We are presented with such an infinite choice of job opportunities that finding a job you would love should be relatively easy. But finding that job is far less simple that you might expect. The biggest obstacle is within ourselves in that we possess poor self-awareness. This is, that ability to know and understand ourselves in relation to discovering the best job-career fit. We make major career decisions without serious thought.

In my work as a career and interview coach, I work with people who are at a particular crossroads in their careers. They have one thing in common – they all seek guidance on finding a job and developing a fulfilling career.

Here are my tips on finding a job you will love

1 Invest the time, energy and commitment into planning your career. Don’t just drift into the first job that’s offered to you. If you are in the wrong job or in a career rut, do something about it.

2 Open a file on your career. Our thoughts and ideas are fleeting. Capture those by writing them down. Over time, these insights coupled with new learning will develop into a vision for the career you want.

3 Discover your “why”. Finding a suitable career is governed by our career drivers. Those in-built motivators or drivers that govern the way we act and feel. Addressing the following ten questions will help you identify your drivers.

1 Is making money a high priority?

2 Are you searching for meaning in life, a sense of vocation, a love of helping people?

3 Are you a natural leader, a person that loves to take responsibility?

4 Are you a person that loves working with people and in a team?

5 Are you a person that loves independence or the autonomy to make your own decisions?

6 Are you a very creative person?

7 Are you a person who loves technology or expressing your talents in a specialist field?

8 Is status and being recognised and admired important to you?

9 What do you excel at?

10 What do you love doing?

4 Examine your career options. Once your career options start to emerge, study what it is about your selected jobs that draw you in. Keep your mind open to new possibilities – don’t narrow your choice too quickly.

5 Discover what working in your selected career is really like. Network with people who work in your chosen jobs and organisations. Honest feedback is invaluable.

6 Choose your work experience carefully. Work experience choices should be closely aligned with your chosen range of career options. The only real way you will know what a particular job and organisation is like is to work there. It also provides a great opportunity to showcase what you have to offer to a prospective employer.

7 Cultivate a growth mindset. Invest in opportunities for learning and development. Volunteer for a new role in your organisation. Start an innovative project. Continue to build your personal brand by participating in personal effectiveness courses such as public speaking, presentation and facilitation skills.

8 Build your confidence and your resilience. Mastering the challenges and coping effectively with the inevitable setbacks we will face in our careers is greatly influenced by how we interpret things. Be mindful of your thought process and your self-talk. Optimism is the single most important predictor of personal and professional success.

9 Build a strong support network – This can be your family or a trusted friend. Associate with positive people and find a good career coach.

Brendan Heneghan is an agri career and interview coach – brendanheneghancoaching

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