So you’re “happy with your current position.” Maybe your boss isn’t “too bad.” Or perhaps you’re making “decent money.”
No matter how you put it, what you’re saying is: “I’m not ready for a change.” But if your current position isn’t your dream job, let me challenge you with one simple question. What are you waiting for?
Why do you close yourself off from opportunities if the work you’re currently doing doesn’t completely fulfill you? Why do you ignore calls, emails and LinkedIn messages from the recruiters who could very well may be searching for a candidate just like you, to fill a position that would be your dream job.
When it comes to job opportunities, the cliché saying, “Good things come when you least expect them” is absolutely true.
I can guarantee you, there’s a recruiter out there right now looking for someone just like you to fill a job that you’d love to have. But because you’re “not currently looking for new opportunities,” you miss out. You likely won’t even know about your dream opportunity, and it will be long gone by the time you’re ready to look.
The worst part is that by the time you’re finally ready to start your search for something better, you’re likely fed up with your company’s management, severely underpaid, grossly underemployed, bored with your work, and/or completely unsatisfied.
The result? You lose sight of the end goal and end up taking the first job that’s just a small step up from the last one. When you’re only looking for jobs once you’ve already reached your breaking point with your current position, you’re not in control of your search. You are desperate to find something better, even at the expense of reaching towards your dreams.
[perfectpullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]If you’re only open to new opportunities when you’re ready to make a career move, thousands of great careers are passing you by.[/perfectpullquote]
I am by no means suggesting job hopping as a way to reach your career goals. In fact, I’m advocating the exact opposite.
When you’re constantly evaluating your position against the dream job that would fulfill you professionally, you can make strategic decisions to advance your career when the timing and opportunity is right.
So if you’re like the majority of Americans who lack passion in a career and aren’t completely satisfied by your work, I challenge you to define your career goals, see what else is out there, be open to chat with recruiters – and keep your eyes and heart firmly on your dream.
