Four tips for landing a dream career

HOUSTON, Texas - With the Class of 2015 hitting the job search pavement, radio host, motivational speaker and life coach Ron Klinger gives out advice for finding that dream career and making it happen. Klinger’s organization, Motivational Transitions, has spent over ten years helping students, individuals, and organizations find their purpose and unleash their potential. He offers four tips not just for getting a job, but to find a meaningful, rewarding, purposeful career.

Know Thyself – “This is the key ingredient to finding a purposeful, meaningful career,” Klinger said. “You have to start with you. If you don’t know yourself, then how can you go and sell yourself in a job interview?” For clients, he advises them to identify what he calls the VIPS of career decision making and planning: Values – doing work that aligns with your purpose; Interests – doing work that makes you engaged and connected; Personality – undertaking personality assessments like the Insights Personality Profile to identify core traits and leaning; Strengths – identifying what you are most talented and gifted in. “You know a strength is in play when you lose total track of time when you’re doing an activity,” he said. “Once you know who you are, you can start thinking about where you are going.”

Define the Ideal Career – Just like the old adage says, “If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there.” Klinger says, “You have to give your career definition, otherwise you will never end up anywhere.” He advises writing down adjectives that describe the kind of work you want to do. Then, naming other factors like compensation, geography, and even where you want to be eventually. “Break it down. Dream. Paint the picture,” he said. “When you go to look at job ads, you will have a concise, articulate vision for where you are going and what you want.”

Network – Klinger says the next step is getting the word out. “Who do you know that does this type of work? Find them. Do informational interviews.” Most professionals – including himself, he says – would love to talk to people genuinely interested in their careers. “There’s nothing more flattering than someone saying, ‘I’d like to do you what you do.’ If someone is engaged and passionate about the work they do, they can talk for hours about it.” He advocates job shadowing and internships to gain perspective. There is nothing worse than graduates who have spent years and thousands of dollars to be trained for a career, getting into it and finding out that they hate it, or are not good at it. “It’s a process of self-discovery,” he said.

Sell Yourself – The final key Klinger gives to graduates is to learn how to sell themselves, such as how to learn resume writing, interviewing, and how to write a cover letter. “If you can’t do it, ask for help. Get someone in your corner. If you’re still in school, utilize your school’s career services office. If you’re an alum, go back to your institution and utilize their services.”

He also explains that the number one place for headhunters and staffing agencies to recruit talent is LinkedIn. “Make sure your profile actively and accurately presents you,” he said.

Klinger’s radio show, the Unleashed Radio Hour, broadcasts every Thursday on Business 1110 AM KTEK from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., as well as podcasts at www.business1110ktek.com, and at www.UnleashedRadioHour.com. Each week, Klinger features guests or topic related to career or business success. Founded in 2003, Motivational Transitions is a human development company rooted in promoting individual and organizational effectiveness. They provide one-on-one support as well as group training for organizations who desire more from their current work and life processes. For more information, visit www.mtran.com.