobs with medium/larger companies.

What are your must haves?

Be realistic in what you’re looking for and write those must-haves down.

You may not be able to get every single thing on your list, so rank them based on importance to you.

Tip 3: Start Researching Good Companies to Work For

Now you have an idea of what you’re looking for.

It’s time to find companies that fit the bill. Glassdoor is one of my favorite sites for job hunting because it lets your see reviews from previous employees.

You get to hear straight from the horses mouth, what it’s like working at that company. There are a couple other sites like Indeed that sometimes provide company reviews.

I’ve been in tech my entire career, so if you happen to be in that field, I recommend checking out Key Values. It’s a site that lets you search for companies based on the things you value.

So, start doing some research, setting up job alerts, and curating a list of good companies to work for.

Research and take note of the following:

The skills/requirements you need to land a role at that company
Any application/interview tips you can find for that company (you’d be surprise how many people document their application and interview process at specific companies)
Anyone in your network who’s connected to that company

Tip 4: Be patient and strategic

It can be easy to feel discouraged during this process, but I’m a big believer in, “what’s for me, is for me.”

Here’s the thing though – if you’re gonna land your dream job at a good company that you’d love to work for, chances are you’re gonna have to step out of your comfort zone.

Do your research, network, and start applying for the roles that interest in you. Be proactive and email hiring managers or recruiters directly.

Work the process. If you’re feeling really stuck, you can find tons of great resources online like The Muse, The Balance Careers, or Fairy God Boss. You can also invest in yourself by getting a Career Coach to help you.

The Last Thing You Need to Know about how to find a job you love

Where there’s a will, there’s a way.

I had no idea that it was possible to have a career working from home, until I really started researching what my options were. You’ll never discover what’s possible for you without getting out there and taking some risks.

I believe that when you set your intentions on landing an awesome job, you’ll be surprised at the opportunities you discover.