How to Land your Dream Job in 2021 - The 4 Steps
The advice I wish I had started off with
Whenever a group of students graduate, people say “it’s a bad time” for that industry. I’m sure we’ve all heard it.
That’s what I was told when I graduated, and it was my professors who told me that…
They said “don’t expect to be working right out of the gate”. Yet 2 weeks after leaving school, I was walking into the office of my brand new dream job (video game developer).
It always seems like the odds are against you when you’re on the job search. Sometimes companies are asking for too much, sometimes the pay isn’t great, and sometimes you can’t even find any jobs in your area!
Here’s what I learned after landing my dream job just weeks after graduating.
1. Apply Sooner than you Think
The week that I graduated from University I already had 6 interviews lined up. This was not because I was the best in class (not even close). It’s because I applied for positions way earlier than my classmates did. I even went to several interviews during the months leading up to my graduation.
I advise all soon to be grads to apply start applying for positions months before they graduate. Sometimes it just so happens that you’ll be available at the exact time they are taking on new employees. Just by applying to this company (even though you aren’t ready to work) you may have opened a new door and created a new connection.
What’s the worst that could happen? The company says they are looking for people to ASAP, and that you guys will have to talk later down the road?
I had a classmate who got offered their job while still in school. The company just told them they could start whenever they’re done and ready to go. The rest of the year this student just continued learning and didn’t have to stress about being unemployed once they went out into the world.
2. The 40% Rule
When you’re on the search for jobs that fit you perfectly, you’ll begin to notice that there are none… Most of the time when you find a position where you can check off every single box on the criteria list, the pay is not anything short of lacklustre. But when you find a job with great pay, you may just not be capable of all the tasks. This may lead to you skipping job openings that you were actually really interested.
Incomes the 40% rule~
This was taught to me by the most accomplished professor in my school when I went to him for advice on finding the perfect job.
They said “find jobs you want to do, not just that you are capable of. If you can check off 40% of a companies requirements, apply.”
After that meeting I felt inspired to find not just any job, but the perfect one. I searched for what I wanted to do instead of only what I could.
By no means does this advice mean you should lie to companies about your abilities. You want to open about what you know, and what you plan on learning. Sometimes you may not hear back from companies, but other times they may take a risk on you.
Remember that companies are writing their wishlist's when writing a job description, not make or break skills!
3. Don’t Just Tell them, Show Them
Many people have their own websites nowadays to showcase their work, and for good reason. There is nothing easier for a company to be able to see your work before hiring you.
Yes, resumes and cover letters are a must, but linking your website alongside those is a huge plus.
You can create websites for less than 10 dollars a month on sites like Wix or Squarespace, take advantage of them!
As mentioned I was no where near the top of my class, but since I was able to show my work to potential employers what I could do before we had even spoken, I booked more interviews than anybody else.
This did not just lead to me finding a job relatively easily, it also made it happen quickly. Out of the 7 interviews I went through, I was offered a job on the spot by 4 of them, one of them being from EA (debatably the biggest company in the video game industry).
I felt more in control than ever, and this also gave me the leverage to ask for higher pay from several companies. It worked.
4. Don’t Stop Applying
Let’s be honest, it gets discouraging when you hear too many “NOs” in a row, and it’s the same for when you don't hear back at all. There will be times when you don’t find new opportunities for weeks and sometimes months, but the next one that does come up could be better than you ever imagined.
Even though I got my dream job soon after graduating, I watched my 3 best friends who were more talented than me get a part time jobs to stay afloat because they could not find employment. For some of them it took a few months, and for others even longer. The thing is, they all found positions they now love.
Of course we all want our dream job now, but just like most things in life, it takes some work by applying for tons of jobs, it takes time to find the right opportunity, and it also takes a little bit of luck.
~ Your dream job may be one application away.