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Career chaos: How do you get there from here?

Bridge photoWhat do you do when your dream job is out of reach?

Whether you’re staring graduation in the eye, collecting unemployment after a layoff, or celebrating 20 years on the job, you may not hold your dream job – yet.  Sometimes, we settle for the first job we’re offered instead of holding out for what we really want.  Later, we realize our dream is still out there. Sometimes, we don’t know what we want, so we just take a job. Later, we realize what  our dream is – and that our job isn’t it.

So, how do we get there from here?

Is it just a dream?

First, grab that dream and look at it hard. Now, look at yourself just as hard. Do you see a match? Do you see it happening? This is the time for the no-bull conversation with yourself. Are you serious?

I had that conversation with myself a few years back. I’ve always loved to sing and once upon a time thought about performing. With the appropriate training, I probably could have developed my voice and taken on the world. I chose another path, but every once in awhile, I’d think about singing. Could I do it? There came a day when I realized that dream was going to stay a dream.   Of course, I still sing every chance I get, but it’s in church or around the campfire, not on any stage. That’s OK. My life is good, and I’ve fulfilled a bunch of other dreams that ended up to be more important. It’s OK if that particular dream stays a dream. Maybe it’s OK for your dream, too.

On the other hand, maybe you said yes. Your dream is alive, and it’s still calling you.

Build the bridge

How are you going to get there? First, decide where THERE is. If you’ve dreamed of music, what type of career will it be? Education? Rock star? Opera? Church musician? Be as specific as you can.  When you think of your dream, what do you see? When you have a clear description of what you want to do, plan the steps you will take to make the change:

  • What type of education, training, apprenticeship, or other preparation do you need?
  • How much will that cost?
  • If you can’t afford it right now, how will you pay for it?
  • How long will the education or training take? How will you pay your living expenses during your education?
  • Where is the training available? Can you obtain it at your current job? If not, is it available locally so you can keep your current job and obtain training at the same time? Do you need to relocate? Do you need to find an interim job in your new location?
  • What are your chances for immediate employment once you finish training?
  • What is your starting salary likely to be? How long will it take to reach your target income?
  • Will you make enough additional income to justify the c0st of your education?

These questions are not meant to derail your dream; on the contrary, the more complete your plan, the better your chances of seeing it through.

Do you have a dream? Are you going after it? I’d love to hear about it.

 Bridge Photo by F Mira

http://www.forbes.com/sites/robasghar/2013/11/12/your-bad-boss-survival-manual/

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