Career Series - Living The Dream

Studies have shown that the average American employee spends approximately 9-10 hours each day at the office. This quickly adds up to 45-50 hours each week and 180-200 hours each month (and this isn't including the time spent in the car, commuting to and from work each day). Thus, for most Americans, their jobs start to define who they are as a person, or at the very least play a significant role in a person's development. While we all understand that at times it becomes necessary to take a job that will pay the bills rather than focusing on any type of enjoyment factor, but this will not be forever. The day will come when you have finally found the perfect job, which came hand-in-hand with the first meaningful salary increase of your life. But the question remains, how do you know if you are truly "living the dream?" Below are a few ways to tell if you have discovered your dream job.

• You're good at what you do. It's as simple as that. You excel at your job, and you enjoy it. If you find yourself in a position in which you cannot be good at what you do, it's time to leave. Immediately. Life is too short to ignore your skills and talents.
• You don't mind the "grunt" work, so to speak. With every job, there are always the unavoidable small tasks that no one wants to be doing. However, if you are able to overlook these minor details and still enjoy what you're doing, you appear to be in the perfect position.
• You have a boss that you could (and do) dine with socially on occasion. If you are working under someone you don't respect or someone who doesn't respect you, it just isn't going to be a good fit. You always have something to learn, and your boss is someone who can teach you a great deal.
• You can take time off occasionally. All too often, Americans seem to be too worried or too focused on their work to take a vacation. If you are able to take a vacation without worrying about what will happen while you're gone (or what your boss will think), this is a job that you want to stick with in the long run.
• You enjoy being around your colleagues. After all, you spend more time at work then you do at home, so it's important to be around people you like. While you don't need to be best friends with everyone, it will make your life much more enjoyable if you like the people you work with and hopefully choose to go to lunch or happy hour, without it seeming like a chore.
• You receive consistent feedback. Good or bad, feedback is important as long as it is constructive. Your dream job should be a position in which you can excel and grow at the same time.
• You aren't finding yourself with a "Case of the Mondays" every While it's natural to enjoy the weekends (and look forward to them during the week), you don't want to find yourself dreading Monday every week. Your dream job will not be something that you do simply to pay the bills.
• You willingly stay late to complete certain tasks. While letting your job consume your life is not advisable, it is an excellent sign if you want to stay just a little later in order to accomplish something that you have been working on. This demonstrates that you are proud of your work, and you care about doing a good job. It is also a strong indication that you aren't thinking of your job as just a job.
• At the end of the day, you are proud of what you have accomplished. While every job can be time-consuming, exhausting, and stressful at times, if you are proud of yourself and your colleagues, it can seem entirely worthwhile.

Bottom Line: There are an endless amount of jobs out there, why not pick one that will make you feel happy and fulfilled the majority of the time. And start living the dream you have worked for.

Career Series: Top Earning Degrees | Living The Dream | Dream Job Checklist | Salary Negotiation Strategies