How to Find the Job That Best Suits You

CNN Money contributor Chris Isadore reported that roughly 88,000 jobs appeared across various career sectors in December 2013. Maybe you are out of work and hunting. Maybe you still have a paycheck coming in but feel stuck and restless. Either way, the aim here is the same: figuring out which job actually fits you. That is harder than it sounds in the current economy. With so many people looking, almost any field you walk into has a crowd already standing in it.

Set your expectations before you start. The right job rarely lands in your lap right away. Months can pass. Sometimes years. You will collect rejection letters along the way, probably more of them than feels fair. None of that means you should quit trying. Keep moving. Somewhere out there is a position that lines up with what you care about: the work environment, the kind of manager you want, the daily tasks, the hours, the organization's values and mission, the pay and benefits, the room to grow, even the commute. When the discouragement hits, and it will, hold onto a plain fact. You have skills, you have worth, and eventually some employer is going to recognize that and pull you in.

Education opens most of the doors. These days a high school diploma is usually the floor, and plenty of employers would rather hire someone carrying a bachelor's, a master's, or a doctorate, depending on the field. That means a college degree may be the thing standing between you and the role you want. A bachelor's can put you on a path toward teaching, human resources, nursing, or counseling. A master's or doctorate opens up work as a psychologist, a professor, a lawyer, a researcher, or a medical professional. More schooling generally buys you access to higher pay and a wider set of options.

College is not the only route, though. Entertainers, actors, singers, athletes, customer service and sales reps, warehouse staff, and fast food workers all build careers without a degree. If a degree is what your chosen field demands and you want it badly enough, look into a college program in your area of interest and sign up.

Do your homework on the field itself. Say you are drawn to psychology. Search online for what the work requires in terms of education, licensure, and experience. Read up on the different branches and compare a few programs. This digging serves a purpose: it tells you whether the career actually matches who you are. Ask yourself the honest questions. Do you have the ability to do the work well? The temperament for it? Do you genuinely like helping people, and are you curious about how the mind operates and how it ties to the body? A string of yeses is a good sign. On the other hand, if you quietly think of counseling as professionals being paid to pry into other people's business, or if your patience runs thin fast, psychology probably is not your field.

When you are weighing degree programs, judge each one on the specifics that will shape your life: how it fits your personality, where it is located, the particular degree offered, what tuition runs, which courses you would take, and when classes meet. And confirm the program holds accreditation before you commit a dime.

Nothing beats seeing a job from the inside. If you can, volunteer or intern somewhere that offers the position you think suits you. College students can call the human resources director or recruiter directly and ask. Tell them plainly that a certain role interests you and that you would like to shadow someone doing it to find out whether it fits. Aim for at least three months, though six months to a year is better. Keep notes. Pay attention to the atmosphere of the place. Later, when you land a similar job somewhere, knowing what the day actually feels like will give you a head start.

Passivity costs people the jobs that were theirs for the taking. Move the moment a posting goes up. Keep your resume current. Be first in line at the job fair. Pull leads from friends and family. Send a thank-you note after every interview. In the interview itself, stay respectful and polite, and leave the recruiter certain that you mean business and are ready to work. Sitting at home waiting for the phone to ring accomplishes nothing, because that call is not coming on its own. Make your own luck.

Flexibility matters too, especially early on. Odds are decent that your first job in a new field will not be the one you really wanted. Picture this: you want to be a coordinator at a healthcare company, but the role requires a degree you do not yet hold. You might take a claims or customer service job in the meantime until you meet the requirements. It is not the job you were after. It is still a job, and it gets your foot in the door. Work hard, keep your attitude positive and adaptable, and over time you tend to end up where you were headed all along.

References: Isadore, C. (2013). Unemployment rate falls for all the wrong reasons. CNN Money. The Muse. (2013). 9 questions that'll help you find your dream career. Forbes. Nelson, B. (2013). How to find your dream job. Forbes. Young, J. (2011). 5 critical steps to finding a new job fast! Forbes.