Now that you've learned what you want to do, it's time to get specific about your dream career.

In this lesson, you will learn how to specify your dream career.

The barriers to finding your dream career

There are several barriers to finding our dream career.

1. It can be confusing as we have conflicting desires such as money, passion, and lifestyle, as well as worries such as failure, uncertainty, and change.
2. There is no sense of urgency, which leads to procrastination, and our dream job remains a vague idea that we put off for ‘someday’.
3. Most "career advice" out there sucks.

The only two things that matter

Your dream career = Your dream role + Your dream employee.

That is extraordinarily specific.

Being specific is crucial when it comes to finding your dream career. Instead of saying things like "I want to help people," "I want to do something I'm passionate about," or "I want to do something in web development," being specific allows others to understand how to help you.

So why are people so reluctant to get specific about their dream career? Let's find out.

What Getting Specific Enables You To Do

By having a clear Dream Career in mind, you can prioritize the important aspects:

1. Talking to the right people — not networking randomly.
2. Crafting the perfect resume message — not worrying about font size.
3. Applying to the best jobs for you — not just what "sounds good."

What most people do

1. Start with a vague idea of what they're looking for: “I’m passionate about coding!"
2. Sort through job ads on search engines and send resumes to anything that looks good.
3. Get no response
4. Ultimately, give up and blame external factors such as the economy, the government, etc.

Result: The downward spiral.

Most People Avoid Being Specific

Getting specific is uncomfortable, and most people avoid it.

Why?

• Fear of "closing doors" and "boxing themselves in."
• They don’t know their options
• They don’t know how

We will break down each of these reasons, but for now, know that being specific is essential to avoid becoming an average candidate.

Nobody Cares About You in Job Search

When searching for a job or finding a career, it's common for people to start by listing what they want. "I want a job that allows me to be creative, with flexible hours and cool colleagues. I don't want boring tasks!"

However, this approach reflects the classic "I, I, I Syndrome." The truth is that your future employer doesn't care about you - they want to know what you can do for them.

So, instead of focusing on what you want, it's crucial to identify what problem you can solve for your future employer.

Finding Your Dream Career

Finding your dream career looks like this: First, you find your dream role. Then, you find companies that interest you.

You research the position and talk to experts to see if it's right for you. And if it's not, that's fine. You're just trying things on with zero commitment or risk.

Expect Disproportionate Results

This is how your journey will look compared to an average candidate's. You start with fewer results, but a ginormous gap emerges over time. That happens when you work on the right things at the right time.

Enough talk. It’s time for action.

It's time for you to pick your top three job titles.

Here are the options you can choose from:

1. Software engineer
2. Software developer
3. Front-end developer
4. Back-end developer
5. Full-stack developer
6. React developer
7. Next.js developer

For example, your options may be: Software engineer, Software developer, Front-end developer.

Software engineer and Software developer are the most popular options so that you may combine these two with Front-end, Back-end, or Full-stack developer titles.

Three key things to keep in mind

1. You don't need to know all the skills in the job description.

   Don't be intimidated by the technologies mentioned in the job description. Companies know that they can not get everything they want.

   It's okay to apply for a job even if you only know 60-70% of the required technologies. It’s better to aim high and readjust later if you fail.

   Employers also look for a good "cultural fit", meaning they want someone who will work well with the team. You can learn technical skills, but cultural fit is more important.

2. You don't need to have that many years of experience.

   Most job postings require at least 2-3 years of development experience. Jobs for senior developers usually require a minimum of 5-8 years of experience. Again, treat these requirements as a wish list.

   Depending on your goals, if you see a job posting with "front-end developer with two years of experience", you can and should apply for that job.

3. Time isn't the best way to measure experience.

   It's crucial to differentiate expertise in time and skill. Outside of some essential work experience (not necessarily IT), the number of years you've worked isn't the most crucial factor for getting hired.

   If you're consistently pushing yourself to learn and improve, and with the proper support, you can have the skills of a developer with years of experience in just months.

793 other questions

It's normal to have more questions than answers at this point. Trust the system and focus on where you are now. Testing, which takes time, will address every question.

Exercise

Once you've picked three job titles, spend 30 minutes researching each. You can use sites like LinkedIn or Indeed.com. Learn everything about the job, including the required skills, career path, and salary. You'll likely have many questions, but that's okay because they'll be answered soon.

Follow-up

1. What was your biggest insight from this lecture? (e.g., I'm used to making every job decision excessively complicated, but now I know the key to moving forward is focusing on the two things that matter: role and employer.)

2. What's your success story from this lecture?

   Remember, no success is too small.

3. Video Report. Record a video (up to 3 minutes), answering what stood out to you about this week's lesson.

   How is this material helping you change your perspective on finding your dream job? Be specific!

   What had you been doing wrong before? What will you do differently in the future? How will this affect you in the long term? The more details, the better.