How do you know what your dream job is?

Ready to launch a new career but can’t decide which direction to go in? Well, you wouldn’t be the only one – more than half of UK workers also want to find a new job!

Figuring out your dream job is not exactly a simple task, is it? You could spend hours scrolling the best UK job search engines looking for the highest paying jobs, but that’s pointless unless you take the time to actually define what you’re looking for. Don’t fall into the trap of job hopping from one unfulfilling job to the next – make your next career move count!

Choose a job you love, and you’ll never have to work a day in your life

Confucius

How to decide what career is right for you

Reflect on your passions and interests

Confucius once said, ‘Choose a job you love, and you’ll never have to work a day in your life.’ And how right he was! Your passions and interests should form the basis of your career move. If you don’t have a genuine love for your work, it won’t be long before that job’s expiry date kicks in. So think about your passions and link this into your dream career.

Know your skills and strengths

Don’t just pick a direction based on the best paid careers… think about what your strengths are and mould a career out of this. Everyone knows that one of the highest paying careers in the UK is working as a doctor, but unless you love academia, science and working with sick people, you won’t enjoy this line of work. Maybe you’re a natural mathematician or problem-solver, or you’ve always had a knack for design… we all have skills – recognise what yours are and run with them!

List what you dislike

As much as it’s important for you to know what you want, it’s equally as important to know what you don’t want. Reflect on your past work experience and what you didn’t like about those positions. Perhaps you didn’t like customer interaction, or you didn’t enjoy being sat behind a computer all day. It’s important you don’t repeat those tasks in your next role.

Take career quizzes

Make use of resources like career aptitude tests to help define your dream career. These tests and quizzes consider your interests, experience and skills to suggest different career paths. They might not be 100% reliable, but they can certainly help you to learn more about yourself and get your creative juices flowing.

Top 3 free career quizzes

• Princeton review
• 123 Test
• Job Outlook

Think about your idols

Who do you really admire in the world and why? What are they achieving? This could be somebody in the public eye or someone closer to home. Perhaps you admire them for their innovation, or maybe you just admire the way they communicate with others. Either way, draw inspiration from their achievements and qualities to help shape the direction of your own career.

Talk to your friends

Mapping out your dream career doesn’t have to be a solo job. Call on the help of your friends to get their opinions, and also ask them about their own work experience. Maybe you’re considering a career in finance and know somebody that works in the industry. Reach out to them as they could have some good insights and advise you on the best skills to learn for that industry.

Get cracking!

Taking that next step in your career can feel daunting. But it’s important you don’t rush the process and really take the time to get clear on your aims. Remember, the end goal is to find a job that you can call a fulfilling career. Once you find that role, be sure to use our interview tips to seal the deal!

Are you a student looking to gain experience? Check out our blog on the best work experience for students.