Find Your Dream Job: Insider Tips for Finding Work, Advancing your Career, and Loving Your Job

When you’re looking for that perfect job fit, you need more than just a network. You need a group of people who know you, your needs, and your personal values. Find Your Dream Job guest Soumary Vongrassamy says you need friends who will remind you of what’s really important and who will help you ask tough questions about the job. Once you find your dream job, Soumary says it is of the utmost importance that you “pay it forward,” creating that inner circle for others and helping them through the job search process.

Soumary Vongrassamy (https://www.linkedin.com/in/soumary/) is a specialist in equity and conflict resolution with the Multnomah County government in Portland, Oregon.

• Connect with Soumary at (https://www.linkedin.com/in/soumary/).
• Nail every behavioral interview question in your next interview by learning how to prepare for them. Download 100 Behavioral Interview Questions You Need to Know. (http://www.macslist.org/questions)

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If you’ve moved to a new city, you might expect it to take a while to find a job that you love. But on this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Jackie Starr (http://linkedin.com/in/jackiestarr) shares how she found her dream job in a new city in just two months. Jackie was looking for work in the nonprofit field, and she wanted a position that had a positive impact on her community. Working with a career coach helped Jackie to narrow down her options, and telling others she was job hunting directly led her to the position she has today as the executive director at the Friends of the Multnomah County Library. Learn more about Jackie’s career history below in this installment of our Success Stories (https://www.macslist.org/articles/success-stories) series.

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If you’ve been looking for your next position for quite some time, you may feel discouraged. It’s normal to experience depression during an extended job search. It’s also normal to not want to talk about it, says Find Your Dream Job guest Ashley Watkins. You may feel embarrassed about not having a job and your self-worth might have taken a big hit. But Ashley shares the importance of being honest with yourself and others. She also lays out the exact steps you need to overcome those negative feelings, make adjustments, and land the job of your dreams. 

Ashley Watkins (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleyjwatkins/) is a certified resume writer, job search coach and former corporate recruiter.

• If you’re ready to take the next step in your career, visit WriteStepResumes.com(https://www.writestepresumes.com)to learn more about Ashley and the services she offers. 
• Nail every behavioral interview question in your next interview by learning how to prepare for them. Download 100 Behavioral Interview Questions You Need to Know. (http://www.macslist.org/questions) 

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Using a job board may seem like a productive way to spend your time, but is it? According to Find Your Dream Job guest Susan Joyce, the answer is “maybe.” Susan says job boards work best when you identify your target employers and customize your resume for those employers. She also recommends using job boards to do research on the companies you’ve chosen to target. And remember, 40% of jobs are filled by employee referrals, so if you know someone at one of your targeted employers, be sure to ask them to introduce you to the hiring manager. 

Susan Joyce (https://www.linkedin.com/in/susanjoyce/) is the publisher and editor of JobHunt.org. (https://www.job-hunt.org/) With more than one million visitors a month, it’s one of the most popular job-search advice sites in the world.

• For more advice from Susan and her contributing editors, visit job-hunt.org. (https://www.job-hunt.org/)
• Nail every behavioral interview question in your next interview by learning how to prepare for them. Download 100 Behavioral Interview Questions You Need to Know. (http://www.macslist.org/questions) 

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The likelihood of an applicant tracking system reviewing your application rather than a human is steadily increasing. How can you ensure that your resume rises to the top and doesn’t end up in the circular file? First, you need to pay attention to the job posting, says Find Your Dream Job guest Brandon Laws. Use the same language the employer uses to showcase your skills and experience. Brandon also highlights the need to build a personal brand online that matches the skills you mention on your resume. And watch those typos; applications with grammatical errors almost always get tossed without a second look. 

Brandon Laws ( https://www.linkedin.com/in/lawsbrandon) is the director of marketing at Xenium HR,(https://www.xeniumhr.com) where he has spent the last 11 years of his career helping transform workplaces. He also hosts the podcast Transforming Your Workplace. (http://www.xeniumhr.com/hr-resources/podcast)

• For more ideas on building a great workplace, listen to Brandon’s podcast, Transforming Your Workplace. (http://www.xeniumhr.com/hr-resources/podcast)

Nail every behavioral interview question in your next interview by learning how to prepare for them. Download 100 Behavioral Interview Questions You Need to Know. (http://www.macslist.org/questions)

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Are you ready for a career that allows you to impact your community and the world, outside the nonprofit sector? No matter which field your expertise is in, B Corps offer you an opportunity to make that impact. B Corps are companies that are dedicated to transparency and reshaping the workplace, according to Find Your Dream Job guest Kathleen Everett. If humane hiring practices, sustainability, and loyalty to employees and customers are important to you in your next position, Kathleen offers some helpful advice on how to find a job in a B Corps. 

Kathleen Everett (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathleen-everett-253347a/ ) has over 30 years of experience teaching companies how to compete with speed, while reducing costs and improving service.

• For more information and a list of B Corps, visit B Corporation online. (www.bcorporation.net)
• Nail every behavioral interview question in your next interview by learning how to prepare for them. Download 100 Behavioral Interview Questions You Need to Know. (http://www.macslist.org/questions)

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Are you scoring interviews but no job offers? If so, it’s time to figure out what you need to do differently in order to move from candidate to new employee. It all begins with the first 5 minutes of the interview, says Find Your Dream Job guest Sarah Johnston. How you answer the, “Tell me about yourself,” question gives the hiring manager the chance to evaluate many things about you. Sarah also points out the importance of knowing your audience and targeting your answers to address the company’s pain points.

Sarah Johnston,(https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahdjohnston) the founder of The Briefcase Coach(https://www.briefcasecoach.com) is a former corporate recruiter and industry insider. Sarah is an executive resume writer, interview coach and LinkedIn profile writer for all career levels - from C-suite to new graduates.

• Are you tired of not getting the job you want? Visit jobsearchsecretweapon.com (https://www.jobsearchsecretweapon.com) for help in finding the solution.
• For more help in nailing the first few minutes of any interview, check out “You Map,” (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GWVMGRV/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0) by Kristin Sherry. 
• Nail every behavioral interview question in your next interview by learning how to prepare for them. Download 100 Behavioral Interview Questions You Need to Know. (http://www.macslist.org/questions) 

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Sometimes, the hardest part of finding your next job is getting started. If you’re currently in a stable, well-paying position, it can feel scary and uncomfortable to think about leaving that safety for something new. On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Maddy Abulencia (https://www.linkedin.com/in/mabulencia) and I dig deep into what it takes to begin a job search, as well as how to use your network to help you find your next position. Maddy also opens up about how she conquered imposter syndrome and why she was so intentional about how many applications she submitted. 

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Looking for a job without clearly job search defined goals typically leads to frustration and unhappiness. A job search is not a research project, says Find Your Dream Job guest Brandy Richardson. Instead of throwing spaghetti at the wall, you need to be aiming at a specific target, and clearly defined goals help you do that. Brandy suggests getting clear on what you enjoyed, and what you didn’t enjoy, about past employment. Learning to say no and focusing on positions that will allow you to thrive are crucial parts of a successful job search. 

Brandy Richardson (https://www.linkedin.com/in/bdrichardson1?trk=people-guest_people_search-card) is a human resource professional with a decade of experience in the field. She currently works as the HR Administrator for Cascade Aids Project. (https://www.capnw.org)

• If you need HR assistance, Brandy would love to be your personal cheerleader. Connect with her on LinkedIn. (https://www.linkedin.com/in/bdrichardson1?trk=people-guest_people_search-card)
• For more information on the services offered by the Cascade AIDS Project, visit cascadeaids.org. (https://www.capnw.org)
• Nail every behavioral interview question in your next interview by learning how to prepare for them. Download 100 Behavioral Interview Questions You Need to Know. (http://www.macslist.org/questions)

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Statistics show that people change careers around a half-dozen times over the span of their working lives. No matter how many times you switch jobs, you will face obstacles. Silencing your internal objections and taking concrete action, says Find Your Dream Job guest Laurie Erdman, are the first steps toward finding your next position. Laurie adds that getting rid of self-doubt and reaching out to others for help can make the transition smoother. Taking time off to practice self-care is also a non-negotiable for anyone in a career transition. 

Laurie Erdman (https://www.linkedin.com/in/erdmanl?trk=people-guest_people_search-card) is Senior Change Management Consultant at Cambia Health Solutions (https://www.cambiahealth.com/) where she supports teams in creating people-focused health care.

• To read more from Laurie, visit her on LinkedIn. (https://www.linkedin.com/in/erdmanl?trk=people-guest_people_search-card) 
• Nail every behavioral interview question in your next interview by learning how to prepare for them. Download 100 Behavioral Interview Questions You Need to Know. (http://www.macslist.org/questions) 

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