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

If you are a working parent seeking a better work-life balance, a family-friendly job can make all the difference. In fact, many companies now offer flexible hours and the option to work remotely. The key to finding a family-friendly job, says Find Your Dream Job guest Lauren Bell, is to figure out what “family-friendly” means to you. Lauren suggests being transparent about your needs and communicating them to both current and future employers.  About Our Guest: Lauren Bell (https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurenamberbell) is a career strategist with Projectline Services (https://www.projectlineservices.com), a staffing and consulting company. She’s passionate about inclusive hiring practices, parents re-entering the workforce, and remote work. Resources in This Episode: Visit projectline.com (https://www.projectlineservices.com) to find out more about how Lauren helps working parents find jobs they love. You can also find her on LinkedIn. (https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurenamberbell) 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) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Career gaps are an inevitable fact of life. Whether it’s a voluntary gap to take care of children, or an involuntary gap because you were fired or laid off, you must be ready to explain those gaps to a hiring manager who will see them on your LinkedIn profile. It’s important, says Find Your Dream Job guest Katie Fogarty, to clarify what you were doing with your time and that the gap is now over. Use your LinkedIn profile to highlight your skills and focus on the value you offer, and don’t apologize for your gaps.  About Our Guest: Katie Fogarty (https://www.linkedin.com/in/katiefogartymedia) is a 20-year veteran of media, branding, and PR. She launched The Reboot Group to deliver custom coaching engagements, workshops, and trainings that unlock clients' abilities to advocate for their work and value on LinkedIn and beyond. Resources in This Episode: If you’re ready to craft a LinkedIn headline that gets noticed, Katie can help. Visit her website at therebootgroup.com. (https://www.therebootgroup.com/) Be sure to catch Katie in her new book, Comeback Careers: Rethink, Refresh, Reinvent Your Career - At 40, 50, and Beyond. (https://www.amazon.com/Comeback-Careers-Stronger-Wiser-Better/dp/1602865906/). 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).   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you are the parent of a college student, you want to do everything in your power to help your son or daughter find a great job after graduation. However, the things we think are helpful could actually have a negative impact. Encouraging your child to visit their career services center and attend events such as career fairs are specific ways to help, says Find Your Dream Job guest Margaret Roberts. Margaret also says that parents need to take a step back and allow their child to follow their own interests, rather than burdening them with the expectation that they will follow a certain path. About Our Guest: Margaret Roberts (https://www.linkedin.com/in/margaretroberts/) supports individuals in achieving success throughout their career life cycle. She leads the Career Management Center at the Eberhardt School of Business at the University of the Pacific (https://www.pacific.edu/academics/schools-and-colleges/eberhardt-school-of-business/centers-and-institutes/career-management-center.html). She is also a freelance executive resume writer and is pursuing her EdD in Educational Leadership. Resources in This Episode: You can avoid the resume pitfalls we consistently see job seekers make with my resource: Don't Make These 8 Killer Resume Mistakes (https://resumemistakes.macslist.org/). In this guide, I’ll show you how to avoid the most common errors and get employers to take a second look at your resume. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You pursued your dream job, got hired, and you’ve been there a few years. But, what if you feel the pull to pursue a new career direction? On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Ben Oh and I talk about deciding to leave a dream job behind. Ben shares how trusting his instincts and fighting unrealistic expectations led him to a job he loves. Ben also breaks down how he stayed confident that making a career change was the right decision. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you afraid of failure in your career or workplace? Failure certainly gets a bad rap in today’s job market. The truth is taking risks and facing failure head on allows you to be your best self at work. Find Your Dream Job guest Dan Cumberland says that fear of failure can cause you to hold back and not share your best ideas with your employer, but taking risks can help you to advance in your career and reach your goals. Dan also shares how to talk to hiring managers about your past failures and why you must fail in order to succeed. About Our Guest: Dan Cumberland (https://www.linkedin.com/in/dancumberland/) is the host of The Meaning Movement podcast (http://themeaningmovement.com/), where he curates advice on finding your passion, calling, and life's work. Dan is on a mission to support people in finding and doing their best work in any way that he can. Resources in This Episode: If you need help figuring out the next steps in your life and career, get Dan’s free mini-course, “Five Clues to Your Calling,” by visiting https://thecallingcourse.com/  To hear more from Dan and his fascinating guests, be sure to listen to his podcast, http://themeaningmovement.com. Would you like to listen to more podcasts like this one? If so, I have good news for you: there are dozens of great career podcasts out there. But, they can be hard to find if you don’t already know about them. That’s why I created a guide to the “Top Career Podcasts.” Download your free copy today by visiting http://www.topcareerpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do you know if your perception of the hiring process matches reality? There are many prevalent misconceptions and common hiring myths out there about the modern hiring process that are completely false. Find Your Dream Job guest expert Dawn Graham says that once you understand how the hiring process really works, your job search will become easier and more rewarding. Dawn also shares strategies for overcoming these myths and finding ways to be more competitive in today’s job market. About Our Guest: Dr. Dawn Graham (https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdawngraham/) is a career switch coach, TEDx speaker, LinkedIn instructor, and host of the popular call-in show Career Talk on SiriusXM Radio. Her latest book, "Switchers: How Smart Professionals Change Careers and Seize Success" (https://amzn.to/35sos3x), combines her experience as a career coach, licensed psychologist, and former corporate recruiter to give career switchers the strategies to break through obstacles and land the job they want. Resources in This Episode: For more information on Dawn’s services or to grab her book, visit her website at https://www.drdawnoncareers.com/. Your presence online is critical in order for employers to find you. Learn how to use your social media to make a favorable impression by enrolling in our free online course, How to Wow and Woo Employers Online (https://macslist.teachable.com/p/impress-employers-online/?src=podcast). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you see sales as something that only certain jobs require? Does the thought of selling give you less than pleasant feelings? If so, Find Your Dream Job guest Matt Youngquist says you need to change your mindset in order to find a great position. The job market isn’t always fair, so learning how to market yourself successfully is equally as important as possessing the skills for the job. Matt shares the five sales mantras you can use to sell yourself more effectively in an interview. About Our Guest: Matt Youngquist (https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattyoungquist/) is a Seattle-based career coach and job hunting expert with over 25 years of experience helping professionals navigate through today's uncharted employment waters. As President of Career Horizons (http://www.career-horizons.com/), he consults with clients at all levels on how to strategically manage their careers, explore their occupational options, and market themselves successfully to new opportunities. Resources in This Episode: For more information on the career services Matt offers, visit http://www.career-horizons.com. If you wait for employers to bring up salary, you’re wasting your time and energy. My guide, How to Talk About Money in an Interview, shows you how to do salary research before meeting with a hiring manager. Learn how to be more comfortable talking about money and get the tools you need to ask for a higher salary. Go to https://salary.macslist.org/.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Applicant tracking systems (ATS) are a prevalent hiring tool, used by a vast majority of employers. If you want to get your resume past an automated system and into a hiring manager’s hands, there are some specific steps you can take. Keywords are important, but Find Your Dream Job guest Virginia Franco says you should avoid keyword stuffing so that your resume makes sense to both humans and computers. Virginia advises job seekers to use their networks to bypass the ATS and to write resumes that can be read easily on mobile devices. About Our Guest: Virginia Franco is a multi-certified executive resume and LinkedIn writer, coach, and storyteller who helps job seekers to land interviews (https://www.linkedin.com/in/virginiafrancoresumewriter/).  Resources in This Episode: To learn more about the membership site that Virginia is working on, and take advantage of your free offer, go to https://www.jobsearchsecretweapon.com/. You can avoid the resume pitfalls we consistently see job seekers make with my resource: Don't Make These 8 Killer Resume Mistakes. In this guide, I’ll show you how to avoid the most common errors and get employers to take a second look at your resume. Go to https://resume.macslist.org/. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you’ve been in a job where you were overworked and experienced mismanagement, you may need to take a break before looking for your next position. But what if you aren’t sure what that next job should be? On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Stacey Rice and I discuss how to use your network when you don’t know exactly what you want to do next and how doing your homework can lead to a successful interview. Stacey also shares how to bounce back and even start over in your career after huge life shifts.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Spending 40+ hours a week looking for a job can be a very draining experience. If you spend eight or more hours per day filling out applications, firing off generic resumes, and scanning job boards, you need to change your strategy, says Find Your Dream Job guest Paige Webster. Paige shares why focusing on 3-4 hours per day is better for you and how it increases your chances of finding the perfect position. Paige also recommends some specific questions to ask yourself and how to use your network to find the job that’s right for you.  About Our Guest: Paige Webster (https://www.linkedin.com/in/paigewebster1/) is a professional certified career coach. Through her coaching work, Paige helps individuals define what they want and learn practical tools for making their career (and life) dreams come to fruition. Resources in This Episode: Learn more about Paige and the services she offers at https://www.paigewebstercoaching.com/ Do you find yourself applying for any job that you think you could do? Before you send out your next application, stop chasing every lead and get clear about your own goals. Our free guide, Finding Focus in Your Job Search, can help. Go to http://www.macslist.org/focus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices