Pursue Your Passion and Land Your Dream Job in 2012
By Bridget Quigg, PayScale.com
The year 2011 has come and gone and you still have that nagging feeling that a better job awaits you, one that caters to your passions and pays the bills. How can you get working toward your dream job in 2012?
Boost your career! Enter our contest to win a free, signed copy of "Salary Tutor: Learn The Salary Negotiation Secrets No One Ever Taught You" by Jim Hopkinson.
Career coach and author Jim Hopkinson (Salary Tutor) offers practical, step-by-step advice on how to honor what you care about most and earn a living at the same time.
1. Is it realistic for someone to pursue their dream job full-time or should they use a different job to pay the bills and then find happiness outside of work?
I think it’s something that each individual needs to make a decision about on their own by looking at where they are in life, and what is most important to them.
If you are young or just out of college, it’s more practical to pursue your dream job versus someone who might have a family and a mortgage to pay. It also depends on the dream job itself. If you have a full-time job that pays the bills and your passion is surfing, it’s quite a long shot to turn pro, secure that Billabong sponsorship, and circle that trip to French Polynesia on the world tour schedule.
Likewise, many people are very passionate about music, but they’ll need to objectively understand that very few musical acts are going to make it big. It could take years of playing clubs in different cities and thousands of hours of practice to make it to a point where you’re getting paid to be a musician – and that’s assuming you are fortunate enough to connect with other band members that are on the same page as you.
2. Should a person accept lower pay to stay at a job they love?
As someone that advises people how to negotiate their salary, I wouldn’t say that they need to accept lower pay. What’s most important is that they are getting paid a fair market value for what they are worth, and then evaluating the overall package.
There are so many things that are important besides money when you look at a job. Let’s take commuting as an example. According to a new report based on Census data from 2009, the average American spends 25.1 minutes a day commuting. Head over to Payscale’s commute time page to see the average commute for your company or city (43 minutes in New York).
What is the true cost of your commute? From a mental standpoint, if you are in daily bumper-to-bumper traffic that makes your blood boil, that’s a lot of added stress. If you’re nestled on a commuter train reading your Kindle and sipping coffee, maybe not as bad.
To estimate a quick dollar amount, find out how much your time is worth. Simply take your annual salary and divide it by two and then lop off three zeros. That number estimates your hourly wage.
For example, if you make $60,000 per year, you make roughly $30 per hour. So, if your commute round-trip everyday is three hours, that comes out to almost $100 a day that you’re giving up in income. If you’re commuting to your dream job, that might be worth it to you. Otherwise, you may have to rethink your choice.
Another question to consider is, do you like your boss? Do you dread going to work everyday because your boss is a jerk? Or do they serve as a mentor to further your career?
Are you doing something that you believe in? If you are working for a charity or an internet start up that’s aiming to change the world, that could be worth a lower salary based upon what you’re going to do.
Even if you’re not in your dream job, if you’re in position that is a step towards your dream job, then that is something you should stick with.
And, lastly, the overall point of this discussion is work-life balance. Life is too short to go to a job every single day that you regret. One thing I like to talk about is the pillow test. When you go to bed and you lay your head down on the pillow, are you stressed because you have all of the day’s problems from work weighing on you? When you wake up in the morning and your lift your head off the pillow, are you excited to go to work most days, or are you constantly waiting for the weekend?
3. What advice would you give to people who want to pursue their dream job?
The most practical way to do so is to ease into it. We’re seeing a trend of people pursuing their dream jobs on the side and working up to it being full-time.
What’s great about the time we are living in right now is the technology available to help you make that transition. For example, if you want to be an author, you can spend a little time each evening and on the weekends writing the great American novel. No longer does the route to recognition rest solely on the approval of a major publishing house. You can build an online presence through a blog, market your work through social media, and use tools for independent authors to self-publish for the growing number of ebook readers (the commuter with the Kindle sitting next to you on the train might be your first customer).
Even our surfing and musician friends from earlier have more options. Maybe you won’t be the next big surfer on the tour, but if you come up with a way to solve a customer need – a new wetsuit design, a tour company to the best surfing locations, or an instructional video that teaches newbies – it is relatively easy to set up a website to promote these products.
As a musician, the major labels exert far less influence than they once did. From recording your own album digitally to uploading your shows on YouTube to marketing your band on Facebook and Twitter, building a fan base and taking control of your passion – while keeping more of the profits – is in your hands.
Perhaps there comes a day when your passion project starts to bring in more money than your day job. Or it brings in enough revenue that you say to yourself “Hmmm, if I were able to work on this full time, I could match my current salary and truly love what I do.” Or maybe you find that working the 9 to 5 and setting aside your free time for what you love is the best option. Either way, the choice is yours.
1. Is it realistic for someone to pursue their dream job full-time or should they use a different job to pay the bills and then find happiness outside of work?
I think it’s something that each individual needs to make a decision about on their own by looking at where they are in life, and what is most important to them.
Likewise, many people are very passionate about music, but they’ll need to objectively understand that very few musical acts are going to make it big. It could take years of playing clubs in different cities and thousands of hours of practice to make it to a point where you’re getting paid to be a musician – and that’s assuming you are fortunate enough to connect with other band members that are on the same page as you.
2. Should a person accept lower pay to stay at a job they love?
As someone that advises people how to negotiate their salary, I wouldn’t say that they need to accept lower pay. What’s most important is that they are getting paid a fair market value for what they are worth, and then evaluating the overall package.
There are so many things that are important besides money when you look at a job. Let’s take commuting as an example. According to a new report based on Census data from 2009, the average American spends 25.1 minutes a day commuting. Head over to Payscale’s commute time page to see the average commute for your company or city (43 minutes in New York).
What is the true cost of your commute? From a mental standpoint, if you are in daily bumper-to-bumper traffic that makes your blood boil, that’s a lot of added stress. If you’re nestled on a commuter train reading your Kindle and sipping coffee, maybe not as bad.
To estimate a quick dollar amount, find out how much your time is worth. Simply take your annual salary and divide it by two and then lop off three zeros. That number estimates your hourly wage.
For example, if you make $60,000 per year, you make roughly $30 per hour. So, if your commute round-trip everyday is three hours, that comes out to almost $100 a day that you’re giving up in income. If you’re commuting to your dream job, that might be worth it to you. Otherwise, you may have to rethink your choice.
Another question to consider is, do you like your boss? Do you dread going to work everyday because your boss is a jerk? Or do they serve as a mentor to further your career?
Are you doing something that you believe in? If you are working for a charity or an internet start up that’s aiming to change the world, that could be worth a lower salary based upon what you’re going to do.
Even if you’re not in your dream job, if you’re in position that is a step towards your dream job, then that is something you should stick with.
And, lastly, the overall point of this discussion is work-life balance. Life is too short to go to a job every single day that you regret. One thing I like to talk about is the pillow test. When you go to bed and you lay your head down on the pillow, are you stressed because you have all of the day’s problems from work weighing on you? When you wake up in the morning and your lift your head off the pillow, are you excited to go to work most days, or are you constantly waiting for the weekend?
3. What advice would you give to people who want to pursue their dream job?
The most practical way to do so is to ease into it. We’re seeing a trend of people pursuing their dream jobs on the side and working up to it being full-time.
What’s great about the time we are living in right now is the technology available to help you make that transition. For example, if you want to be an author, you can spend a little time each evening and on the weekends writing the great American novel. No longer does the route to recognition rest solely on the approval of a major publishing house. You can build an online presence through a blog, market your work through social media, and use tools for independent authors to self-publish for the growing number of ebook readers (the commuter with the Kindle sitting next to you on the train might be your first customer).
Even our surfing and musician friends from earlier have more options. Maybe you won’t be the next big surfer on the tour, but if you come up with a way to solve a customer need – a new wetsuit design, a tour company to the best surfing locations, or an instructional video that teaches newbies – it is relatively easy to set up a website to promote these products.
As a musician, the major labels exert far less influence than they once did. From recording your own album digitally to uploading your shows on YouTube to marketing your band on Facebook and Twitter, building a fan base and taking control of your passion – while keeping more of the profits – is in your hands.
Perhaps there comes a day when your passion project starts to bring in more money than your day job. Or it brings in enough revenue that you say to yourself “Hmmm, if I were able to work on this full time, I could match my current salary and truly love what I do.” Or maybe you find that working the 9 to 5 and setting aside your free time for what you love is the best option. Either way, the choice is yours.
CONTEST: Win a Free, Signed Copy of "Salary Tutor: Learn The Salary Negotiation Secrets No One Ever Taught You by Jim Hopkinson"
Would you like some extra help to your job hunt? Enter our contest to win a free, signed copy of Jim Hopkinson's book Salary Tutor. To enter the contest, leave a comment below with your best advice for job hunters. When you log in to leave a comment, be sure to use an email address where we can reach you if you win.
On Monday, December 19th at 12 pm PST we'll pick a winner at random from those who have entered. Best wishes and we look forward to hearing your advice.
I think you should be paid fairly too in doing what you really want. You deserve it and for sure, your performance is exceptional because you are doing it passionately. I came across a video that talks about doing what you really want and get paid for it - HIGH! http://marieforleo.com/2012/01/safe-job-or-do-what-i-love/
Posted by: Grace | January 16, 2012 at 10:57 PM
What is really important? Money, quality of life, quality of work life? Hopefully all three of these can combine for the perfect career/job.
Posted by: clare sciulli | January 11, 2012 at 12:39 PM
First: Know what you are looking for...
Second: Communicate this well!
Third: Be patient and do not settle for less :)
Posted by: Elizabeth | December 19, 2011 at 03:26 PM
My advice to job hunters is to identify what your dream job really is. Give yourself an assessment to determine what you like to do and what skills you have in your inventory. Finding the right job is very important to long term satisfaction. If you actually love your job, it can seem like its not really work
Posted by: MNolder | December 19, 2011 at 06:38 AM
Networking, Networking. Also old contacts that know your work experience. They sometimes have higher up contacts to help get you noticed in the job you are looking at.
Posted by: Donna Wilczewski | December 19, 2011 at 05:59 AM
Something I've learned over the years is not to accept everything your new prospective employer offers. Negotiate! Don't feel bad or guilty about negotiating. Although it's awkward for most people to do, it's important and you'll kick yourself later if you don't. A couple notes when negotiating: Know what you "need to have" and what's "nice to have"; be realistic & flexible; don't be demanding.
Posted by: Jackie | December 18, 2011 at 07:55 PM
one way to find work is to look up an industry you want to work in, call the company and speak to the HR Manager. tell them you want to pick their brains and SEEK advice from them about what you you should do ie courses, etc. to seek a career in their type of company. Most people love to brag about themselves and will happily help you out. BEST- THING ABOUT THIS IS YOU ARE NOT LOOKIG OR ASKING THEM FOR A JOB SO IT IS NOT THREATENING, AND YOU ARE SHOWING INITIATIVE! I have been in the work force for 30 yrs and this has always got me a job.
Posted by: Zabina Addetia | December 18, 2011 at 10:08 AM
Be honest and give the correct details it will bring rewards in the long run.
Posted by: Kishore Pai | December 18, 2011 at 07:36 AM
During the interview, try to make a real connection with the interviewer. It's human nature to be more incline to make an offer or want to help someone you have a real connection with.
Posted by: Ana | December 18, 2011 at 05:28 AM
Keep your skills up-to-date. Always educate yourself. Be confident and optimistic and maintain a flexible and adaptable attitude. Always keep looking for future prospects regardless of whether you are happy with your present employment or not. This way, you will become aware of your "market value" which is always a useful tool for negotiating pay rates. It may also highlight areas in which you may need to "up-skill".
Posted by: Naomi | December 17, 2011 at 01:34 PM
My advice is to do it all - go to gathering and networking events, join professional organizations and social networks, set goals for resumes sent out per day or week, write thank you cards for those you have interviewed with, constantly work on your computer, writing and speaking skills, and stay positive! Yes, looking for a job can be a full-time job in itself but it is worth it in the end (or at least I hope it will be!)
Posted by: Adrianne Palmer | December 17, 2011 at 10:44 AM
Set a target for the number of contacts/resumes sent per day. For example you may want to set a goal for a minimum of 10 per day, target of 15 per day and your outrageous goal may be for 20 per day.
Posted by: Kathleen | December 17, 2011 at 09:45 AM
Network, network, network. Get involved in your area AC, join committees and volunteer. These are great opportunities to introduce yourself to decision makers and show your commitment to the great good of the community - potential employers value this.
Posted by: Barbara | December 17, 2011 at 09:34 AM
Make sure when you have found your dream job and you are serious about moving on get your offer in writing, complete with all the exact details about salary, bonsues, employee benefits, stock options, agreed to percentage of ownership etc because one persons understanding of how the original conversation went a year or two down the line is way to late and you could lose out.
Posted by: Kevin | December 17, 2011 at 09:11 AM
Before accepting a job offer talk with former employees, competitors, recruiters to get the inside scoop on the company and the people you will be working with.
Posted by: Robin | December 17, 2011 at 07:45 AM
Network, and be useful! Networking can be done through social media, and LinkedIn is an invaluable tool. But don't forget to get together with people in real life, and have the first question you ask be: "What can I do to help you?" Also be useful to others by sharing information on LinkedIn and other social media networks. It's real, personal connections, with real people, that networks are built on. I've made some great friends through networking, and it will be amazing to you how one connection will lead to another, in ways you cannot predict.
Posted by: Ariane | December 17, 2011 at 07:23 AM
Be memorable! If it's your dream job, there should be some enthusiasm! Think of the true work related stories that show that you are a service oriented, problem solver and use your creative story telling skills to relate these experiences appropriately to the job you are interviewing for. Bring "visual aid(s)" to the interview that validate(s) an accomplishment(s) because the visual picture may last longer in their minds than the words. If you are invited to interview and can show that you are qualified, prepare well for the interview and then relax so they can picture working with you. If you want the job, don't wait to see if they choose you, choose them and ask for the opportunity to do the job.
Posted by: Linda | December 16, 2011 at 11:59 PM
Some great advice in the article and definitely a question that pops in my head as I will be embarking on my next career path soon. Some interesting comments as well.
Posted by: Lana | December 16, 2011 at 08:47 PM
In my opinion, before you start looking for your dream job, know yourself thoroughly and you will know what to look for. For example, do you strive on moving about and not be deskbounded? Do you like meeting new people and have money and status as a "keep score" for motivation? The above is not all inclusive but it does show that this person should focus on a sales/profit based group. Certainly, don't stray too far from your core competency unless you are young enough to start over again.
Posted by: Bobby | December 16, 2011 at 07:42 PM
Find something you love to do, and figure out a way to get paid to do it. And when you have the job remember what Quintilian said about public speaking- if one speaks well but has poor intentions, the they will be a tyrant. If one is good and speaks poorly, then their ideas will have limited impact.
Posted by: Grégory Landon | December 16, 2011 at 05:45 PM
Use LinkedIn now, before you start looking for a career move as a job finding network. Add links to all the people you have worked with or worked for (even if they weren't you "friend") so when the time comes to move on, they will see you are looking and you can get a hold of them in case you want to use them for a reference or ask a question. Make sure to keep everything you do on LinkedIn professional; don't post like you would on Facebook. When you go to use this resource, you don't want people to think of you as the annoying gossipy blogger or something worse.
Posted by: Todd Swagerty | December 16, 2011 at 05:34 PM
My best advice is to keep up with technological options for searching. For example, LinkedIn. I had neglected my profile for years. When I started looking to change jobs earlier this year, I updated my profile. Within a few months, I started getting unsolicited requests from companies who wanted to interview me.
This sounds like a great book, I really enjoyed reading the blog.
Posted by: Greg | December 16, 2011 at 03:39 PM
Do your research. Go above and beyond just reading the company's website. Interview one of their customers to find out what they think of the company's products. Interview a former employee. Contact the industry association. Check out their competitors. Go to the interview equipped with ideas of how they can improve their products or offer a program to better compete.
Posted by: Heather MacIntosh | December 16, 2011 at 03:31 PM
In order to find and succeed in the job interview, you have to first believe in yourself and your capabilities. Although you might not have a unique experience, but you are unique as a person.
Posted by: Hiba | December 16, 2011 at 12:59 PM
Work on your presentation and public speaking skills. Also, write, write, write. Write down your thoughts, experiences, quotes, what you learned, how you failed, how your succeeded, what you liked, what you didn't like. Review it. Read it again and again, and write some more. No matter what you do in life, no matter the path you take... one day the things you wrote down and the skills to pass it on to others will lead you to success wherever you are.
Posted by: Michael Cortes | December 16, 2011 at 12:51 PM