Find a Career You'll Actually Love: 11 Proven Tips

• List your passions and what you spend hours on to identify an ideal career.
• Take popular career quizzes to get ideas for jobs that are a great fit for your personality.
• Network with professionals inside and outside the industry you want to work in to expand your horizons and look for a mentor who can give you expert advice.
• Manage your personal brand to drive employers to seek you out. For example, write articles on LinkedIn and post content, like concept art, on Instagram.

Make a list of your passions and hobbies.

Reflect on all the activities you love to discover your dream job. Think about what you get absolutely lost in and spend hours doing. For example, maybe you’re addicted to video editing or reviewing books. If so, you might thrive as a videographer or a developmental editor. To find your passions, keep all your interests in mind, from your enthusiasm for fitness to your commitment to eco-friendliness. When you get to the heart of what lights you up, you’ll be able to brainstorm ideal careers. For example—your knowledge about exercise might lead you to personal training or social media management for a gym. Another idea—your focus on a green lifestyle could direct you toward fashion design for a recycled clothing brand. “If you love binge-watching movies, you might consider a career in film marketing. Research suggests you enter a “flow state"—a period of intense concentration—when you do what you love, which is great for staying on task at work.

Take career and personality quizzes.

Use psychology-backed quizzes to find jobs that match your personality. Visit sites that feature popular career and personality quizzes—these can help highlight ways you behave or operate that you weren’t aware of. For example, you might learn that you’re very agreeable—open-minded—so you would be great in event planning, where you can talk to a whole team of creatives. Set aside time to take high-quality quizzes to get a new perspective about how you’ll shine as an employee. Big Five: A test backed by science to measure 5 job-related personality traits. Myers-Briggs: A test based on psychology that identifies your unique strengths.

Ask people what you’re good at.

Honest feedback helps you find your job-related strengths. Reach out to individuals that know you really well, like your close friends or family. Talk to people who are more objective, too, like former professors or colleagues. Cast a wide net so you can get a wide range of opinions to inform your job search. Consider this scenario—if you took a music theory class, your former professor might point out that you’d be a great songwriter since you made the best hook melodies. Another idea—if you used to work at a clothing boutique, one of your past co-workers might see you as a wardrobe stylist because you put together amazing outfits.

Identify the company culture you want.

Be clear about the values and norms you expect in a work environment. For a sustainable situation, specify what really matters to you when you’re part of a team. You might feel aligned with a company that’s socially conscious and feel drawn to non-profits. Or, you may love a fast pace, so you want to break into the news industry. Focus on elements of work culture that you’d embrace to find a setting you’ll blossom in. Values: “I want to work in a school that provides top-notch education to kids.” Support: “I’d like to write for a comic book company with collaborative co-workers.” Independence: “I’d like to open my own Etsy store so I have 100% creative control.” Fun: “I want to be a voice-over artist for fast-paced thrillers.” Feedback: “I'd like to be a product designer for a company where I get lots of input.” Rewards: “I want to work for an entertainment company with a benefits package.” Innovation: “I want to be a software dev somewhere that always offers new services.”

Visualize your perfect work day.

Think about the duties, responsibilities, and tasks that would excite you. Get into the nitty-gritty of an ideal job and imagine what you’ll do on a daily basis. For example, maybe you’re an introvert—someone who likes alone time—so you’d love to code from home. On the other hand, you might be an extrovert—a person who likes to frequently socialize—so you’d like to be a brand ambassador. To inspire you, check out this example: A Day in the Life of PR Rep: 9 AM-10 AM: Answer emails and give companies quotes for services. 10 AM-12 PM: Interview my current clients and draft press releases. 1 PM-3 PM: Revise press releases and send them off to media outlets. 3 PM-4 PM: Create social media posts for my clients. 4 PM-5:30 PM: Discuss brand growth with my clients.

Read about your favorite companies.

Look into the reputation of the companies you’d like to work for. Research companies like you would before a big job interview. Check out your ideal employer’s mission statement and social media platforms to get a sense for what it stands for. Scroll through employee reviews on a site like Glassdoor to get a snapshot of how happy a company’s workforce is. See how the testimonials compare with what the company says about itself. Get an insider’s look of the businesses you're eyeing to decide if you really see yourself in them. As a bonus step, send a polite message to an employee via LinkedIn. For example, write:Hi Kaitlyn,I noticed we have mutual contacts and saw you work at Sony, a company I’m interested in applying for. I’m wondering if you had some time to share what your experience has been as an employee? Thank you in advance for your consideration! Best, Michelle

Speak with a career counselor.

Turn to an expert in the job search process to discuss career paths. For really nuanced answers, contact a career counselor. Search the National Career Development Association (NCDA) or the National Board for Certified Counselors for a local career counselor. Discuss your background, skills, goals, and ideal type of work. They’ll be able to provide high-quality suggestions. For example, a career counselor might take a “big picture” approach and notice that your accounting skills perfectly complement your love of cinema, so you’d be a great bookkeeper for a big movie company. Ask your friends if they have any career counselors or coaches in their network. If you’re currently in college, your campus’ career services center most likely has a career counselor. If you’d like to speak to someone about how to find a job and balance your mental health needs, search Psychology Today’s directory of career counseling therapists.

Reach out to a mentor.

Speak to people in the industry you’re interested in for helpful tips. Search for a mentor to get an in-depth perspective of a job role, like a creative director for a magazine. They can be someone as close as a family friend or as distant as a person you've followed online. Politely introduce yourself and ask if they’re available to take you under their wing and guide you. They might agree and give you some expert information that’s key to your success. Remind a potential mentor of your history together—“I’ve always enjoyed when you visit for the holidays and discuss the projects you work on. I really look up to you.” Bring up backgrounds you share in common—“As two Latinas, I know we’re underrepresented in this industry.” Mention that you’ll make the process easy for them—”I’ll make sure our schedules match up and prepare all my questions in advance before we have our weekly meetings.” Bill Gates Bill Gates, Businessman & Philanthropist Finding great mentors is key for building skills and success. "Everyone needs a coach. It doesn't matter whether you're a basketball player, a tennis player, a gymnast or a bridge player."

Network with successful people.

Build a circle of professionals who can spot great opportunities for you. Instead of just socializing with people in your favorite industry, like AI, expand your horizons. Befriend people who are at the top of their field and have a wide network. Float the idea of landing a certain job, like a chatbot designer, by them. They might know of a person who needs someone exactly like you. When you network, build goodwill by complimenting others and celebrating their achievements. Leave a comment like, “Congratulations on your promotion!” Engage with people’s content so you stay on their mind. “This is an excellent piece on understanding your customer base! I’ll integrate these tips into my UX practice!” Meet professionals in person to communicate even more effectively. For example, network at a conference, like a tech convention. If anyone lets you know about a job opportunity, make sure to thank them.

Promote your personal brand.

Create an amazing presence so companies seek you out. To build your personal brand, make sure that all your social media platforms are polished and professional, from your LinkedIn profile to your Instagram profile. Trend online by creating content like blog posts to boost your reputation. Remember to always behave professionally when you interact with others, both online and in person. When you consistently promote a set of skills or passions, like photography, businesses might see you as an expert in your field. Stay “on brand”—use LinkedIn to discuss how crisp photography can elevate advertising copy and Instagram to present a “portfolio” of your recent work. Make sure to clean up your digital footprint. For example, delete any negative posts or pictures that aren’t appropriate.

Continue developing job skills.

Pursue classes and certifications that make you a competitive candidate. To acquire new skills, enroll in continuing education. For example, take classes in leadership if you’d like to be a manager at a bank. Keep an eye out for certifications that will give you an extra edge, too, like an accounting certification if you want to be a tax consultant. Invest in yourself and you’ll have an advantage in the job market. Once you complete your classes and certifications, draw attention to them when you write your resume. They’ll definitely impress recruiters, hiring managers, and employers.