If you choose a job you love, you never have to work a day in your life. Confucius said that and while it is not exactly true–even things we love occasionally are chores–it is nonetheless much more desirable to work a job we feel passionate about than it is to go through the motions day after day for a paycheck. With that in mind, below are 5 tips to help you find your dream job. 

Target the Correct Job Boards

An important part of your strategy when looking for that dream job should be to make sure you are browsing and uploading your resume to the right job boards. While you can certainly filter by profession and industry on places like Indeed, it is crucial that you are aware of the various industry-specific job boards out there. 

There are job boards dedicated solely to IT, marketing, engineering, graduate job, not for profit, sales jobs, and jobs in politics. Narrowing your search is always helpful and making use of industry-specific job boards will help you spend less time setting filters and sifting while looking for that dream job. 

Network 

If you want to land a full-time job that pays the bills and allows you to do something you are truly interested in, you have to network, plain and simple. This is in recognition of the fact that 70 percent or more of the jobs out there are unlisted–you will never hear or read about them. Networking can take place on social media apps like Linkedin, you can apply to and join professional Slack groups centred around your desired profession, you can attend events and seminars and, in the era of virtual events, even sign up for digital networking sessions. 

The bottom line is that in order to find work that you will find meaningful and satisfying, you need to put yourself out there and try to leverage your professional network. While there are still plenty of great jobs to be found on job boards and through company websites, the only way you are going to find out about most of the jobs you might be interested in doing is to meet the people who know about them.  They can also provide you with valuable information such as if they use aptitude test questions for assessment or focus on numerical skills.

Engage on Social Media

An approach that can be surprisingly effective involves reaching out to companies, hiring managers and key employees via social media. This could be through Twitter, Facebook or Instagram and if you are able to demonstrate that you are someone with good industry insight and valuable experience, through participation in conversations and helping drive thought-provoking argument and discussion, companies will take note. 

A word of caution for those pursuing this route while looking for work: make sure your social media profile is squeaky clean. If you are reaching out to companies on Facebook or Twitter in the hopes of landing a job, an interview or even adding someone to your professional network, your social media can’t have anything potentially scandalous on it or companies won’t want to come anywhere near you. 

Volunteer

If you want to find work doing something you love or are passionate about, a good way to go about it is to offer your services and time for free at events where you get a chance to showcase your skills, knowledge and passion. This avenue can produce great results because being in these kinds of places guarantees that you will be surrounded by like-minded people, some of whom could potentially represent employers or are employers themselves. Being able to strike up a genuine conversation or friendship with someone over something you are both interested in is one of the best ways to cultivate professional relationships. 

Go Back to School 

While going back to school is certainly not a panacea, if you are looking for a career change or a career upgrade, a return to post-secondary education can be a major shot in the arm for an otherwise stagnating professional life. Professionals who are looking to return to school should keep in mind a number of important considerations while strategizing their return to higher ed. 

Going back to school can help jumpstart or redirect a listless career by introducing you to new people, concepts, ideas and skillsets. It is important, however, to be realistic about your return to school, what you hope to accomplish, your likelihood of accomplishing it and how any competing responsibilities may complicate your plans. 

Conclusion 

The fact of the matter is, most people will not find what is often referred to, fancifully, as a “dream job.” Most people simply hope to find something that pays well, affords them a dignified comfortable life and they are content with that. Finding something you are truly passionate about is a much loftier ambition, but it is not out of reach. If you put in the effort, persevere, and keep all of the above strategic considerations in mind, you stand a much better chance of finding a job you actually want to do.