In college I had plenty of friends who weren't sure what they wanted to do. I was sure I wanted to be a lawyer... until I wasn't sure. Not because I couldn't, but because the Lord changed my heart and priorities. Daniel and I were recently engaged, and I realized starting a family was more important to me than being a lawyer. I switched my major from political science to history, and that was that! Decisiveness when it comes to big life choices has always been easy for me. I can't say the same for all my little life choices though. When I decided to become a teacher, I was a little late in the game. I couldn't very well start the education program at DBU when I was already almost done. That's when I made the choice to work my butt off to secure my professional future as soon as possible. I do not like uncertainty at all. If you're like me and want to have that dream career ASAP, then read my five tips for landing your dream job.
1. Don't Waste Time in School
I obviously don't mean to skip school entirely, unless your dream job doesn't require it. I have so many friends who went to college for 4-5 years to get a Bachelors. I highly suggest going to school full time year round to graduate earlier. I graduated in 3 years without becoming overly stressed. My dad gave me some incredible advice in high school that he probably doesn't even remember, but he said to treat school like a job. Just act as if you have to study and be in class from 8-4, and you'll have plenty of time to get everything done while still having evenings for fun! If 8 hours a day seems like a lot, it's because it is. Realistically you don't need this much time for class and studying. If you finish early that's great take the afternoon off. I suggest taking minimesters (week long courses), or summer classes online. If you want to land your dream job then stop dragging out college and graduate already. Another plus of graduating in 3 years and at 20 years old is that prospective employers will be impressed. I've never had an interview where this didn't come up, and I always feel like it has a huge impact on their impression of me.
2. Gain Experience
One of the biggest mistakes I see is friends not applying for every job in their field or turning jobs down because they weren't perfect. You need experience to land your dream job, and if you keep passing up opportunities to gain that experience you will never get there. I knew that I wasn't going to land my dream job immediately for a few reasons. I was straight out of college, and did alternative certification for teaching. I had to gain experience to be able to speak with confidence in my abilities as a teacher. I started out as a teacher in Oak Cliff at Stockard Middle School. Although this was a really difficult school to work at, it was in Dallas ISD who pays really well. For some people this would have been a great job because of the salary, but honestly I choose environment over salary.
3. Build a Killer Resume
Don't wait until the last minute to create a resume, and get recommendation letters. Start working on your resume, and add to it throughout your career. Recommendation letters are a huge part of your resume. I keep every relevant recommendation letter I've ever received and give them all to prospective employers. It's important to have recommendation letters from different categories of people. As a teacher, I had one from my principal, instructional coach, fellow teacher, and college advisor/professor. If you aren't a teacher, then I would suggest getting a recommendation from your direct supervisor, peer, and a college professor if possible. People are impressed with organization. I compiled all of this to include in a portfolio showcasing my teaching abilities. It included a letter, resume, philosophy of teaching, recommendations, transcripts, sample lesson plans, examples of student's work, and even observations. Having a collection of documents that prove you're as great as you say you are will go a long way in landing your dream job.
Do not walk into an interview without preparation. Spend time with a friend, or even by yourself going over possible questions. Even if they don't ask any of the questions your practice, you will gain confidence from going through the motions. Also prepare a killer outfit. Overdress. I don't mean to wear a tuxedo like in Step Brothers... if you haven't seen their interview scene go watch it now. I just paused writing this to go watch it which reminded me of another tip! Have questions prepared for your interviewer. They will most definitely ask you "Do you have any questions?", and it's really awkward if you don't. So come up with some that are relevant to the position and company you are applying for.
5. Follow Up
I guarantee that you are not the only person being interviewed. Hopefully they will remember you if you did all the things I mentioned, but they might not. Take the time to sit down and write an email the next day to check in, and thank them for their time. This should be a 3-4 sentence email that tells them what a great opportunity it was to interview, and that you are appreciative of their time. Most people don't do this. They just sit around and wait for a phone call. Show them that you are excited and motivated. If you don't hear back consider giving the company a call to follow up again. Don't assume you didn't get it because you haven't heard anything. Companies sometimes put hiring on the back burner if it's not a time sensitive position. Don't give up until they tell you that they've filled the position.
I took all of these steps to land my dream job at 22! I had to work non-stop to graduate early (while married), then work long hours at a stressful school to gain experience, but I quickly made all of that worth it by staying focused. If you're not sure what you want to do, it's because you haven't done it yet. Get out there and start applying. You'll know when you find it.
xoxo,
kelsey
