The Most Shockingly Simple Way to Get Your Dream Job

So, before I get into telling you how to get the job of your dreams, let me share how excited I am about my new job. It comes with better hours, more money, and a brag-worthy title – not that I would brag! But here’s the thing, the job I’m starting is my dream job. Yep, I said that. It’s the job I always wanted to have (or at least for now).

And I’m going to tell you how I got it so that you can do the same thing. In this blog, I’m going to share some simple habits to help get you the job you want. 

I TURNED DOWN TWO PROMOTIONS

Several months ago, our spiritual leaders told my wife and I that God was bringing fresh wind into our lives, including our finances, relationships, and the people around us. Since receiving that word, doors opened up for us in a major way.

If you follow The Smoking Prophet, you know that Lola and I promote preparing for opportunities in advance. And also that every opportunity is not right for you. Sometimes out of fear and desperation, people say yes to almost anything. But to get the job of your dreams and achieve big success, you’ve got to get comfortable with the word no, hearing it and saying it. 

Before I snagged my dream job, I declined a few job offers, withdrew an application, and was turned down for a position too. So, I had to be okay with hearing no and saying no. And I can’t tell you the no’s didn’t sting and that, at times, I didn’t question my decision. But I can say that I must have made the right choice because here I am talking to you.

Fourteen months into my last position, I started applying for new jobs. Shortly after that, I received my first call back and interviewed for two different positions. After interviewing for both roles, I realized that one wasn’t much of a change from what I was doing at the time and that I only wanted one of those positions. 

Well, what do you know? As chance would have it, I received an offer on the job I didn’t want. Now, I had to make a choice. Should I take it and sign the acceptance letter? Or should I take the risk and wait for a call back for the role I really wanted?

RISK AND REWARD

So, I did what I knew to do and spoke with my wife about it. Couples you understand. My wife naturally supported me 100%, and she let me know that she would either way. With her full support, I declined the first offer. And to my surprise, I didn’t get the second job, so I felt like – well I will leave what I felt like to your imagination. 

Now, at this point, here I was, definitely discouraged. I had decided to take a risk and got nothing in return. I had no new job, no more money, and was still in the same position. I was thinking come on God, I had this opportunity in my hands, and now it’s gone. Anxiety began to build and turn into desperation. I thought, now I have to take whatever comes because I’m ready to get out of this job.

IT’S BETTER TO TRY THAN TO WONDER

But I didn’t quit because God gave me peace and encouraged me to pursue my dream job. So, I prayed more. I calmed myself down. I breathed. I looked at where I was and decided not to rush. 

So, there I was waiting for another four months before another chance came. And let me tell you, when the opportunity came it seemed divine because I didn’t even look for it. One of my former leaders told me about a new opening, and when I heard that news, I was relieved. However, the excitement was short-lived because soon after I interviewed for the job, I was sure it wasn’t close enough to what I wanted either. 

So, yep, I turned that job down too and kept applying. This time, I didn’t get discouraged either. I think it was because I’d gone so far believing I could have what I wanted. I mean, at this point I’d turned down two promotions already.

Then it happened. An opportunity came that was perfect for me. I mean, an actual dream role that came with better hours, more money, and again – a brag-worthy title. More importantly, this opportunity was a real opportunity because it aligned with my future and my craft. 

Now, here we (my wife and I) are happily accepting a new position that would not have been possible without me having the ability to say no, the heart to look beyond the present, towards the future and me knowing my value.

I AM SO GLAD I DIDN’T SETTLE

So, while on my way to the job of my dreams, I heard no, and I said no. And though I had two offers that came with better salaries, neither aligned with where I saw my future self. So for me, it wasn’t an opportunity. 

Now, you’re probably thinking wow, cool story, but how can I do it? First, I want to tell you that you can do it because I’m going to tell you exactly what I did so that you can repeat it and snag your dream job. 

10 SIMPLE TIPS TO HELP YOU GET THE JOB YOU WANT

1. Work hard. I know this sounds cliche, but it’s true. Go to work, ready to work. Put your phone away, and only use it during your breaks. Limit your distractions so that you can do the best job possible. 
2. Be dependable. This may sound like another cliche statement, but show up at work when you’re supposed to and be on time. Being dependable and punctual at work may seem like a small thing. And it is – it’s a very small, simple habit you can use to get the job you want because it’s something that people in leadership pay attention to.
3. Make a good name for yourself. Work to shine in everything you do. Meet the managers. If there are support teams at work that you can volunteer to join do it. If your supervisor asks you to do something, do it. Work to shine, but also work to make your supervisor and team shine too even if it’s technically not your job. It may not be your job, but you building a good name will help you snag the job you want. Be an active participant at work, so management knows you aren’t just there to work, but that you are an asset to the company. 
4. Advance yourself through self-development. Use your current knowledge base, but then build on it. Today, individuals lose around 30 % of their competencies and skills after four years. So, you’ve got to keep learning and upskill yourself as much as you can. Discover your strengths, so that you can work to master them. I recommend the Clifton StrengthsFinders Assessment to help you identify your core strengths and to give you language to use when you’re going after your dream job.
5. Never be afraid of no. Before landing my dream job, I applied for the role multiple times, as well as some other positions. I was passed over on an offer, withdrew an application, and turned down two promotions. Why? Because it wasn’t what I wanted. Neither job was where I wanted to be and did not benefit my future self, so I said no. So, never be afraid of no – and I mean, don’t be scared of people telling you no and don’t be scared to say no to yourself. Go for what you really want. When you look for opportunities, make sure that the opportunity will be a benefit to you now, and also falls in line with the person you plan to be in the future. 
6. Know your value. When you know your worth, you’ll go after the jobs you want and won’t settle. So, believe in yourself and have the courage to go after your dream job. Take the risk and expect a reward. Knowing your value also means you’re always investing in yourself and making yourself more marketable. 
7. Research the job you’re applying for. Nothing says you are interested in a position like having an understanding of what that position does and being able to articulate how your skills can benefit your future employer. So, do your homework and prepare for the interview.
8. Have questions ready for the interviewer. Have at least two solid questions prepared to ask at the end of the interview. And I’m not talking about basic questions like what’s the start date? No, have questions like (1) Which of my skills do you see being most necessary for this position, or (2) what the biggest challenge is facing your department right now?
9. Use the STAR format in your interviews. Whenever you answer a question, respond by telling the S-ituation first, the T-ask next, the A-ction you took third, and then, finally the R-esult. Be as detailed as possible. And after you answer the question the first time, go back and briefly summarize your response again. 
10. Pray. This job is not just something that spontaneously happened to me, it’s the favor God has been placing on my life. I partnered with God’s favor, and yeah, I did do some work, which are the nine steps I’ve given you, that are very practical and repeatable. But I didn’t do it alone. So, if you want to take it up a notch, pray. Because snagging my dream job would not be possible without God. This job is something I prayed for. 

BETTER PAY DOESN’T ALWAYS MEAN BETTER OPPORTUNITY

Never settle for less than what you’re worth. And remember better pay, better titles, and better hours doesn’t necessarily mean a better opportunity. When you look for opportunities, find something that falls in line with who you want to be in the future. And choose the opportunities that push you towards building that future and your craft.

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Featured Photo by You X Ventures on Unsplash