Over the course of this semester, I have been reflecting on what I want my next adventure to be. I have enjoyed my time with The Carter Center, had many amazing opportunities (including traveling to China, Ethiopia and Ghana) and honed a lot of skills (developing a strategy in a new field for a 20-year old program, designing and executing events, coordinating travel logistics around the globe, researching and writing…a lot, et cetera, et cetera). But I think my time to move on is nigh. In terms of functional skill set, I think I have learned everything that I will learn here. More time at TCC will mean further honing these skills, and continuing to learn more about China. But, those are both things that I can do elsewhere, too.
I have looked through a couple resources for job-seekers that want a clearer way to evaluate multiple paths one can take. Thus far, I have found Forbes’ ‘ideal job algorithm’ to be the best balance of being comprehensive, and straight forward. http://www.forbes.com/sites/brettnelson/2013/02/28/how-to-find-your-dream-job/
The algorithm uses the following parameters to guide you in your evaluation of your next step:
1. Compensation
2. Satisfaction
3. Opportunity
4. Commitment
5. Culture
6. Health
7. Location
8. Teamwork
9. Number of hats
10. Business or retail
And the beauty of this algorithm is that you can adjust the weights depending on what is more valuable to you. Naturally, you can also remove some variables if they are of no importance to you at all, and you can add variables that the author has left out. For example, are you in a phase of your life where location is really important (you just had child, and want to be around your support network)? Do you have some debt (….student loans, perhaps?).
When I shared this with others, they commented that there is no such thing as a “dream job”. Or maybe there is, but searching for jobs is so reliant on timing (mutual availability) and other factors that it is unlikely that we will ever meet up with our dream job. What do you think? I guess this is the same thinking that people can apply to the chances of finding “the one.”
Others have said that we cannot hope for/aim for dream jobs, but should think in terms of “dream careers.” This approach would offer greater feasibility and flexibility. While it may be difficult for each job you have to be “a dreamy job,” certainly there are some valuable take-aways from it that you can use to create a larger dream.
I very well may be too idealistic–do you think it is unreasonable for your job to bring you some sort of higher satisfaction? I have heard that critique of our generation–that we expect our jobs to provide us with some sort of higher purpose, and we are often disappointed when it does not live up to that. Instead, it provides a place for us to go and be busy every day, and a way to pay the bills.
This is a very broad question, perhaps the broadest question you can ask about work life/careers in general–what is the ultimate goal? I’d be happy to hear your two cents.
Best of luck to you!
This article is very insightful. This approach can be very helpful and is good for breaking down perhaps emotional decisions into numbers, which are easier to understand and compare. As a “numbers person,” this way of doing things can be very useful and is something I do often for bigger decisions. The thing that one should watch out for is estimating numbers for things that are unknown or unable to be known (unknowable). I could say the satisfaction score would be an 8/10 on an attribute that is worth 40% of the overall score, but what does an 8 out of 10 really mean. Today the job is an 8/10 for satisfaction, but tomorrow it may feel like a 5/10 and 6 months from now it may seem like a 3/10. The pitfall to avoid is boiling down important decisions in your life, also known as your life, into an algorithm. My general approach is Step 1: develop and analyze the quantification of the situation, Step 2: do what you feel is right. Step 2 is critical as well.
I think, like Tim said, ultimately everything comes down to Step 2. All 10 variables are important to consider but I feel that the coefficients and percentages one would assign to each of the variables are completely arbitrary. In the end, I could easily see any one of us altering the numbers (consciously or not) so that the CFs come out to what ever decision we already came to using Step 2 alone.
Marjorie over the last 3 years I have been on a similar journey to the one it sounds like you are starting, the search for the dream job.
Let me pass along some things I have learned along my journey.
1) The above equation is helpful but it will be difficult to score a lot of those categories before you actually start working there. The best way to get a score in these categories is to ask people that currently work there. However, don’t make the same mistake I did and only ask one person.
2) I have boiled down what is important to me with a job into three categories (what you are actually doing, company culture, and your fit with your boss). Over my three year journey I have ranged from having zero categories covered to having three categories covered. When you have 0 it life can be very frustrating.
3) If you make a mistake in a career choice, which I did, own up to it and be prepared to move on. Not every career choice is going to be perfect no matter how much research you do. If it doesn’t work out be ready to restart the search and don’t just toil in an unhappy situation.
4) Searching for a job is a full time job in itself. Make sure to set aside plenty of time at night or on the weekend to search for a job. To do it right you need to make sure to do more than just check LinkedIn once a week.
5) Don’t underestimate how great your current job is. I left Newell Rubbermaid because I thought it was time for a change even though I really enjoyed my job, the company, and my boss. It took me 2 years to get back to a job that I enjoy as much as I enjoyed my position at Newell.
Throughout my journey I have ranged in emotions from “I’m going to work just so I can pay the bills” to “I’m really excited to go to work”. With the experiences I have had I really feel there is a dream job out there for everyone but it isn’t always easy to find.
Have fun with the experience and make sure to ask a lot of questions of your classmates. They are a valuable resource I have taken advantage of during my journey to find my dream job.
Good luck!!
Hi Marjorie,
Interesting approach to one of the most important questions we try to answer besides “the one”. Despite being an engineer, I am not a big believer in models such as these for various reasons. A lot of it is looking inward, asking the right questions and answering them honestly. I think we need not look elsewhere other than Prof. Noonan. When he shared his story, did you think you can plan something like that !
Hi Mike,
Thanks for your insight, very helpful indeed. I like how you broke down one’s work experience/satisfaction into 1) actual functional roles, 2) company culture and 3) fit with your boss. The other items, like benefits and room for growth, are probably less immediate than the other three.
You know, I reached out to the person who held a job that I am pursuing, and they said they weren’t available to talk because they are on maternity leave. I wasn’t sure how to take this…like, certainly you have time for a 15 minute phone call? I have provided this same courtesy to other people, when they have wanted more insight into working where I have worked. I wasn’t sure if that was a good sign.
I searched on LinkedIn to try to find this person’s predecessor, but nothing came up. I wonder if I could ask to be put in touch with this earlier employee? I would really love to have a boss who is a mentor, which is something that you can only learn by speaking to their current/former direct reports.
Any ideas?