Identifying my dream job — 10 questions I asked myself that worked
If you are considering making a job change, finding the intersection between fit, available opportunities, and timing can be tricky. The array of opportunities available in this candidate-friendly market may be dizzying and how to make the right decision about which company to join based on some research and a set of interviews can be daunting. Having recently completed a thorough search myself, I have been thinking about what matters the most in such a quest.
Ultimately for me, asking these key questions helped me focus on the factors that would successfully identify my dream job.
They were as follows:
1) What does the company pride itself on above all else?
2) Would the role draw on most (if not all) of my accumulated experiences?
3) Who owns the company and why? Are employees treated as owners and/or do they have equity?
4) If I was a client of the company, would I be proud to say so?
5) Is the company’s product distinctive?
6) What problems could I solve in the job and would they be problems I would run towards?
7) Can I imagine myself chatting with the people that interviewed me if I was stuck in the middle seat of a plane beside them?
8) Does the company or product brand align with my own personal brand?
9) What is the mandate in the role?
10) Does the leadership team responsible for day-to-day decisions want to win?
At this time, where companies are fighting over strong talent, compromising your values, strengths, or ambitions at a company that may be a poor fit doesn’t make sense.
Of course, identifying the ideal job is just the beginning. Four months into my role at Reputation Institute, it seems I landed the perfect role at a very special company with an incredibly talented, globally diverse team and an amazing product that makes a real impact on our client’s business performance. There will be good days and bad days but not a moment of regret. Onward!
