The 3 Phases of a Major Career Change

Written by Amber Rae, reposted from The Daily Muse

As a financial analyst, Sean Ogle used to joke that he was the only person in Portland with a suit and tie. He always knew it wasn’t the right fit. The work, while interesting at times, wasn’t as interesting to him as traveling  or doing something that really made use of his natural talents—which didn’t include finance.

After a yearlong process of self-discovery, he quit his job in favor of entrepreneurship and embraced a life where he couldn’t predict what would happen five, three, or even one year into the future. How did he get there? He went through the three phases of uncertainty—from fearing it to embracing it—a valuable tool for anyone who’s thinking about making a major leap.

And it’s not as hard as it might seem. If you’ve realized that you're stuck in a job that isn’t using your natural talents, or you’re thinking about switching fields to pursue your passion, here’s a closer look at the three phases of making a major career change and how you, too, can tackle them.

Phase 1: Fear of Uncertainty

It’s natural and human to be terrified of a big change. More often that not, it’s debilitating. Awareness is the first step, and once you recognize this fear, it’s a sign that you’re heading in the right direction.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, here’s how you can break down your fears and understand the root of your uncertainty:

1. Take out sheet of paper and pen (or open up a blank text document).
2. Write down all of your fears. (Examples: not having enough money, not making time to do the things I want, people not liking what I create)
3. Next to each fear, write down why you are afraid in question form. (Examples: How will I make money if I quit my job? If I stay at my job indefinitely, how will I accomplish all of the things I want to do? Am I making a fool out of myself with what I create?)
4. Next to why you are afraid, write down the underlying uncertainty. (Examples: money, regret, image)

Phase 2: Overcoming Uncertainty

Posing what you are afraid of in question form, as you did in the third step above, allows you to see the opportunity in your fears. Now, start answering them! It will help you gain confidence that things will be OK when you do make the leap.
For example, if you posed the question “how will I make enough money if I quit my job?”, some possible answers are:

1. Cut expenses and save $500/month.
2. Take on a side job—either as a freelancer or consultant, or working a temp position.
3. Offer one month of free work to a company I love with potential for hire if it works out.
4. Go to events in the industry I’m passionate about to meet people I may be able to work for or who may become my clients.

If you posed the question “how will I accomplish all of the things I want to do?”, some possible answers are:

1. Pick one idea that speaks to me most and start today.
2. Each week (or month), elminate or outsource one thing that I don’t want to do.
3. Remind myself that I will accomplish as much as I can and I’ll focus on what matters.

Phase 3: Embracing Fear and Turning it into an Asset

Now that you know what you’re afraid of and you have concrete steps toward overcoming your uncertainty, all that’s left is action. There are two things that will help you embrace your fear and make taking action easier:

1. Look at life like an experiment. It’s OK if every decision you make isn’t perfect! It’s more important to open yourself up to trial and error, taking risks, and making mistakes. You take life less seriously and you learn to enjoy the ups and downs—and in the long run, you’ll find that you’re moving yourself forward to a happier life.
2. Take charge of defining your success. You don’t have to define success according to how others do. What does a successful life look like to you? For example, if you’re thinking about switching from a financial services job into a creative field, you’ll likely take a substantial hit to your paycheck—and you’re probably a little worried about it. And that’s fair, because one of your former success metrics (money) is going to become a whole lot less certain. Which means now is the time to redefine or re-articulate what you value! Yes, you will have to figure out how to eat and pay your rent or your mortgage—but beyond that, it’ll be up to you to get yourself comfortable with trading those nice summer vacations or your designer handbags for having a job you love. And to do that, you need a definition of success that supports you in the trade-off you’re making.

Uncertainty is one of the most powerful things in the world. While it can be unbearably powerful in a negative way at the start, it can ultimately empower you. After all, opportunity and uncertainty often go hand-in-hand—so get out there and embrace it.

Dealing with Stress on the Job

Stress at work ranges from mild annoyances to debilitating levels of anxiety. The importance that you attach to each situation depends on the intensity you ascribe to it, and the degree of control you have over it.

 

Part One

First, it’s important to get some perspective on the events themselves. To do this, follow these three steps:

1.      List all the stressors you can think of at work. Don’t worry about whether they are big or small and don’t judge yourself for feeling stressed about any of them. Just list them.

2.      Next rank them in order of importance and assign a number from 1-10 for each ¾1 for your small stressors, such as never having enough supplies, up to 10 for the highest stressors, such as seeing a co-worker with less experience be promoted before you.

3.      Then, consider the most stressful event you can imagine happening to you at work and assign that a rating of 10.

4.      Now go back to your list from #2 and consider whether any of these ratings has changed. Often when you consider events from the perspective of the “worst thing that could ever happen” to you, your original ratings will decrease. See how your first and second sets of ratings compare.

This exercise shows you the importance you attach to each situation which you encounter at work that you judge as stressful. Just seeing the list in front of you gives you a measure of control because now you know what you are dealing with. You may have identified several major stressors, or you may have discovered that you have multiple small stressors which have added up over time.

Part Two

The next step is to determine what is and isn’t under your control by doing the following:

1.      Take each item on your list from Part One and determine how much of your stress is under your control. For example, if you’re always running out of supplies, you could buy your own, so this stressor might be 80% under your control and 20% out of your control. Most supplies could be readily available at your local office supply store while some are provided only by the company.

 

Regarding your colleague’s promotion, this could be 90% out of your control and 10% under your control. Who gets promoted is sometimes a joint decision of supervisors and it can be difficult to know the ins and outs of how management works. You could, however, speak with your immediate superior about the promotion; acquire some understanding of the decision-making that went into it; and inquire about your chances for promotion in the near future.

Problem solve through each one of the items on your list. What is under your control? What is out of your control? Jot down your ideas for each item. Assessing the degree of control you have over each situation, whether you like the resulting percentages or not, is calming because you’ve decreased the degree of unknowns. Often, it’s the unknowns that creates the most stress.

 

Part Three

Your final step is to determine how much stress is comfortable for you to handle. Stress is an inevitable part of the workplace and you will not eliminate it entirely, so it’s helpful to understand how much you can tolerate before you become overwhelmed. Try the following:

1.      Take each item on your list from Part Two once again and decide if you can handle the amount of stress that it generates.

2.      If you feel you can handle it, then cross it out. Perhaps being short on supplies is an annoyance but one that you can choose to manage.

3.      Notice the items you’re left with. These are the workplace stressors that require your attention. These are the items which will determine whether you stay with this job¾and learn better coping strategies¾or you leave to find a more supportive and reinforcing work environment.

When stressful events are magnified in intensity, solving them can seem insurmountable. Multiple minor stressors can build and create intolerable amounts of stress, while major stressors can be difficult to identify when you are diverted by minor ones. Sorting through all of your stressors, to determine what is and isn’t solvable, can help you to feel more control over your workplace environment in general. With a greater degree of emotional control, the decisions you arrive at are likely to be more reasonable, logical, and ultimately more beneficial to you.

Ellen Diana is a psychologist, author of the Lucky Dreamer Tip Series, and co-author of the Charge up Your Life series of self-help books. She has 30 years’ experience working with children, adults, couples, and families in schools and in private practice in Scottsdale, Arizona. Helping women to evolve into their best selves through personal growth and self-awareness is a passion of hers. Ellen raised three successful children as a single parent and so has special interests in mentoring other women in transition and helping parents to raise resilient children. Contact Ellen at drdiana@ellendiana.com or through her website www.ellendiana.com

  

Career Reinvention

There are times in everyone’s career that you feel like running away and starting all over again, and I’m here to say that you can do it!

I’ve reinvented my career four times including being a disc jockey in radio, community relations director in television, regional marketing manager in a Fortune 100 finance company, and a global technical program manager in a Fortune 100 high tech company.

If you’d like to change careers but worry that your salary would decrease, take comfort in knowing that each time I changed careers I received a pay increase!

Reinventing your career means repackaging your skills, qualifications and successes so that you can transition into a new job role, company or industry.  Here are four steps to help you transition into a new career more quickly, easily and maybe even with a higher salary!

1.     What are your transferable skills? 
These are skills that transition from industry to industry, or from job role to job role.  Examples include: managing projects, teams, clients or budgets, as well as negotiating contracts, or proposing and implementing ideas that generate money, save money, or help the company be more competitive.  

Other transferable skills include personal characteristics such as demonstrating leadership or risk taking, training or mentoring team members, being goal driven, results oriented, a problem solver, or having the ability to influence senior managers.  These are great skills to have, and they transfer from industry to industry.  All kinds of industries and companies value employees with these types of skills and characteristics.

2.     Match your transferable skills to job roles.   
Read job descriptions posted on CareerJournal.com, CareerBuilder.com and Monster.com, as well as the classified ads in industry magazines, business publications, and company websites.  If you want to work for a specific company then check out their website’s on-line job postings.  Learn the skills and qualifications required for various job roles.

Match your transferable skills to those jobs you want to go after.  If there’s a gap between the required skills and the skills that you currently have, then look for ways to gain that experience such as taking on an extended assignment in your current job, or if you’re in between jobs then try freelancing, consulting, or volunteering.  

Also, attend industry conferences, trade shows, business networking events and association meetings. Talk to people who work in the industry to learn about their career path, key skills, and advice on how to break into the business.

3.     Blow up your resume. 
The first thing I always did before I transitioned into a new career was blow up my resume.  Trying to piece together a resume that highlighted the skills I used to get my last job with the skills I need to land my next job is like trying to weld together Lexus parts on a BMW.  It doesn’t work.  You need a brand new resume. 

Showcase only those jobs, responsibilities and successes that relate to the job you want.  The hiring manager doesn’t care about every job you’ve ever had.  They just want to know, Can you do their job?   You may also want to get a professional resume critique to help you customize your resume and identify your transferable skills.

 

4.     Attitude is the key ingredient! 
I’ve found that getting a new job really boils down to two things: confidence and passion.  I’ve never walked into an interview having met all of the job requirements.  In fact, for the television interview, I lacked the two biggest requirements which were a minimum of two years experience in television, and a reel to show my TV work. 

To compensate, I focused on my transferable skills which were being highly creative and a solid copywriter.  That got my foot in the door for the interview.  But to get the job offer and beat out the other 4 job candidates, I was passionate about the company and the job!  I also told the hiring manager that I absolutely knew that I could do the job!

There’s a kind of quiet confidence that we all have down deep inside.  A confidence that comes from knowing what we’re capable of doing.  When you transition into a new job role or a new company, you need to show the hiring manager that you have confidence in yourself and know that you’ll be successful in the job.  When it comes to reinventing your career, it’s not just your talent but your attitude that counts!

Sherri Thomas is founder of Career Coaching 360, an international speaker and author of "Career Smart: 5 Steps to a Powerful Personal Brand" on Amazon’s TOP 10 LIST for personal branding books. Career Coaching 360 provides career planning, management coaching and leadership development to help professionals change careers quickly and easily. Connect with Sherri at www.twitter.com/sherrithomas and on her website at www.careercoaching360.com, where you can also grab a free Career Analysis Package.

 

 

How Does Your Temperament Influence Your Relationships

A long time, the father of medicine Hippocrates developed the "Theory of the four temperaments" which consisted of analyzing behaviors that people had, and their influence in social groups and their relationships. According to this theory, there are four types of temperaments  present in the human being: melancholic, choleric, phlegmatic and sanguine. According to the study, we all present a few of the four temperaments, but each person has one temperament that stands out to others.

A person familiar with the characteristics and traits of their behavior, presents a self knowledge that benefits not only yourself, but also  the people around you. It becomes easier to deal with people close to us, if we know better our own temperament.

The more we understand our kind of temperament, the more we can learn to use it to produce positive effects on our lives. Let's learn a little about each of them:

 

Sanguine: are people who show happiness, energy and a love of people and crowds. They have the need to be the "center of attention", and are always surrounded by friends. It can lead to a lack of focus in  activities, due to performing many tasks simultaneously.  A job search for this group should include tasks that require attention and concentration such as preparing food, playing an instrument, or manual labor, as these can help focus attention for people with this temperament.

 

Melancholic: a person who has this temper, seeks perfection and is meticulous in everything that they do. They usually see life in the details, and for this reason tend to be very critical and observant. This is a human being that is reserved and introspective, who can appear quiet or moody to people who do not know them. Individuals with this temperament, generally have few friends, but are loyal to the few they have. A job search for this group includes work with a purpose, where they can freely express their ideas and opinions.

Choleric: People with this temperament have remarkable characteristics: leadership, decision-making, practicality and optimism. They tend to be independent in their way of being and living, with a lot of energy and daring in what they do, with an ability to lead people, with the intent of transforming something. In the professional environment,  this group appreciate giving orders rather than receiving them, and for this reason it can transmit to people: pride and self-sufficiency. In order to develop good relationships, it is suggested that this group practice team sports because they stimulate teamwork and discipline.

Phlegmatic: Individuals with this type of temperament, generally seem unconcerned with daily activities, when in fact they actually accumulate great concern within yourself. They are peaceful people, looking to stay away from trouble and strife.

In the workplace, they tend to be organized, confident and diplomatic. However, this individual does not usually get emotional easily, thus preferring silence and introspection in their relationships. Good activities for this group include, indoor activities such as painting and modeling.

 

We all inherit a temperament from our parents. It is the combination of congenital characteristics that consciously or unconsciously affect our way of being and living. Studying and learning more about our temperament, will give us more self-confidence and self-knowledge in our activities and relationships, thus contributing to our personal and professional growth. We need to diagnose our temperament, listing the positive parts to enhance them further, and we must know our weaknesses and limitations in order to seek improvements in our actions.

 

Daniela Silva is married, Brazilian, and currently resides in Sao Paulo, where she works in her home office with research and projects in education and the third sector.  Graduated in Pedagogy, has qualifications in: Pedagogy and school management business, and an MBA in Managing People.

Is Shyness Holding You Back at Work

Reposted from The Daily Muse

"Shyness is nice and shyness can stop you from doing all the things in life you’d like to.” —The Smiths

This song (penned by a lovely Englishman named Morrissey) appeared on many a mix tape in my high school days—and no music was sweeter to my little ol’ adolescent ears.

As I lay and listened (in overly-dramatic repose) and stared up at the stucco ceiling in my room, I could replay countless sweaty-palmed, heart-pounding moments of acute awkwardness (usually involving shaking hands with strangers or standing behind a podium speaking publicly). Mr. Steven Patrick Morrissey was, indeed, speaking my language.

Yes, despite my brash online bragadoccio—it’s true. I am shy. And, since I know firsthand what it’s like to be blessed with bashfulness in an office environment—I’d like to help. Today we’ll examine how shyness comes in all shapes and shades (i.e., the difference between an introverted personality type versus a diagnosis of social anxiety disorder) and explore some expert-approved tips on breaking free of that beautiful shell.

The Basics of Bashfulness

First off, let me remind you that shyness isn’t something to be ashamed of. Defined as “a blend of fear and interest,” it’s a universal human emotion that all of us experience, says Lynne Henderson, PhD, clinical psychologist and researcher with The Shyness Institute.

“Only about 3% of the population says they’ve never been shy, and I’m not sure I believe them. It’s adaptive in evolution—it’s a way to pause and check to see if something in the environment is safe,” says Henderson. “It’s only [an issue] when it gets severe enough to stop you.”

Veronica Parker, MFT, lead therapist at Sure Haven Treatment Center, describes a shyness spectrum in the general population—with garden-variety shyness on one end and the clinical diagnosis of social anxiety disorder on the other.

“Estimates differ, but seem to range between 30-50% of the population being more toward an introverted or shy personality.  It takes them a while to warm up, but it’s not really inhibiting their quality of life or ability to function at work—they can go about their life and feel comfortable,” she explains.

“Social anxiety [disorder] would be a much more severe side of that timidness—things like going to the grocery store and speaking to the clerk, running into someone in the elevator, or raising a hand to speak to the professor can feel intensely overwhelming or distressing and strike terror in [some] people.” This terror can include a barrage of racing, relentless negativity—including thoughts of self-criticism, self-doubt, and the fear that others are judging you (often accompanied by physical symptoms like increased pulse, sweating, upset stomach, or hand tremor).

This type of shyness plays out in a variety of ways at work—most obviously in avoidance. “There’s a strong potential that someone who is struggling with this is going to be hesitant in investing energy into building relationships with co-workers and supervisors,” says Parker. “I hear [socially anxious] people say, ‘People think I’m stuck up, have a bad attitude, or that I’m not interested. I desperately want to be a part [of things] but I’m scared they’re going to reject me.’”

Another avoidance-related response to socially based work tasks (like returning calls or emails) is our friend procrastination, says Craig April, PhD, clinical psychologist and anxiety expert (featured on A&E’s Obsessed). “We often create what we fear. You may procrastinate an email you know you must send, [fearing] that you’ll be judged or criticized. But that’s what is self-fulfilling—if you procrastinate, the email is sent late, which almost encourages judgment and criticism.”

“It also contributes to difficulty concentrating,” Parker adds. “You might see a lot of careless mistakes or overlooking important elements of projects—people just aren’t able to be in the moment while accomplishing a task when they are in their head criticizing themselves.”

And lastly, asking questions to clarify confusing issues may be a real sticking point. “[Socially anxious people] might have the belief they should [already] know something, saying, ‘I don’t want to ask because I might look silly or stupid.’ They might hold themselves back from these types of discussions, which might be quite fruitful,” says Henderson.

Step 1: Pull Your Head Out of the Sand

If any of the above sounds familiar, the reassuring news is that Parker says social anxiety is “absolutely treatable.” And likely, “it can be empowering for people to [say], ‘I have this issue, it’s my responsibility to deal with it, and I can absolutely get help to get to the other side.’”

It’s also empowering to reframe your too-shy tendencies in a more positive light, suggests Henderson. Although she does agree that shy women and men can indeed “underperform” when it comes to verbally based tasks (like standing up to pitch a new angle in a staff meeting), they may shine in terms of writing, attention to detail, and actually getting the job done.

“When I was a visiting scholar at Stanford, I remember a professor saying to me, ‘If they really want a responsible research assistant, they are going to get a shy one’—as they can be very attentive to detail, tend to be conscientious, are good listeners, and tend to be quite collaborative,” she notes.

Armed with this knowledge, Henderson suggests that shy gals try an honest assessment of where they do shine at work: “As with any temperament, what you’re doing is trying to utilize your strengths. People who talk too much (or aren’t socially anxious enough) also have to manage their temperament—maybe they have to talk less and listen more. Everyone in the workplace is in the process of doing some sort of management of whatever temperament they have.”

Step 2: Try Some Easy Self-Care Strategies

If you often find yourself white-knuckle-ing it through your workday, Parker suggests some speedy desk-ready solutions:

1. Schedule short breaks every hour where you can center yourself and clear your mind. Breathe deeply and completely focus on your chest rising and falling with each inhale and exhale.

2. Create a mantra. Google a quote that makes you feel good, write it on a Post-it and hang it near your computer. Repeat it to yourself when you feel like you’re wading into troubled water.

3. Make a “Distract Plan” to shift your focus elsewhere when you’re getting overwhelmed or anxious. Include tasks like calling a loved one who makes you laugh, listening to a favorite song, or gazing lovingly at that pic of your most-perfect Chihuahua.

“Whatever it is that gets your mind active in a totally different direction,” says Parker. “You can literally pull it out of your purse and say, ‘I’m going to try #2 on my list, then I’ll try #3’—just go down the list until you start to feel some decrease in distress.”

Parker also emphasizes that your “plan” should include a variety of tasks you can do in the context of different situations—for example, you might need something discreet in a staff meeting (like repeating your mantra, deep breathing, or doing a quick “scan” of your body to release tense muscles).

Step 3: Get Help if the Going Gets Too Tough

April says that if you’re suffering daily, it’s time to up the ante and find some help. If you find yourself becoming increasingly isolative or self-critical—reach out to a licensed therapist specializing in anxiety disorders. “It is sometimes hard to change on your own,” says Henderson.

Treatment modalities vary, but April says a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy approach (which focuses on teaching tools and techniques to handle the anxiety) is key. One major technique is Exposure Therapy, which entails “homework” assignments like practicing eye contact, greeting people, or engaging in conversation.

“The main goal of [repeated] exposure is to help the brain adapt. The brain simply gets tired of the fear and stops caring so much—and isn’t going to send signals as if there is some terrible danger,” says April.

And although my intention is not to instill further fear, I’d like to leave a parting message that working your way through social anxiety is essential: If untreated, you run the risk of it getting worse. “It becomes a vicious cycle,” says Parker, “the more you withdraw and isolate, the more fearful you become, and the less opportunity you have to have positive social interactions.”

Plus, as April reminds us, “Life is short, so why should you suffer? We are social beings and live in a social world. Sure, you can avoid spiders and you can decide never to fly again—but if you’re going to avoid social situations, then you’re not really living.”

3 Tips to a Faster Career Change

This is an excellent article that Sherri Thomas, Career Coach, wrote for our blog last year - 3 great tips to get  you that career change you are looking for!

It’s a tight job market right now, and if you’re looking for your next career opportunity then I have three (3) strategies to help you change into a new career faster…

1. Keep yourself marketable. If you’re looking for a new job, then use your “in-between” time to get any training or education you may need. Job requirements can change over the years. Industries can change. So make sure you stay current with the demands of the market by assessing your skills and qualifications with what the market is demanding. Most industries have a kind of license or certification that’s highly valued – such as the PMI’s Project Management Professional (PMP) certification, or the American Marketing Association’s Certified Marketing Professional (CMP) program. Investing in a certification or education will not only help you stand out from your competition, but it will also show hiring managers that you’re committed to your profession.

Another way to keep yourself marketable when you’re not working is to start freelancing or consulting. This shows hiring managers that you take initiative and that you’re considered an expert in your field by others. Also, join an association’s Board of Directors, or at minimum, a committee. These strategies will help keep you visible, expand your network, and boost your resume.

2. Fish where the fish are. In other words, know where your potential employers are. Find out by reading trade magazines, industry publications, company websites and websites that advertise job openings like Indeed.com, theLadders.com or CareerJournal.com to learn which industries are hiring, which companies are hiring, and what the hot jobs are.

You can also learn about companies that are hiring by attending industry conferences, trade shows, business networking events and association meetings. Another good idea is to join professional networking sites such as LinkedIn.com to get connected to industry leaders and company decision makers. Make it a priority to get connected, and stay connected, to people who can inspire you, hire you, or introduce you to others who could potentially hire you.

3. Be a resource to others. When you’re in the market for a new job, you never want to give the impression that you need a job. Instead, you want to be seen as someone who’s a leader, a driver, a mentor to others, and someone who’s resourceful – who knows how to get things done and get results. This is one reason why you want to consult, freelance, or volunteer while you’re in between jobs.

So here’s a tip – instead of sending the message, “I need a job”, you should send the message, “I’m someone who is resourceful, insightful and has a specific area of expertise.” In other words, you are someone that they should get to know! This is a major shift in the way others perceive you.

One way you can do that is to send out personal notes with links to cool videos, reports, press releases, or websites that you think might interest them. Another tip is to invite them to business networking events, and introduce them to other movers and shakers in the industry.

The bottom line is that successful professionals are drawn to other successful professionals and those who are resourceful. So get personal with your professional network and show them how you can help them be more successful.

There you have it – three great strategies to help you make an EASIER career change including: keeping yourself marketable, fish where the fish are, and be a resource to others.

If you’re stuck in your career – get professional help! You never want your career to be sitting on shelf longer than it has to – it means thousands of dollars every month in missed income that you should be making! So if you’re not getting results, then invest in some professional advice, like –

·         Professional resume writer

·         An interview coach

·         A career coach

These are professionals who can accelerate your career change and help you get into a new job faster!

And finally...

Successful professionals aren't lucky. They are career smart. They make choices, decisions, and take risks every day with the purpose of advancing their career. So step up, branch out, and start being receptive to new possibilities. There are always opportunities around you. You just have to go after them! :)

Sherri Thomas is author of Career Smart - 5 Steps to a Powerful Personal Brand - on AMAZON's TOP 10 LIST for personal branding books. She is also founder of Career Coaching 360 which provides resume help, interviewing support, and personal career coaching packages to help professionals change careers quickly and easily.

3 Steps to Identifying Your Dream Job

March 2013 on wehelpwomen.com is going to be all about getting you out of a career rut - if your feeling unfullfilled in your career, hate your job, or are just ready to make a career change then this month is for you.

Let's kick it off with an excellent article from The Daily Muse - 3 Steps to Identifying your Dream Job!

Article reposted from The Daily Muse

You know you want a new job. Or maybe, you want a whole new career. The trouble is—you’re just not sure exactly what it is you’d like to be doing. Might as well browse the job boards anyway, right?
Well, maybe not. The career possibilities out there are practically endless, so scouring the web for open positions trying to find something that sounds interesting isn’t always a good use of your time. So before you get to that search bar, try these practical steps that’ll help you focus your job hunt—plus gain some good skills and contacts in the meantime.

1. Visualize Your Dream Job 

If you could do anything all day, every day, what would it be? Think broadly, beyond just action verbs and skills, and include your interests and hobbies. Spend a good chunk of time just writing down words that describe your personality and dream job, then step back and see if there are recurring themes you might be able to link together. If you love anything food-related and get energized talking to people, for example, perhaps a sales gig for a high-end catering company or food start-up could be the place for you.

But don’t just stop at your interests—dig a little deeper. Say you love writing, especially about anything related to celebrities and fashion. Do you like doing days of research or do you want to be where all the action is? Is your writing style tongue-in-cheek or does it make your college professors envious? These types of questions can help you further narrow down where you should be looking—in this case, whether you should be exploring reporter jobs or ghostwriting positions.

If you’re feeling really stumped (or overwhelmed by all the options), try taking a career personality test. A popular choice is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)—a self-inventory test matching careers to your personality type, strengths, and preferences. For example, I’m an INTJ—meaning I’m skeptical, independent, and have high standards of competence and performance. According to my results, INTJ’s thrive in “any occupation where they can use their intellectual creativity and technical knowledge to conceptualize, analyze, and get the task done.” For me, a career in engineering, medicine, or law (my career choice) is a match made in personality test heaven. The results you get will probably be just as broad, but they can at least point you in some interesting directions.

2. Talk to People

In addition to doing some introspection, you should make time for exploration. Researching a variety of career paths and talking to people about their jobs and experiences is a great way to see which gigs might be a fit for you.

From LinkedIn profiles to sites like I Want Her Job, The Everygirl, and even our own Daily Muse, the web is a goldmine of information about all the jobs under the moon. Scour the internet and learn all you can about any paths that interest you and the types of people who are most successful there. You might even find profiles of people doing jobs you didn’t know existed!

When you do find a few jobs that sound right up your alley, flip through your contacts and ask your friends and family to put you in touch with professionals in those fields. Don’t hesitate to reach out to a variety of people—from your peers to people you really admire. Call, email, or send a lovely card to someone, saying you’re impressed with her career and would love to pick her brain about her industry and job. No matter how busy people are, they’re usually willing to spare an email, lunch, or coffee date to help a rising protégé.

3. Gain Some Skills Along the Way

As you’re narrowing down what, exactly, your dream job is, remember that part of eventually landing that gig is making sure you’re qualified for it! So while you’re exploring career paths and meeting with people, take note of the skills required to succeed in those fields. Does every person you talk to spend at least part of her day writing? Do the positions that sound great to you all require basic knowledge of HTML?

Keep a checklist of all the things you may ultimately need to include on your resume. Check off the skills and characteristics you can already demonstrate, and then start making a plan to get the rest. For the more complex skills or technical knowledge, look for workshops and classes where you can learn them, or consider whether you need or want to go back to school. Even if you’re not quite sure what that dream job is yet, you can definitely be making progress toward it. (And hey—you might even discover new things you like doing along the way!)

Searching for a job when you’re not sure what you want to do is difficult—the options seem endless, and not in a good way. But, once you’re armed with a mind map, some industry info and contacts, and a list of skills you can be working on, you’ll have at least narrowed down what you’re looking for. And then—go get started on that search!

Read more: http://www.thedailymuse.com/job-search/before-the-search-bar-3-steps-to-identifying-your-dream-job/#ixzz2MJjyZGq1