Is finding my dream job unrealistic?
<div class="user-question">Hi Frich! I’ve been applying to jobs for months now. I’m starting to lower my standards and have been applying to more and more jobs that don’t match my passion or salary expectations. What’s the right approach - should I keep trying to go for my dream job or should I just take one of the non-ideal options to stop from bleeding out all of my savings? With everything that I’m reading in the news, I’m starting to wonder if a “dream job” is even realistic anymore. Help!</div>
This is a supremely unkind market that we are facing right now. You are NOT alone in struggling with this dilemma!
SIDE NOTE: Even in the perfect job market… there is no such thing as a perfect role. Every job offer will come with downsides (some seen, some surprising). So, take off the expectation of “perfect”!
In terms of when to “settle” - everyone’s situation is totally different, but here’s a framework you can use to unpack what might be right for you ⬇️
First - what is urgent?
Let’s start with the practical:
- Do you need an income right now or do you have some sort of safety net?
- Do you need access to health insurance urgently?
- Are you living with parents who are… maybe not the best for your mental health?
Everyone’s urgent and immediate needs are different.
My biggest piece of advice here is that you cannot develop yourself professionally if you are being depleted in other critical areas of your life.
It’s ok to take the less-than-ideal job if it’ll be a net positive on a lot of practical sides of life, leaving you more energy and space to potentially work towards something more closely aligned with your true interest areas.
Second - what is your current relationship to “career”?
This is a highly underrated but super important question.
Not all of us feel the same about the professional sides of our life. For some, a job is strictly a paycheck. For others, it ties much more deeply to our sense of identity.
Understanding your current relationship status with work matters a lot, because it’ll help you understand your own risk tolerance and how much you need to wait it out for the “perfect” job (which, if you remember, is a myth).
Third - where do you want to be in three years?
And what gaps do you need to fill to get there?
This doesn’t have to be work-related! Some of y’all may want to live abroad, or go to grad school, or pay down loans.
Let’s say in three years you want to be living in Chicago and applying to MBA programs. Here are a few things to consider:
- What kind of jobs/companies/industries should you have on your resume?
- How do you want to make your application stand out in a few years?
- What kinds of mentors or guides do you need to help you navigate grad school applications?
- What are the major industries in Chicago that you could potentially be working in?
Start looking at job opportunities through this lens. So, let’s say you get a job offer in an industry that you hadn’t really considered before because it’s niche.
One way to look at this: could it mean a more interesting profile for your grad school application in the future? Maybe it’s a company with a Chicago office. Maybe your manager went to a great MBA program and would be a helpful resource.
There’s no one path to getting anywhere, and part of the “fun” (translation: stress) is that you have to forge your own. But that also means you have way more options than you think. You just have to be resourceful, open, and tell a good story.
Fourth - what are your priorities?
Based on all these questions, consider creating a set of 3 “must-have’s”, “deal-breakers”, and “nice-to-have’s”.
Again - these may not necessarily be directly job related and they will change in different seasons of your life.
For example, in my first job out of college, it was important to me that I had a manager who gave me a lot of responsibility so I could learn on the job. In my next job, it was important that my hours were flexible so I could work on my side business. In my next job, it’ll be all about the salary and benefits because now I’m a mom!
In conclusion… I can’t tell you what to do.
But I firmly believe that EVERY job can be a step forward. Each job will teach you something new, help you clarify what you like (and don’t), or connect you to a new network. It’s all about how you take advantage of the opportunity and strategically turn it into a stepping stone for the life you want!
Found this valuable? Here are some more deep dives from the Frich team 🤝
✅ Is reaching financial freedom realistic for me?
✅ How do I make a recruiter notice me??
✅ How to use ChatGPT to find your dream job?
Good luck!
Mariam Matin
