The earliest dream job I can remember is Graphic Designer — back when I was twelve and was obsessed with designing and coding graphics for Neopets. Then, I had an HGTV obsession and wanted to be an Interior Designer for sure. I had an epiphany in high school that I was destined to be an elementary school teacher (this did not last long).
I then realized I really wanted to write…and now I think I want to edit. I might also want to be a journalism professor? I still don’t know what my actual dream job is — or if it even exists. That being said, there are a lot of things that can help you discover your dream job. Let’s figure it out together.
1. Take the Meyers-Briggs quiz and read your MBTI results….but not necessarily the “career” recommendations part.
I’m an ESTJ “The Executive.” Generally, it fits me very well and I relate to almost every description….except the jobs it suggests I’d be best at. Law enforcement? The military? Uh, no thanks. No one in my life thinks I’d be good at that and neither do I.
Look at the strengths and weaknesses section. This is a lot more open to interpretation and, in my opinion, it feels a lot more accurate. This helped me re-assess my strengths and weaknesses and envision how they’d actually fit into the workplace. Qualities like being organized and dedicated could totally apply to my field and mine mean I’d be a great content strategist of sorts. Apply these strengths and weaknesses to your fields of interest…you never know how they might fit.
If you’re still in college, I also have a post that can help you utilize your Meyers-Briggs type in college.
2. Do internships and observing those around you.
Internships have made me rule out so many jobs I thought were my dream jobs. They helped me discover aspects of my dream industry that I hated and a few I enjoyed. I learned that I do not want a social media job but I might like an editing one. Boom! Ruled out an industry and found a new one to explore.
Keep in mind that most internships are usually not a super accurate reflection of the job — that’s why it’s so important to learn from those around you and above you. See what your boss is doing and try to take on more responsibilities to get as an accurate of a portrayal of the job as possible.
Take note of other factors, too. Does your boss work super long hours? Do your co-workers seem super miserable? Take note.
Mistakes I made as an intern & what I wish I’d done differently
3. Practicing the job you think you want…realistically.
No internship? No problem. Figure out the daily tasks of your dream job and try them out. You can even attempt freelancing them if you’re qualified.
For example, if your dream job involves a lot of data input and spreadsheet making, try doing it just for kicks to see if you actually enjoy it and would want to do it every day.
4. Read books/magazines written for/by people in the industry.
Memoirs written by individuals whose career path you admire or hope to follow can really help paint a picture of the career and the people who typically do it. Even guidebooks and useful non-fiction books about the industry can help you realize whether or not you have a genuine interest in it.
And, if you’re not into books or can’t find any, most industries have some sort of online (or print) magazine that focuses on the industry and the people in it. Oh, and if you’re not much into reading, find a YouTuber who’s on that career path or doing that career. It might be tough, but it can be another way to get a better view of the job.
5. Acknowledge anything you (or others) may be glamorizing.
Get real with yourself. Are there certain aspects of the job you’re raising up way too high on a pedestal? For example, working in New York City — it’s kind of gross and not nearly as magical (or affordable) as it’s painting. Or working as a travel writer — you might not be actually traveling as much as you think.
6. Figure out how it could fit into your future plans.
Do you want to live in a certain area that doesn’t offer this job? Do you want to live somewhere else but know you can only have this job in certain areas?
Or, maybe you’ve got your heart set on having a huge family but the career you’re hoping for wouldn’t exactly fit well with that lifestyle. Maybe you’d love to live a life of luxury so you know you’d prefer a job with a heftier paycheck.
Learn what you’re willing to sacrifice. Obviously, in a perfect world, none of us would have to sacrifice anything. But, that’s just not realistic for most lives. For me, I have to sacrifice the idea of living far away from a city, as I want to work in the editorial world and know most companies have headquarters in major cities. But, the editorial world is usually pretty great with maternity leave and contains a lot of work that can be done from home. Since I know I’d like kids someday, that’s something that fits well into my future plans.
Try to be realistic but not too pessimistic. This is meant to help you find a dream job that fits into your dream life, not to crush your soul.
What are some dream jobs you’ve had?
