Landing the perfect career is something that you’ll find at the top of most people’s to-do lists, but it’s not often they actually come up with a plan to land their perfect career. People will stay in a job they don’t like all that much just because they are within their comfort zone. The harsh truth is, that unless you take the steps to land your perfect career yourself, it’s not going to come knocking. Your career will be little more than just a pipe dream. You can’t put your happiness off any longer - life is short!

Below, we’ll discuss a few ways in which you can come up with an effective plan for landing the perfect career for you. Take a look and see what you can do:

Start By Figuring Out What You Actually Want Out Of Your Career

You need to know what you want out of your new job before you start planning. Have an idea of what you want to be doing day to day, what you want the company culture to be like, and more. You should never blindly apply for online postings.

You might know deep down what you really want, or you might have to do a little soul searching to find out. Start looking inwards now so you can figure it out and begin coming up with your plan.

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Work On Your Core Values and Goals

Assessing who you are and knowing what you’re looking for instantly sets you up for success in just about any field. Grab a notebook, or even use a spreadsheet, and make some columns; your current job, your dream job, and your worth. Figure out what you like about your current job and write it down, and then write down what you really hate. Then you can start to outline a job description for your dream job and company. Try to be as specific as you possibly can.

You then want to consider what your strengths and weaknesses are, so that you can find jobs that align with your strengths. You could even create a list of potential employers you could target.

Now might also be the time to expand your knowledge and qualifications if you know what sort of job you want but you technically aren't qualified. You can find things like civil engineering degrees online to fit around your lifestyle so you don’t even have to go into full time education. This is a great way to improve your skills and strengths.

Market Yourself Well

Now that you’re clear on what exactly it is you’re looking for, you need to begin marketing yourself effectively. Revise your resume, create a cover letter template, and take a look at any social media profiles (e.g. LinkedIn) and update them.

As you update these things, make sure you use action verbs and present tense for your current job, delete the objective or replace it with a summary if you’re switching industries or career paths, and quantify your achievements.

Take Your Search Up A Notch

Now it’s time to do the heavy lifting and take things up a notch - the applications! You can register on job hunting sites if you think this will help you, uploading your CV and cover letter.

Apply ASAP when you see a job opening. Don’t wait. People looking to hire will often receive many applications during the first 24 hours - they might even remove the posting so they have time to look through them all. You really don’t want to miss your opportunity here, so strike while the iron is hot. Just make sure you update that cover letter with a few key sentences tying your experiences to the position, and use keywords from the job ad. This should take you no longer than 15 minutes.

Next, grab that notebook or open up that spreadsheet we talked about before, and use it to track the opportunities you have applied to. You should list the employer, the date submitted, and the job description (pasted from the online posting). You will then have this information available if you get contacted to do phone interviews, which will be extremely beneficial and you won’t have to rack your brain on the spot.

Look At Your Network

Take a look at your network and identify connectors and V.I.P.s. Get in touch with them and see if you can meet them over lunch or coffee within the next few weeks. You can then ask if they know anyone at your target employers, tell them what you’re looking for, and follow up with them two to three weeks later. Definitely also connect with the three people you want to be references, as it’s bad etiquette to ask for a reference last minute. You’ll feel more confident with your references this way, and you never know who you might be introduced to as a result of your networking.

Prepare For Those Interviews

You may be hearing back after about 5-6 weeks, so make sure you prepare for questions during the interview stages. Make sure you have solid answers for why you’re looking, what interests you about the position, why you think you’d be suited to the job, and more. You may need to walk a potential employer through your resume, so ensure you’re prepared for that. Practice as much as you can with friends or a partner to build your confidence, and continue to review and apply to jobs even if you’re getting interviews, as you just don’t know what might happen in the meantime.

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Expand Your Network

You should still focus on expanding your network at this point, so ensure you attend industry events, professional conferences and more. Focus on getting back in touch with your non professional contacts as well; from volunteer projects, religious organizations, recreational sporting leagues, etc. If you haven’t heard back at all from some of your previous contacts, reach out again. Don’t let those potential contacts get away from you!

Follow Up

By now, you may have had some interviews. Way to go! Don’t forget to follow up with those when you get them. Send thank you notes within 24-48 hours, as this will help you to keep your name at front and center of the interviewees mind. Take some time to regroup a little - how is your process going? What could you be doing differently? You can then use this information to improve if you haven’t yet found your dream role.

Repeat!

If you haven’t found a job yet, it’s time to repeat the process. Use what you learned during your little wind down and tweak your strategy accordingly. Make sure you look at your notebook/spreadsheet and keep your eye on the prize - don’t forget what you want and why it is you’re doing this. Continue networking, continue applying and continue interviewing. Just keep going and it will pay off. You may not see results right away but dedication and commitment will go such a long way. If you don’t hear back from job interviews, look at it as a learning curve and take it as a sign that there’s something even better for you out there.

Are you ready to come up with an effective plan for landing the perfect career? Use the pointers here and you’ll have a solid picture of what you want and what you don’t, as well as what you need to do to get it. Do you have advice for jobseekers? Leave your comments below!