You Snooze, You Lose: How Not To Let Your Dream Job Pass You By

So you’re in a job you love.

Your boss is a great mentor and your colleagues think your jokes are funny. You’re challenged, but not out of your depth. The pay’s good. You’re enjoying growth and promotions. There’s an espresso machine in the kitchen, free massages and an on-site gym.

Every single day you thank the sweet baby Jesus in heaven you’ve put away your interview suit for good.

No way would you even consider voluntarily leaving this job. No way.

Well, hold up a second.  Imagine receiving this call tomorrow (for the purposes of this exercise, please also imagine your name is Jane):

“Hi Jane. It’s CEO of Super Cool Company here. We’ve heard about how much you’ve been winning at accounting lately. We need you on our team. We will pay you ONE MILLION DOLLARS to join us. Please say your answer is yes.”

If you’re telling me your answer would be ‘no’, I say either you’re lying, or your imagination is a bit crap.

I’m not suggesting you start trawling the job boards every night, just that you’d be silly not to have a door ready in case opportunity comes knocking.

Here are five easy steps you can take to ensure your dream job doesn’t pass you by:

1. KEEP YOUR LINKEDIN PROFILE LOOKING SPIFFY

It’s so much better to set up and maintain your LinkedIn profile regularly and naturally, than to wait until you need to change jobs, and then suddenly start overhauling your profile and frantically connecting all over the joint.  If you’re worried that even having a LinkedIn profile will signal to your employer that you’re looking, remember that LinkedIn isn’t just about looking for work. It’s about connecting with others in your industry, keeping abreast of trends and raising your employer’s profile – and that’s just being a good employee.

2. FOLLOW COMPANIES YOU’D LOVE TO WORK FOR ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Social recruiting is increasingly the first (sometimes only) recruitment method companies use when they need to fill a position, so following them on Facebook, Twitter and even Pinterest is a great way to hear about your dream job, without having to keep an eye on job boards.

3. KEEP YOUR FINGER ON THE PULSE

It’s easy to become a bit insular when you’re happily ensconced in a job you love, but keeping abreast of what’s going on out in the big wide world means you’ll be able to spot great opportunities when they come up. Maybe that company you’ve always fancied working for is launching a new service offering, so will probably be ramping up their hiring. Or perhaps they’re moving into new markets that you have experience with. A well-timed call might be all it takes to land your dream job.  

4. SHOW YOUR NETWORKS SOME LOVE…BEFORE YOU NEED THEM

Most people know that the majority of jobs are filled by referral, before a job advertisement even gets signed-off by management.  What people tend to forget though, is that the jobs that are perfect for them have a pesky habit of cropping up when they’re not actually out looking for them. Which is why you need to give your networks love all the time, not just when you’re actively job hunting. If the thought of networking makes your skin crawl, try these tips to make it all a lot more pleasant.   

Note:  There exists a special breed of quality recruiter who will give you a confidential heads-up only when a genuinely rare, well-matched opportunity comes up. If you’re lucky to have one of these uncommon specimens in your life, don’t forget to include them in your networking efforts, too.

5. MAKE SURE YOUR CV IS MATCH-READY, ALWAYS

If you do get a chance to shoot for your dream job, you’re going to need to have your shiz together. Maintain a ‘bragalogue’ and update your CV regularly, so you don’t have to keep CEO of Super Cool Company waiting while you scrabble round trying to remember what you did and when.

There you have it: Easy ways to keep current and at the top of your game as an employee, while making sure you don’t miss any once-in-a-lifetime opportunities.

And all without a job board in sight. 

Need to connect with a great recruiter who’ll let you know when your dream job comes up? Check out the Consult team and get in touch.