Whether it’s a career in music, film, fashion or as an elite sports person, the aspiration to achieve the dream job can be an obsession for some.
To achieve anything in a highly competitive field you need to be dogmatic and obsessed by the end goal. But you also need to be realistic and prepared. Success is not guaranteed and is not achievable for everyone. So the effort to prepare yourself for the reality of pursuing your dream may help you cope with the journey and success at the end.
The second job
When many people dream of a career in a competitive field with few opportunities, they focus on the end goal. Thinking about the journey to get there is often an afterthought.
This means that people work low skilled jobs to earn an income or two jobs just to earn enough to fund their dream. Many, in this situation, may eventually give up.
Once you’ve made the decision to pursue your dream career you need to set that aside. All thoughts about a career should then be focused on your second job. This is the one you do to earn income so you can continue to pursue your dream job.
You need to consider the kind of work you would want to do as if it were your main career. Evaluate your skills, experience and personal characteristics. Check out my blogs on finding your ideal career Part 1 and part 2 for details of how to do this.
The only thing you need to keep in mind is that the flexibility to pursue your dream job should be a requirement. This would be one of your priorities. So if you are considering career options in finance, IT, business or in a creative field for instance, you would look at options that meet your skills, interests, qualities and priorities.
Research
Understand how the industry of your dream job works. If you want to achieve success in a highly competitive field talent and enthusiasm are unlikely to be enough to get you there alone. Learn how other people have achieved their dream in your industry. Find out who the key players and influencers are and map how you are going to get your own talent in front of them.
Connections
Having connections that enable your entry to an industry is frowned on by many who argue you haven’t earned your place or worked to get it. Ignore this. If you haven’t got the talent your connections wouldn’t help. Ask friends and family if they know anyone who works in the industry you are trying to establish yourself in. Let others know your ambitions. It may be that you have no connections, but if you don’t try you’ll never know.
Flaunt it
Whatever your talent, you’ll need to flaunt it. If you’re a fashion designer, wear your creations. If you’re an artist offer to exhibit at events and local venues. If you’re a musician you could offer to run a local music event such as ‘battle of the bands’ and get your name in a press release with a link to your work.
Like everyone else you’ll be using using social media to get your name out there. But if you want to stand out you’ll need to do more. How you go about it will depend on your talent and personality.
Be persistent and resilient
Sometimes you have to start at the bottom to achieve your ambitions. You have to take rejection and the negative opinions of others who maybe don’t share your dreams. Unfortunately this is all part of the journey. The main point is to not be unrealistic about how hard it is to be successful and to not allow the difficulties to lead you to give up.
Be brilliant
While it takes more than talent to succeed, without it you’re on a highway to nowhere. So never stop being brilliant. Enter competitions whenever you can to illustrate your talent to a wider audience. If you’re an actor you should involve yourself in as many amateur dramatics productions as you can. Take part in international festivals such as the Edinburgh Festival in Scotland. If you’re interested in film making there are festivals throughout the world that offer opportunities to take part in competitions.
Sometimes you’ll have to create your own opportunity. However you do it you need to get your work out there. It’s no use you knowing your talented if no one else does.
And finally…
Pursuing a highly competitive career field is possible as long as you’re willing to be realistic. Research the options for achieving success. If there are any industry events you can attend take that as your opportunity to get your talent in front of as many people as possible. If the opportunities are not forthcoming, be prepared to create them.
It could be that you are so talented you simply need to play your sport or enter a couple of nationally or internationally recognised competitions and achieve success. But for the majority of highly talented people, the road is likely to be a lot bumpier.