There are few things on this planet that are worse than having a terrible job. Actually, make that nothing. Who wants to be somewhere that they can’t stand, day in, day out? If you don’t want to end twisted, bitter and purposely breaking your arm so you don’t have to go to the office in the morning, here’s some tips for finding your dream job and avoiding the nightmare ones.
1. Read between the lines
Don’t get us wrong, working hard is all well and good, but do you really want to find yourself glued to your computer, organising your meetings and contacting clients at 3am in the morning? All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. When a job advert mentions you may have to stay back after hours, it’s a sure sign you could find yourself falling asleep with your laptop in your arms.
2. Do your research
If the company you’re hoping to work for has advertised more than twice in the last couple of months for various positions, steer clear. If a company has a high turnover in staff, that tells you one of two things – firstly, the employees can’t stand the place, or secondly, the employers can’t stand their staff. There’s a reason why there’s been a mass exodus, and you don’t want to find out why.
3. Only if you LOVE it
We know times might be tough, but only go for jobs you know you’re going to enjoy and that you’ll excel at. There’s nothing worse than spending your working hours feeling like your brain is going to explode in frustration, boredom or both. Find your dream, or almost dream, job, even if it means hanging yourself out to dry for a little bit. You’ll thank yourself in the long run.
4. Be challenged
Apply for a position that’s going to challenge you. If you can do absolutely everything in the job criteria with your eyes closed, then you’re not going to learn anything new, otherwise known as the death knell of your career. If you don’t develop new skills, then how much further can you really go? Employers don’t want to hire anyone who’s done the same thing over and over again for the last decade and doesn’t know anything else.
5. Look in the right places
Stick to legitimate job seeking sites if you want a legitimate job. This might be a no brainer, but plenty of people, especially freelancers, find work wherever they can, including rather dubious sites. Steer clear of anything like this unless you don’t like being paid for your hard labour.
