Is the dream job real? The great renunciation raises new questions and challenges. (2023)

Linda Lee has found her dream job - it is her current position as Product Manager forVestwell, a 401(k) software company."For me, there is no concept of 'Sunday anxiety'. It's all fun," he said. "For me, that's a sign that it's my dream job."

It's your dream job for a number of reasons. Product management offers the satisfying experience of creating a vision and bringing it to life. The position combines his interests in technology, business and design. Work in a competent, cooperative and friendly team. She learns something new every day and is challenged in various areas of the company.

Plus, you can work remotely and pack a decent lunch or fold laundry in between, he said.

"I've never felt healthier or happier," Lee said. "Work-life balance has been at the top of my list of priorities since the pandemic."

Many workers have found themselves prioritizing various job attributes since the Covid-19 pandemic, with millions participatinggreat resignationto find new opportunities that offer a better work experience or even your dream job. For workers like Lee, Big Layoff redefined the idea of ​​the dream job and in today's world, finding a role with attributes like flexibility and remote workless strenuous hoursit might be enough to qualify you for your dream job.

Are you looking for the job of your dreams? We've rounded up some tips from tech pros, career experts, and teachers on how to rethink your dream job and prepare for a dream career.

What is a dream job?

A dream job is commonly thought of as a role that allows someone to make money by exercising their skills or passions in a meaningful way. But to be honest, your dream job will look completely different from person to person.

“Your dream job doesn't even have to be a full-time job. This may be your dream job, but you don't really have an employer," said Ira Wolfe, spokesperson, author and president ofsuccessful performance solutions, a leadership and recruitment testing company. “You are self-employed or work for a company and have a few part-time jobs. It could be a hobby."

The Great Resignation attached greater importance to another common desired professional value: work-life balance, which enables a worthwhile lifestyle.

"There always has to be a balance between housing and salary, or what you think you'll get someday," he said.Chadwick Blythe, CEO and Founder ofPlantechHub. „For me it's much more important to just love it and be really happy. For me it's priceless."

“Your dream job doesn't even have to be a full-time job. This could be your dream job, but you don't have an employer," Wolfe said.

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Blythe had two iterations of her dream career. When he graduated he had no idea what he wanted to do, but his first job at a startup turned out to be a dream role for him.

"That was my dream job. On the first day of my interview, they were cleaning the fish they caught earlier that day in the kitchen, wearing only shorts and t-shirts," Blythe said. "I thought, 'I love tech companies. That's incredible.'"

It goes to show that the work environment can make a job just as dreamy as the job itself. After working in startups for more than 15 years, Blythe pursued her dream of starting her own startup in 2017.

"It has always been my dream to start designing software where my focus was on giving advisors the ability to share it with different types of clients and expanding the range of people they provide financial services to" said Blythe.

Though starting a startup sometimes entails extra or unconventional hours, Blythe said being her own boss reduces her stress because she doesn't have to worry about answering a manager. When contemplating her first dream job, Blythe said she enjoyed traveling and meeting people, and in her own business she tries to replicate the same positive experiences she had at this job.

"I worked in sales, although it wasn't what I wanted to do, it was the perfect job for my personality," she said. "I'm hoping to emulate that a bit by making my own software."

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How has the idea of ​​a dream job changed over time?

Reaching the CEO level or finding a status position in your desired field was often a sign that you had found your dream job.

"Looking back, it was always about the title," Wolfe said. "You identify with the title and stick with it for decades."

Employees have also historically focused on finding their dream company and staying with it for much of their careers.

"When I was growing up, a 30-year career in a company was still that. The company controlled his career," he said.Richard Doyle, Professor of Communications and Information at Rutgers University. "It's all in your head right now. Now the employee controls his career. They are the stewards, the builders of their careers.”

In August 2021, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics released the results of a longitudinal analysisto studyof people born between 1957 and 1964, showing that they had an average of 12.4 jobs between the ages of 18 and 54. Today's younger generations are expected to have an even higher average number of jobs throughout their career: aAustralian studypredicted that the average 15-year-old would hold 17 jobs across five resumes in 2017.

"You will jump. As long as they get value, they will stay. As long as they learn something, they stay. Once they get to 'I think I could do more,' they'll move on," Dool said.

Today, the dream job often offers a favorable combination of several factors: the actual job you do, the environment you work in, and the lifestyle you have outside of work.

“I really think that the idea of ​​a dream job has changed in recent years. At one point, the dream job was where all your needs were met, but I think now people are reaching out more for their true desires," said Alicia Perkins, founder ofprepared races.

It's okay to change your mind about your dream job

Wolfe didn't start his career with dreams of becoming a human resources manager. When he opened his own dental practice, it should have been like going through all the steps and years of study it takes to become a dentist.

"This was supposed to be my career, my dream job," said Wolfe, who left dentistry 26 years ago. I'm not sure it ever was. I think that's how it was worded.

Looking for a degree - dentist, teacher,engineer- It doesn't have to be the path to your dream job, Wolfe said. Your dream job should offer you meaningful work and an environment in which you can thrive.

“I think we have to change the concept. It's not work. It's not the job and it's not what I'm doing today," Wolfe said. "And the job. What do I achieve? how to get it Where do I do this? And to know that tomorrow can be different than today.”

“I think we have to change the concept. It's not work. It's not the title and it's not what I'm doing today... It's the job. What do I achieve? how to get it Where do I do this? And to know that tomorrow can be different than today.”

Becoming a product manager wasn't what Lee wanted when he was in college. In fact, she didn't even know this type of role existed until she joined a startup.Elf, an investment platform for women. Prior to that, she was an associate at Goldman Sachs in the private wealth management practice.

"When I was in college, I studied international economics and finance, and my idea of ​​what my dream job was at the time was the highest-paying job," Lee said.

When Jasmin González graduated from high school, her dream job was to be a teacher. He became an ESL specialist in elementary school. she has nowin transitionin the technology industry, currently serving as CEO ofTechnology wanted, a community for Latino technology professionals.

"I did exactly what I wanted and it worked for me at the time," he said. "Now I'm in a position where I would say this is perfect for me in the sense that it offers me real professional challenges, but I'm also working on something that I really believe in. in and am able to connect with people and I see those connections as supporting me in the future.

Similarities of the dream job

Considering what Techqueria members often hear about their dream jobs, González said that one of the most important characteristics of a dream job is stability.

"If they get into tech, their dream job is really something that makes them feel financially stable," González said. "Many people in many of these underserved communities are generally realizing that the salaries that are available in technology are something they could only dream of."

Job seekers also value working from home, being in a less stressful environment, working with a good boss, and having opportunities to do soacquire new skillsmiexpand their careers🇧🇷 González said her dream job could also offer flexibility in travel or the ability to work wherever she chooses.

"I think your dream job is something where you now have the flexibility and freedom to explore your life," González said. "It's really that work-life balance — that's what a lot of members are asking for right now, or financial security, so look at stock options, stocks. Retirement is now a common theme.”

Employees also want to work in a place where they feel valued and heard, especially Gen Z workers, said Dool of Rutgers University. According to a Dool study, only 27% of 525 employees surveyed felt their managers were asking, listening, and taking action. The other 73% of employees felt that their managers only asked for information about optics or didn't care. These stats correlate closely with job satisfaction and engagement: employees who feel heard are more engaged, he said.

“We call them the purpose generation. You want to import. They want to know if anyone's paying attention," Dool said. “They want to know that they have something to contribute. Do you have something to say. You will be respected. They have some control over their work.”

Generation Z is particularly passionate about finding meaningful work, but this is a common trait of their dream job across generations.

“You want to feel like you can make a difference. You want a challenging job. You want to make sure they get some benefit from it, whether that's pushing them forward, building skills or competencies, or gaining experience. They definitely want that," Dool said.

While for some, the dream job is to be self-employed, those who want to work in a company often struggle to balance the values ​​in their dream job.

“I'm a strong believer in looking at the values ​​of a company you want to work for, and one step before that is looking at your values ​​and what's important to you in a position or career at the company. said Raquel Binder, Manager of Coaching and Development atHall,a business management platform for small home service businesses.

Dream Job vs. Dream Career: A New Mindset

So what happens when you finally land that coveted dream job you've been chasing? What's next? Are you staying in your dream job forever?

"In general, think of your dream job with a less permanent mindset, but break it open and understand that this can change," González said.

Another way to avoid feeling stuck is to turn your dream job into your dream career.

"I don't see it as a dream job. I see it as a dream career," he said.barry mulholland, Assistant Professor and Director of Financial Planning at Akron University. “I believe that you can grow on a dream career. When you build skills, knowledge and experience and turn it into a career, it opens the door to other places within the industry or within the profession, and it's not just this job.”

"It's absolutely vital that you start with yourself... It's not a weekend deal. You'll probably be working on that for a while."

Mulholland himself tried various jobs before turning to teaching.

“I tried technology. I tried sales. I tried administration. I learned an incredible amount of skills and information and ended up teaching because that's where I'm happiest and my skills [are]," Mulholland said. “All this knowledge, all this experience I have gained is absolutely informative and makes my job even better and more enjoyable. So it's not a terrible thing to try."

Discovering your dream career is about identifying your skills, talents and passions. Asking the people in your life what you're good at to help you find your direction, Mulholland said. In addition, some introspection is also required.

"It's absolutely vital that you start with yourself," Mulholland said. "It's not a weekend offer. You'll probably be working on that for a while."

Jobber assembled its training, learning and development teams to help employees explore different career paths within the company. Rebranding the idea of ​​“corporate leaders” to “corporate jungle gym,” the company recognized that not everyone wants to aspire to leadership skills, which is why Jobber encourages its employees to move on and explore different careers within the company.

"In the last two years, people have really spent time reconsidering so many aspects of their lives and different career paths, what they value from employers, the flexibility that comes with working remotely," Binder said. "So, even within a role, how do you expand, grow from it, contribute to the company and really grow in that space?"

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Is your dream job a reality?

Whether you are thinking of a dream job or a dream career, the concept of finding meaningful work has certainly evolved over the last few years, especially as the Covid-19 pandemic has changed the way people think about work.

"I think there are still dream jobs ... the dream is much bigger," Binder said. "We can really experiment and experiment and see if this is your dream or how you can make it happen...experiment and explore different roles and different skills."

For Jeppe Dorff, Director of Products and TechnologyClickatell, a global mobile messaging API for mobile payments and engagement, the dream job is to use generalist skills to bring an idea to life. Therefore make a career inproduct developmentIt was a great option for him.

"If you design a career and a job that you're happy with, all these other things that aspire to, money, titles, whatever the case, that will come automatically because you're going to be successful," Dorff said. “You will be happy with who you are and what you do. This will automatically make you stand out and be invaluable in whatever you do.

If you're lucky, you might have more than one dream job in your life. It is also possible that yoursDreams can change.

“I think it's important not to have any idea what your dream job is. As you get older, as you mature, as your life changes, it changes," Perkins said.

Although Lee is in her dream job right now, she is excited to see her dream career.

"I think it's crucial to know what you want and deserve and make sure you're getting it from your employer," Lee said. "I'm curious to see how my perception will change or what my ideal dream job is. I wonder how I'll be talking about that in ten years."