On Pursuing Your Dream Job

My son turns 18 years old tomorrow. He is getting ready to graduate from high school and move on to college; then who knows what direction he will take.  Every year, on the eve of his birthday I write him a letter.  We call it the birthday love letter and it is a recap of the year.  It includes events, friends, dates and a mother’s proclamation of love and pride.  Both of my children get a Birthday Love Letter and it has become a tradition that they actually look forward to and is the first thing they open on their birthdays.

As I prepare to write my letter today, I think about what may be in store for my son.  He has a focus and knows that he wants to pursue a career in the music industry; something he has wanted since he learned to play the guitar in the fifth grade. Did you know what you wanted when you were eighteen? I sure didn't. 

 If you could do it all again, would you choose the path you have taken? Maybe.  In Job Search for Moms, I wrote a piece on going after your dream.

Never underestimate the value of your dreams and aspirations when starting a job search or considering a career change. Unfortunately, many of us question our own abilities and skills or we discount our dreams due to our daily responsibilities or negative thoughts. We often listen to the opinions of others and this too keeps us from following a path that we had once envisioned. In order to realistically look at your interests, visualize a star.

In the center of the star, state your aspiration or dream. What is it that you have always thought about doing? No one is looking over your shoulder; just jot down that one career that you always dreamed of doing. The top point of the star is your support system; those people, places, and ideas that can help and sustain you. List the names of those people or organizations who can offer assistance through child or family care, guidance, emotional encouragement or any other support. The remaining four points of the star are the skills, competencies, training, and actions needed to make your dream a reality. You can establish these pieces by reviewing your personal and professional skills. What skills and competencies do you have that you can apply to your dream job?  What skills and competencies do you need to develop?  You will also need to research the training options and action steps needed to explore your career aspirations. Much of this data can be found by visiting your library or local college, speaking with your mentor or a career counselor but you can also start your search on the internet. Then map it and set your goals.

Sometimes re-evaluating your career direction and focus is a refreshing change from your day-to-day job search efforts.  Even if you don't wind up pursuing your dream job, the activities within this exercise allow you to focus on your support system, your skills, knowledge and abilities and your overall direction. It gets the wheels turning.

Happy Birthday Christian, may all your dreams come true.