What Does Finding Your Dream Job in Central MN Mean?

A "dream job" isn't always the job that is unattainable.  Gail Cruikshank, Talent Director for the Greater St. Cloud Development Corporation, joined me on WJON to talk about how someone can attain their dream job.  Cruikshank highlights suggestions on achieving your dream job below.

Perfect Job:

Perfect expression for your talents and skills, helps you build credibility as well as relationships, and includes meaning now and plenty of growth throughout your career. Is this possible? Yes—and perhaps now more than ever.

There have also been big swings in mindsets about work.

• People are reflecting on the meaning of their work,
• Assessing their happiness
• Seeking better job matches to express their skills and talents
• Demanding more from employers to meet those desires

As you look for your own dream job, consider what’s trending. The jobs others want can give ideas about your own pursuits. And they can provide insight on where the competition might be greatest.

While there are bills and debts to pay in the real world, and dreams often don’t make sense, thinking about our dream jobs still serves a key purpose: identifying what is most important to us.

The more you like something, the likelier it is for you to become good at something. And when that happens, a lot of things fall into place, from your happiness to being able to demand big salaries.

What we consider “dream jobs” may differ from you, me and the next person. It may be a high-paying job that lavishes all forms of material comforts on you or one that embraces all your talents and quirks.

Or maybe it’s one that’s 100% remote with highly flexible deadlines — giving you just enough stress to achieve self-growth but never turning you anxious — and supportive friends and managers who double as free therapists.

Or it may be an opportunity for you to do something you are most passionate about and important in your life with minimal salary.

Many of the most popular dream jobs coincide with research about what has become most important to people.

• People want to express entrepreneurial spirit including 26% of people wanting to start their own business.
• People want travel and adventure.
• People want to care and connect. – 67% of people said they are feeling more compassionate therefore the jobs helping others.

Top Dream Jobs according to Forbes

Pilot, Writer, Dancer, YouTuber, Entrepreneur, Actor, Influencer, Programmer, Singer and Teacher.

Strategies to Identify your Dream Job:

• Consider the Core – what is at the core of the job that makes it ideal for you.
• Consider the Effort – what will it take to get it? If they seem to great, remember you can also work your way to your dream job.
• Consider the Impact on YOU and on Others
• Think beyond the paycheck – allow yourself permission to do what you love to do without drawing a paycheck – volunteerism. When you are happier with all that youre doing outside of work, you will perceive more happiness within you work.

Getting there:

• Stay close to the field. Build network, ask questions and seek input. Ask for coaching and introductions.
• Shadow people or complete an internship. Find opportunities to experience/test job up close to ensure a clear view of what this job is really like.

Bottom Line:  your dream job may not have to be a job at all, but rather the way you spend your time beyond your traditional paid role.

How does this help our economy/region?

Our region has so much talent right here – all with different passions and ideas of their perfect job.

• Employers need to listen to their employees and help them achieve their aspirations, goals and dreams – even if it means that aspiration may not be at your company.
• We need to ensure all employees have a path whatever that direction is – promotion, laterally, additional community engagement – all employees need to feel engaged and valued resulting in the attainment of their “why” aka Dream Job.

The future is bright for reimagining what you do and why you do it.  Remind yourself of all your capabilities, all you have been through and all you have accomplished.  Reflect, re-energize and reset for a great year ahead, finding your dream job and doing what you love.

In closing, to share ideas/feedback with me, go to www.greaterstcloud.com where you can find several employer resources. www.greaterstcloudshines highlights all you our community has to offer in addition to job opportunities within a 3 county region.

If you'd like to listen to my conversation with Gail Cruikshank it is available below.