Finding your dream job in 2023 can seem like a daunting task, but with the right approach and mindset, it's definitely achievable.

The job market is constantly evolving, and the ongoing pandemic has only accelerated the shift towards remote work and digital hiring practices. In this article, we'll be sharing practical tips and actionable strategies for standing out in a competitive job market and landing the position of your dreams. Whether you're a recent graduate or a seasoned professional looking for a change, these tips will help you navigate the job search process and achieve your career goals. So, let's dive in and explore how to find your dream job in 2023.

Follow our steps on how to identify and land your dream job this year:

1. Consider your personality

What you enjoy doing, what makes you happy, how you like to interact, and even the kinds of occupations you'd probably excel in are all revealed by your personality. You can use your personality traits and qualities in your job hunt in a variety of ways.

Take one of the numerous available online personality tests to find out more about your unique traits and the kinds of roles they might best suit you for. This is beneficial for determining the type of workplace setting where you would be most effective. Your personality can affect how well you fit in with a company’s culture and values. They look to hire those who align with their specific cultures and values and ones ability to add worth to an existing team.

In turn, your personality can impact your ability to communicate and work with others. In many jobs, being able to effectively communicate and collaborate with co-workers is crucial to success. Not only this, but your personality can also affect your performance and productivity. If you are a naturally organised and self-motivated person, for example, you may be more likely to meet deadlines and exceed expectations in your work.

With all of these aspects in consideration, it is, therefore, crucial to ensure your personality aligns with the ethos of your future company. Overall, having a positive and professional personality can make you a more attractive candidate to potential employers and can help you to succeed in your chosen career.

2. Think about your skills

Your skill set is a catalogue of your aptitudes, such as your capacity for problem-solving, judgment, and decision-making. Listing your skills is a valuable exercise not only for determining the type of work you'd be good at but also because it's something that's frequently included on a CV.

Your skillset is important when considering your next job role because it can impact your ability to perform the duties and responsibilities of the role. Employers typically look for candidates who have the skills and abilities necessary to succeed in the position, and a strong skillset can make you a competitive candidate.

Having the right skills can also help you excel in your job and advanced in your career. As an example, if you have strong communication skills, you may be able to more effectively collaborate with colleagues and clients. Therefore, finding a client facing, reactive job would be good for you. If you have strong analytical skills, you may be able to more efficiently solve problems and make decisions.

In addition, having a diverse skillset can make you more flexible and adaptable in the face of changing job requirements and can open more job opportunities. For these reasons, it is important to continually develop and enhance your skillset and ensure that the future roles you look at challenge you and evolve your skillset.

Consider your transferrable abilities as well. These are abilities that can be used to other roles, even if they are not in the same industry. Finding out how your transferable talents will apply to a new position is essential if you are switching industries or roles.

Some examples of transferable skills are:

• Communication skills – the ability to effectively communicate with others through verbal, written and nonverbal means
• Problem solving skills – The ability to identify and analyse problems, and develop and implement solutions
• Leadership skills – the ability to motivate, direct and guide others towards a common goal
• Interpersonal skills – The ability to work well with others, build and maintain relationships, and effectively resolve conflicts.
• Time management skills – the ability to effectively prioritise tasks and manage ones time in order to meet deadlines and achieve goals
• Adaptability – the ability to adapt to new situations, environments and challenges – maintaining the ability to be reactive.
• Creativity – the ability to generate new innovative ideas
• Attention to detail – how to accurately and carefully complete tasks and pay close attention to detail
• Organisation skills – the ability to effectively plan, organise and coordinate tasks and projects

If you need more guidance, you can learn more about your specific skill set and how it plays a part in the type of career you’d be an ideal fit for by taking a career aptitude test.

To find your dream career, you’ll need to get very specific about what that looks like. Ask yourself:

What is my ideal role? Name it if you already have that nailed down.

Do I prefer a company that is environmentally or socially responsible?

Is there a particular company, or company size I prefer?

What is my work/life balance requirement? Think about the type of work environment and schedule that would be most conducive to your overall well-being and happiness. Your dream job should allow you to have a healthy work-life balance.

There are several reasons why it is important to figure out what you want when considering your dream role.

1. It can increase your motivation and focus – Having a clear idea can give you a sense of purpose and direction which can help you stay motivated and focused on your work.

2. It helps you clarify your values and interests – knowing what you want in your dream role allows you to focus on careers and opportunities that align with your values and interests. This can increase your satisfaction and enjoyment of your work

3. It allows you to make informed decisions - When you know what you want, you can make informed decisions about your education, job search and career development. You can also communicate your goals clearly to potential employers, which can help you find opportunities that are a good fit for you

4. It can help you achieve success – Knowing what you want and working towards specific goals can increase your chances of success in your career. By setting clear goals and making a plan to achieve them, you can increase your chances of reaching your desired outcome.

4. Brainstorm your career goals

There are three key reasons why brainstorming your career goals is important. Firstly, it helps you to clarify your values and interests: thinking about your career goals allows you to reflect on what is important to you, what you enjoy doing and what you want to achieve in your career. This can help you make decisions about your job search and career path that are aligned with your values and interests.

Not only this, but it gives you a roadmap for your career. Having clear career goals gives you a sense of direction and purpose. It helps you make decisions about your education, job search, and career development that are all working towards specific end point.

Lastly, it helps you stay motivated. When you have a clear idea of what you want to achieve, it can be easier to stay motivated and focused on your work. It can also be helpful to break your larger career goals down into smaller, more achievable goals, which can give you a sense of progress and accomplishment.

Examples of career goals:

• Advancement to a leadership position
• Specialisation in a particular field
• Starting your own business – be your own boss could include developing a business plan, raising capital and building a customer base

Think about your personal and professional objectives as you decide what should be your best course of action. Consider your ambitions for the next five to ten years, your pay, and your work-life balance. This will assist you in focusing your search- different industries and positions have a range of standards when it comes to factors like flexibility, culture, and career growth.

5. Network Professionally

Professional networking is essential whether your goal is to advance in your current field or to switch careers entirely. These days, networking is a key factor in securing employment.

Check out this video for a breakdown of how to network like a pro:

Whether it's to learn more about a company you're interested in working for, find a new and useful reference in the field, or figure out if a specific career move is truly what you want to make, networking is an invaluable tool.

There are our three key tips on how to network professionally:

1. Be Prepared: Research the people and organisations you will be networking with and have a clear idea of what you want to achieve through the interaction. Having a goal in mind will help you focus your efforts and make the most of your time.

2. Be genuine and authentic: Don’t try to be someone you’re not. Instead, be genuine and authentic in your interactions, and people will be more likely to remember and respond positively to you.

3. Follow up: After meeting someone, be sure to follow up by connecting with them on LinkedIn (if you haven’t already) and sending a thank-you email / message. This will help to build a relationship and keep the connection alive. In addition, be sure to stay in touch with your network by reaching out periodically and keeping them updated on your career developments.

6. Prepare your CV

Once you know what kind of position you want, you can target your CV to specific organisations by making sure your qualifications match what they are looking for. Pay close attention to not only describing your job responsibilities but also the outcomes that came about as a direct result of your efforts. Start your job hunt with a well-prepared CV so that recruiters and hiring managers can easily find your most recent and relevant work experience.

The companies you apply to won't take you seriously if your CV isn't impressive and up-to-date. Furthermore, focus on the finer points of your CV, such as the font you choose and the talents you highlight for each individual company, to ensure that you leave a lasting impression on hiring managers as they sift through numerous applications. Here are some of our best hints and tips from our top recruiters:

1. Keep it concise – Your CV should be no longer than two pages, and should only include the most relevant and recent information

2. Use a clear, easy to read format – Use headings, bullet points, and plenty of white space to make your CV easy to read. Use a standard fond and avoid using fancy formatting or graphics

3. Tailor your CV to the job – Tailor your CV to the specific job you are applying for by highlighting your relevant skills, experience, and achievements. Use the job description as a guide to identify what the employer is looking for and make sure to include those keywords in your CV.

4. Use action verbs – Do this to describe your responsibilities and achievements in a way that is active and results-orientated. E.G, use “developed” instead of “was responsible for developing”

5. Proof read – make surproofread read your CV for spelling and graerrorserror. It’s a good idea to ask someone else to review it in case they can spot any mistakes you might have missed.

6. Keep it up to date – Make sure all recent experience and achievements are detailed. This will make it easier for you to apply for new opportunities and ensure you are presenting the most accurate and relevant information to potential employers

7. Create a list of companies you’d love to work for

Make a list of the companies you'd like to work for, whether you're certain about a particular position. This is a fantastic approach to stay focused on your goals and get informed about possibilities at the companies you are most interested in.

Then, you can adjust your cover letter, career highlights, and skill set on your CV to meet the needs and standards of particular positions at your top-choice employers.

Creating a list of companies you want to work for can be a useful exercise when you are job searching as it can help you focus your effort and identify opportunities that are a good fit for you.

Here are some steps you can follow to create a list of companies you want to work for:

1. Identify your values and interests

2. Research companies in your industry (specifically ones that align to your values and interests)

3. Make a list – of companies you are interested in as well as notes about why you want to work for them. This could include information about their products / services, company culture, values and missions

4. Further research of companies – find out as much as you can about the companies on your list. Look at their websites, social media profiles (LinkedIn CEOs, Hiring Managers, Head of departments), and any news articles, recent funding etc. This will help you get a better understanding of their day-to-day workings and what it would be like to work for them

5. Prioritise your list – Consider the companies and prioritise based on how well they align to your values and interests as well as opportunities for career development, growth strategies and other benefits that appeal to you.

8. Clean up your social media 

It is important to clean your social media when hunting for a job because potential employers may look at your online presence as part of the hiring process. If they find appropriate or unprofessional content on your social media profiles, it could negatively impact their perception of you and your chances of getting the job.

Doing this involves reviewing your posts, photos and other content to make sure that it is appropriate and presents you in a positive light. It’s a good idea to set your privacy settings to the highest level and to remove any content that could be seen as offensive, inappropriate or unprofessional.

By taking the time to clean your social media, you can ensure that you are presenting yourself in the best possible light to potential employers and increasing your chances of getting the job.

9. Choose a thriving industry

There are many reasons why you should consider a thriving industry when hunting for your next job. Not only do you risk becoming stagnant and outdated in a declining industry but…

Being in a thriving industry firstly guarantees job security. A thriving industry is likely to have a strong demand for workers. This is especially important if you are looking for a long-term career. This in turn lends itself to career advancement opportunities. Industries that are growing and expanding are often able to offer more opportunities for advancement. With a thriving industry comes high demand and therefore more opportunity for in-house investment and progression.

With this comes the potential for higher salaries and better benefits packages as they have the resources to invest in their employees. This can be an important factor to consider when searching for your next job.

If this isn’t satisfying enough, consider the idea of a more positive company culture. Companies in a thriving industry may also have better positivity and morale within their culture as they are able to invest in employees and provide a supportive and dynamic work environment.

Lastly, working in a thriving industry can be personally rewarding, as you can be part of a team that is making a hugely positive impact and contributing to the growth and success of the industry. This is key to increased job satisfaction and in turn will lend itself to a better quality of life and work-life balance.

10. Consider a recruiter

Using a recruiter can be a valuable asset in your job search, particularly if you're looking for a new job in a competitive field.        

As recruiters, we take the time to learn about your needs and objectives. We then leverage our large network to link you with the right people and opportunities that have not yet shown on job boards. These can include jobs that are in high demand, or those that require specific skills or qualifications. By working with a recruiter, you'll have an inside track on these opportunities, giving you a better chance of securing a position.

Recruiters also specialise in certain industries and often have a deep understanding of the job market and the hiring process within that industry. They can provide valuable insights into what employers are looking for, and can help you tailor your resume and cover letter to match the requirements of the job.

Working with a recruiter is like having your own personal career coach. They can provide guidance on your job search, and help you navigate the process of applying for jobs, interviewing, and negotiating offers.

Finding a new job can be a time-consuming process, especially if you're not sure where to start. Recruiters can help streamline your search by identifying jobs that match your skills and qualifications, and by pre-screening you for those jobs.

They can act as intermediaries between candidates and employers, helping to negotiate salary and benefits packages on your behalf. They can also provide guidance on how to negotiate effectively and can help you make a strong case for why you're the right candidate for the job.

Your next step...

Begin your job search

Beginning the job search process might be daunting at times. Remember to use job search sites to focus your search and to take advantage of the wealth of information available to job seekers today to assist in identifying the best chances for you. Then, get ready for your interviews and remember to be patient - your perfect job could be just around the corner.

Good luck!