6 Steps to Landing Your Dream Job By The End Of Summer

Rather than treating this summer as a slump season, or a time to shirk your duties a bit without getting in trouble, why not put the pedal to the metal and see about scoring big career-wise? Here are 6 things you can do to turn your career around and get your dream job by the end of the summer (if you work hard and start now).

1. Be a leader

Remember that no one is in control of your career except you. If you start thinking and acting like a leader, people will take you seriously as one. Be confident and clear and start steering yourself in the right direction, rather than waiting to be pushed.

2. Leave the family loop

It’s great to rely on friends and family for advice and counsel. But sometimes you can get better and clearer advice if you step out of your inner circle. You can get much better—and much more objective—feedback this way. Find yourself a mentor or a job coach who understands your particular strengths, weaknesses, and goals.

3. Sort out your finances

You can’t really take any risks or make any moves from tenuous financial ground. Use this summer to get your fiscal house in order. Assess your current situation. Figure out where you need to be, and how far you need to go to get there. Then come up with a concrete plan and implement it. Don’t forget to figure out what your must-haves are—and what your minimum salary would be in your new position.

4. Get clear and communicate that clarity

Be able to correctly describe your vision for your career. This will help you make more effective and efficient decisions as you move towards your dream. The key to this is to figure out exactly where your wheelhouse is, and aim for situations in which you can excel.

5. Figure out your ideal culture

The truth is you will do your best work if you’re in an environment in which you can be yourself and facilitate your own greatness. Ask yourself what conditions help you be your best self at work and make a list. Find a company (or companies) that focus on these conditions as part of their company culture and then move towards getting hired there.

6. Self-assess

Don’t just wait for your performance review to figure out how well you’re doing. Manage your own performance. Figure out where you’re weak and make a plan to improve. And take a moment to acknowledge your own strengths. These will help you in determining your plan to get into your dream position.