31 Small Steps to Get You Closer to Your Dream Job

31 Small Steps to Get You Closer to Your Dream Job It happens without you realizing it: One day you wake up and realize you aren’t where you really want to be in your career, even when you finally got that promotion or landed what you thought was the dream job. Turns out, it wasn’t all they, or you, made it out to be. After you land your first full-time job, eventually you realize it’s time to move on. You’ve burned out or are interested in expanding your horizons. That process of waking up may happen over the course of months, years or decades. A career shift shakes up your entire world, and you don’t want to feel like all you’ve worked for was for nothing. So, you push the feeling to the side and bury it in more work. Everyone experiences this feeling, and what you’ve worked for does have value. It will help you as you direct your energy toward the big dream, the one you’ve really wanted all along, and no, it’s not too late. While it may be beneficial to consider a new role or transfer your skills to a new industry, why drive yourself crazy when you can take it step by step? Side gigs and volunteer work are wonderful ways of gaining extra income and experience, but you may find yourself still feeling burned out. Taking small steps are only as difficult as you make them. Here are 31 of the easiest steps you can take now to build momentum, motivating and propelling you toward your dream job: 1. Spend a Day With TED Listen to various TED talks surrounding an industry that fascinates you. Have you lost your creative self? Listen to author Elizabeth Gilbert’s “Success, failure and the drive to keep creating” TED talk, who you are likely familiar with due to her nonfiction book Eat, Pray Love, where Gilbert travels to various countries finding herself again after a divorce. For more motivation, check out these 15 TED talks on career inspiration from writers, celebrities, entrepreneurs and innovators. 2. Log into LinkedIn Log in, but instead of going to your profile, look up the job title you are most interested in. Look at the career paths of those who have gotten there. What do they have in common with you? What are the differences? Do you see anyone who inspires you? The idea is to find motivating details, without dwelling on discouraging ones. 3. Join in While You’re There While you’re logged into LinkedIn, join a group related to your dream industry. Take the general term and get specific in your search. Instead of searching for “sustainable architecture,” add on clarifying words such as “design,” “LEED certification” or “materials” to land a job in specific groups of interest. 4. Increase Your Education Take a free online university class in a subject outside of your field to shake things up. Many colleges now offer online courses, and you can take classes in literature, history, science, language and more. 5. Check out MeetUp Go to MeetUp.com and search for networking or professional groups. Many cities have groups that meet up for social drinks and networking. Order new business cards, and make a goal to attend the next event. 6. Find Others in Your Field Join a professional group in your area, such as a nonprofit writing organization, that will keep you involved in the industry while meeting a variety of professionals and giving you the opportunity to enhance your skills. 7. Attend a Professional Conference Hitting the conference circuit will give you the opportunity to take a workshop or sit in on a panel. Stay active within your field, and be open to taking speaking engagements if you are at a senior level. 8. Teach a Skill to a Coworker Offer to mentor someone at work. Giving back opens doors and gives you a gratitude and confidence boost. 9. Take Time for Gratitude Write down three things you are grateful for about your career. Give yourself credit where credit is due, and if these items involve other people, that’s a signal to reach out. Let others know how much their help has meant to you. 10. Research Your Favorite Company What company have you fantasized about working for? Pull up the company online and spend part of a Sunday afternoon researching what the company culture is really like. Look up people who work for the company in similar roles as you aspire to: What does the job description look like? What sort of people would you be working with? Does the fantasy match up with the reality? 11. Revisit Your Bio Is your bio bland and boring? Network with another writer and have them interview you. Another pair of eyes will help catch errors and spice up any bland spots in your bio. Ever notice how most bios sound like eulogies for living professionals? Don’t do that: Focus on what you’re cooking up next on your career path. 12. Talk About It Talk about where you are wanting to go and the step you took this week to get there with a friend. This will give you validation and an outlet for support. Your friend may have ideas and feedback you wouldn’t have imagined. 13. Talk with a Past Mentor Make a coffee date with a past mentor. Touch base, and see where you are. If you have questions, ask them. Your mentor would love to see how you’ve been doing, and seeing them again may spark that old fire of inspiration to take action. 14. Send That Follow up Email Send an email for a pitch to a magazine, schedule a business meeting, attend an event or meet up with a friend. This will get you in the habit of checking back in â€" you never know what opportunity someone has for you later. For the right timing to happen, you’ve got to keep your own clock set on regularly touching base. 15. Find Industry-Professionals on Twitter Follow five new professionals on Twitter, three inside your industry and two outside of your industry. These professionals must inspire you somehow.   16. Leverage Your