How many of us are lucky enough to be able to say that we have our dream career? The one that we have dreamed about since we were in short trousers? Well, probably not that many because that isn’t exactly how real life pans out. However, no matter where you are on the path to the job you ultimately want it is possible to keep pushing forwards and reach that end goal, just read on to find out how.

Explore what you are good at

The first thing you need to do is decide what your dream career looks like. Surprisingly many of us don’t know or haven’t given any significant thought this. What is vital here is that you think about the things you are good at and the things you have experience in. It’s where these two things meet that is likely to be the sweet spot for choosing a career that suits you and that you will enjoy.

For example, you may have a lot of experience in the field of education, but you prefer to do writing and creative tasks rather than make presentations. Therefore becoming a textbook author is a good career goal. However, if you love to work with people and have a passion for fashion, then choosing a job in retail where you can indulge these may be the best fit.

Pursue training

The next step to consider once you have thought about the subject and skills you love is the training and education that you need to succeed in your dream career.

The different role requires different levels, lengths, and type of training. If your burning desire is to work in auto mechanics then completing one of the many automotive courses, or apprenticeships may be the best route into paid work.

However, if you are looking to work in the legal profession, you may wish to get a BA in law and then do you LPC and two training years with a firm. Although many people also take posts as a legal assistant and work while study for their next step as well.

What it is important to remember here is that the training you do choose needs to be as directly related to your end goal as possible. Otherwise, it may mean you are wasting valuable time and money on detours from the road map to your dream career.

Consider practical details

Of course, picking out your dream career isn’t just a matter of what the training we have and what we love to do. In fact, there are also some practical issues that need to be considered as well.

In particular, salary range, location, and the type of environment that you wish to work in are crucial because all of these will determine whether you will be happy in the role. An aspect of work that is essential to your long-term success.

For example, you may love to work in a medical environment, with a salary of £60,000 per annum. However, if the only job you can get that fulfils this criterion is on the other side of the country and you are not prepared to relocate it just won’t be a practical choice. Something that makes taking such a post could be a potentially costly misstep on the road to your dream career.