5 Ways to Figure Out What Your Dream Job Actually Is?

So you’re sitting there, phone in one hand, chai in the other, wondering:  

“What am I supposed to be doing with my life?”

Whether you’re 15 and picking high school electives or plotting your escape from the cubicles, we are here to help in finding your dream job. 

Welcome to your career discovery journey. No boring lectures, no guilt, and definitely no one saying, “just follow your passion”. Instead, here are 5 interactive and realistic career exploration tips to help you actually figure out your dream job.

 1. Stalk Yourself (In a Totally Healthy Way)

What to do:  

Pull out a notebook or fire up a Google Doc and dive into this career self-assessment:

– What’s something you can’t shut up about?  

– What Instagram or YouTube videos keep you scrolling for hours?  

– What do people always come to you for help with?

You might think this is random scrolling, but it’s actually the start of finding your dream job.

Check your feed and write down the themes. Interior design? Fitness? Dog training? That’s a clue.

 2. Play “Hot or Not: Career Edition”

Let’s gamify your job search with a little career exploration tip that actually works.

What to do: List 20 random jobs, seriously. Think:

– Astrologer  

– Social media manager  

– Nutritionist  

– Teacher  

– YouTuber  

– Pet psychic (don’t knock it!)

Now give each job a score out of 10, instinct only.

Then go back to your top 3 and ask:  

– Why do I love this?  

– What part excites me?  

– What lifestyle does this career allow?

This quick-fire method is a surprisingly accurate career self-assessment tool. It skips overthinking and taps into your real desires.

The job that scores highest might not be traditional, and that’s okay. Your ideal job strategies should reflect you, not society’s expectations.

 3. Imagine Your Dream Monday Morning

No, not the “sleeping till noon” fantasy. The one where you wake up, grab your coffee, and feel… excited to start your day. And that’s how it should be, right? 

This exercise taps into your career discovery methods by focusing on lifestyle, not just job titles. This might not be one of the ideal job strategies to many, but take it as one of the career exploration tips that gives you a broader perspective to consider.

And it’s completely okay if your dream job doesn’t fit into the timeline of 9-5. Monetise your skills, launch your business, and if money is a worry, Lxme’s Instant Personal Loan can help fund that first step without draining your savings.

Because guess what? Finding your dream job sometimes needs a little financial courage, too.

Ask yourself:

– What am I wearing? (Yoga pants? Business suit? Overalls?)  

– Where am I working? (Home office? Café? Beach?)  

– What task do I start with?  

– Who’s around me?

 4. Collect Career Crushes

No, you’re not too old for this. Everyone has a career crush. That one person you stalk on Instagram or watch on YouTube, thinking, “Ugh, I want her job.”

What to do: Make a list of 3–5 people whose careers you admire. They can be influencers, authors, artists, entrepreneurs, or literally anyone. Career crushes can often act as catalysts in your career self-assessment journey as you look beyond the boxes of roles, money, etc.

Now, break it down:

What do they actually DO all day?

What parts of their job do you want?

Which parts are a hard pass? (Yes, we’re looking at you, endless travel delays.)

You’ll notice patterns. Maybe it’s the creativity, the flexibility, the independence. These are all clues on how to figure out your dream job.

This method is one of the most overlooked yet powerful career discovery methods. 

5. Try It Before You Marry It

Repeat after me: You do not need to commit to a career on the first date. Instead, go with the flow. This might be one of the best career exploration tips one can give you. 

There are no such ideal job strategies that guarantee success, but no amount of planning compares to DOING. You’ll know if it’s right once you’re in the vibe. Sometimes you try something and think, “Oof, this is not it.” Perfect. That’s one dream dodged. On to the next.

Ways to try a job out:

– Volunteer or intern (even just one weekend!)  

– Take a course (free or paid)  

– Start a small side hustle  

– Shadow someone in the field  

– Freelance on a mini project

Experimenting gives clarity. Clarity gives confidence.

Will it be a big hiccup for your financial lifestyle? Maybe. However, to cover your mini retirements or career breaks and figure things out, the best way is to plan your finances. Start investing to fund these times when you prioritise your personal growth. With Lxme, you can invest in mutual funds based on your goals to overcome these uncertainties.

Wait, What If I’m STILL Confused?

Totally normal. Who you are in your 20s is not who you’ll be in your 40s. And that’s not scary, it’s empowering.

The key? Stay curious. Follow the breadcrumbs. Let it change.

Your career doesn’t have to make sense to anyone but you. And you don’t need to know the whole staircase, just the next step.

Because figuring out how to find your dream job should feel empowering, not exhausting.

If you’ve made it this far, you already know that how to figure out your dream job isn’t a one-size-fits-all journey. It’s a process, a mix of reflection, experimentation, and a little bit of courage (with maybe a vision board and caffeine thrown in).

The good news? There are so many career discovery methods out there. From career crush stalking to visualizing your dream Monday, each one is a stepping stone to clarity. You don’t need to have all the answers right now, you just need to stay curious and keep moving.

FAQs:

Further read:

• How to Build a Powerful Personal Brand as a Woman

• Top 15 Successful Women Entrepreneurs in India

• Problems of Working Women