Ever caught yourself saying, “I just want to give gifts all day long and get paid for it,” or, “I wish I could spend my time organizing things in Excel”?
Maybe your aspirations sound a little different – like curating art collections or helping people achieve their goals – but they still feel too far-fetched to be real jobs.
Many people dream about work that feels meaningful and exciting but struggle to connect it with the real world. The truth is, the job you feel called to might already exist. All you need is the right approach to uncover it and make it yours.
In this blog post, we’ll walk you through our 4-step process to turn those vague aspirations into a clear and actionable job title. Whether you’re starting with just a spark of an idea or already have a few potential roles in mind, these steps will help you uncover opportunities that fit your skills, interests, and faith.
Step 1: Research the Possibilities
The first step to finding the job title you feel called to is discovering if it’s already out there. The good news? In most cases, it is! You just need to do a little digging.
For example, maybe you dream of proofreading documents all day while earning a solid income. It might sound unrealistic, but after a bit of research, you could uncover roles like technical editor, copyeditor, or compliance reviewer – positions that fit your skills and pay well.
Here’s how to start:
- Google it: Search for phrases like “jobs for organizing information” or “careers that involve gift-giving.”
- Use AI tools: Ask questions like, “What job lets me curate art collections or organize events?”
- Explore LinkedIn: Look up professionals doing work that interests you and see how they got there.
One client, for instance, assumed there was no way to combine her love for proofreading with her salary goals. But after exploring her options, she discovered multiple roles that aligned perfectly with what she wants.
Step 2: Reflect on Your Excitements and Concerns
After compiling a list of potential roles, take time to reflect. Create a simple chart with three columns:
- Job Titles: List the roles you’ve found.
- What Excites You: Identify what draws you to each option.
- Concerns: Note any potential challenges or doubts.
For example, if you’re considering becoming a Christian career coach, you might feel excited about helping others align their work with their faith. But you might also worry about how to market your services or build a client base.
Turning these concerns into actionable questions can help you move forward. For instance:
- How do career coaches find clients?
- What does a typical day in this role look like?
By addressing your concerns early, you’ll feel more prepared and confident about your next steps.
Step 3: Reach Out to Professionals for Informational Interviews
One of the most effective ways to discern if a job aligns with your calling is by speaking directly to people already doing it. Informational interviews allow you to gain real-world insights into a profession and test your assumptions.
We recommend reaching out to at least 10 professionals per job title (preferably 30) on LinkedIn, Instagram, or through a simple Google search. Let them know you’re considering their field and would love their insights before making a career move.
Expect around a 10% response rate, but if you look credible, personal, and respectful, you’ll likely get a higher response.
Step 4: Ask the Right Questions
This step is highly important, as this ensures you get accurate, insider knowledge beyond what a job description or social media post can tell you. When you land a conversation with someone in the field, ask these essential questions:
- What tasks do you spend the majority of your day doing?
- What do you need to have a tolerance for to be a good fit for this job?
- Here is what I assume to be awesome about this profession, and here’s what I assume to be hard about it (insert the list that you made on Step 2). Is that really true? What is your perspective on what’s awesome about it and what’s hard?
- For the hard parts of the job, how do you overcome or avoid those struggles?
Now, give them feedback and ask for better ideas:
- If you DID like what they shared about their profession, tell them that and ask them what you should do to land a great job in their field.
- If you DID NOT like what they shared about their profession, or just partially liked it but still have concerns, tell them those concerns and ask if they think that’s actually something to be worried about or not. You can tell them what you liked about the idea of their job, but tell them what you’re looking for instead, then ask them what other career paths/job titles they think you should look into.
Take Action Now
This is the 4-step method to turn your vague dreams into a list of potential job titles, come up with better ideas if you need them, then get a solid peek into each of these professions so you can pick the best one for you and cross all the others off your list.
This is way better than endlessly scrolling through LinkedIn or just thinking and praying about it. You need better ideas, and a solid way to get exposed to them.
You need better information to be able to assess them, not through Googling and stewing in your own assumptions, but rather through informational interviews with professionals who can tell you what their lives in those jobs are really like.
THIS is the method that has helped the hundreds of Christian professionals we’ve served confidently identify career paths they feel called to.
Take the first step today, it’s your move.
And, if you want personalized guidance to uncover the job title that fits you, we’re here to help. Schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with us this week and take the first step toward confidently pursuing your calling.
