Describe Your Ideal Job
Eighteen easy tips to describe your ideal job, so you know what you are aiming for.
Picture the job. A clear target helps.
27 tips that really help
These ideas come from What Color Is Your Parachute? (Richard Bolles), Designing Your Life (Bill Burnett and Dave Evans), The 2-Hour Job Search (Steve Dalton), and everyday practice. Pick one tip and try it today.
Why describe it
A clear picture helps you say yes to the right jobs and no to the wrong ones. It also helps people help you.
Write it.
Picture a good day
Imagine a normal day in your dream job. What do you do hour by hour?
Describe a day.
Describe the tasks
List the tasks you want to do often. Tasks shape your daily life.
List five tasks.
Describe the people
Write what kind of team, boss and customers you want. People make the job.
Describe them.
Describe the place
Office, home or mixed? City or town? Place changes your life.
Choose a place.
Describe the pay and hours
Be honest about money and time needs. Good limits protect you.
Write numbers.
Describe how you want to grow
Think of skills you want to learn. Growth keeps work alive.
Write skills.
Write one page
Put everything on one page. A page keeps your focus clear.
Write a page.
Script: describing
I want a role where I help people and learn every month. Say it clearly.
Use it.
Script: values
I care about kind teams and honest leaders. Say it warmly.
Use it.
Script: needs
I need flexible hours and fair pay. Say it calmly.
Use it.
Mistake: chasing only a title
A title alone may not fit your life, so look deeper.
Look deeper.
Mistake: ignoring daily tasks
Tasks decide your mood, so check them.
Check tasks.
Mistake: aiming at a job you do not know
Learn what it really involves, so research.
Research it.
Troubleshoot: when you have many ideas
Rank them by joy, pay and fit. Choose the top two.
Rank them.
Troubleshoot: when you cannot decide
Try a short project or talk to people in those jobs. Learn by doing.
Test it.
Drill: write your ideal day
Write a half-page about your best working day.
Write it.
Drill: list five must-haves
List five things your next job must have and three it must not.
List them.
Describe the boss you want
Write how you want your manager to treat you, such as kind, clear and fair. Culture matters daily.
Write five traits.
Describe the pace you like
Some people love fast work and others prefer steady work. Know your pace.
Choose your pace.
Describe the learning you want
List skills you hope to learn in the next two years. Growth keeps work alive.
List three skills.
Describe your ideal week
Write what a calm week looks like, including hours, breaks and travel. It shows what you need.
Plan a week.
Example: the parent who needs flexibility
Jo wanted school-hour work, so she looked for part-time remote jobs and found one.
Name your need.
Example: the creator who needs freedom
Lee wanted creative control, so he searched for small studios, not big firms.
Name your need.
Mistake: copying a friend’s dream job
Their dream may not fit your life. Listen to your own wishes.
Ask what you want.
Troubleshoot: when your ideal job does not exist
Break it into parts and find roles that hold most of them. Create a mix.
Pick three must-haves.
Drill: write a job ad for yourself
Imagine the perfect job post and write it in half a page.
Write the ad.
Easy things to say
When you are stuck, pick one of these. They work in many networking and career moments.
“I would like a role like this.”
“A good day looks like this.”
“I like working with these people.”
“I prefer this place.”
“I need this pay.”
“That is my target.”
Your first week
One small action a day. Each day is only a little bigger than the last.
Describe a good day
Describe the team
Describe the place
Describe the pay
Describe the growth
Write one page
Review
Further reading
- What Color Is Your Parachute? (Richard Bolles)
- Designing Your Life (Bill Burnett and Dave Evans)
- The 2-Hour Job Search (Steve Dalton)
The tips above are written in our own words and are general guidance. The books are suggestions for further reading.
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Start freeThese lessons share general learning and everyday ideas. They are not medical or mental health advice. If you feel very anxious, low or unwell, please talk to a doctor or a qualified professional.
More lessons in “Finding the Job You Want”
Keep going. Small steps every day make a big change.
← Previous: Find Your Strengths and InterestsNext: Research Roles and Companies →
- Find Your Strengths and Interests
- Describe Your Ideal Job
- Research Roles and Companies
- Write a Clear CV
- Write a Cover Letter That Gets Read
- Polish Your Online Profile
- Use Your Network to Find Jobs
- Talk to People in Jobs You Like
- Apply to Fewer Jobs, Better
- Handle Rejection in a Job Search
- Keep a Weekly Job-Search Plan
- Look After Your Energy
