02 Dec 5 Habits to Help You Land Your Dream Job
If you are passionate about landing a new job, certain habits and behaviors will help you stand out from other job candidates. These habits are valued by employers and will make you a strong asset to any team. They also help you maintain focus, can increase creativity, and improve productivity and performance.
While there are a plethora of habits you can develop to increase your success, here are five workplace-centered options to help you land your dream job.
1. Time Management
How you manage your time is critical in the workplace. Poor time management skills will affect your performance levels, cause you to miss deadlines, and can impact your work/life balance. A few specific time management habits you may strive to develop include:
- The ability to prioritize your most important tasks.
- Understanding how to set deadlines for yourself and to adjust your workload so you meet these deadlines.
- Creating a way to focus on one task at a time — do not multitask.
- How to develop a schedule and stick to it.
2. Stress Management
According to the American Institute of Stress, 80% of American workers feel stress on the job. If you can develop habits to help you manage this stress, you will become a prized candidate during your job search.
While there are many tasks you can complete in the workforce to reduce stress and anxiety, stress management begins at home. Regular exercise and a well-balanced diet is key to helping you maintain your health and decrease your stress levels. You may also participate in activities such as journal writing, meditation, reading and listening to music to prevent you from feeling burdened by your heavy load.
3. Excellent Communication
Many managers and HR personnel look for excellent communication skills in the best candidates. A few habits you can develop that will improve your communication skills include:
- Responding quickly to all forms of communication, whether email, telephone, text messaging, etc.
- Writing concise emails but providing all necessary information.
- Relaying information through the proper channels.
If you know your communication skills are subpar, this is an excellent place to start to improve your chances of landing a dream job.
4. Distraction-Free Times
A great daily habit to develop is creating distraction-free times. During this time of day, you will set aside your phone and turn off all email notifications and other messaging programs. You will give 100% of your attention to a certain task at hand. This is an excellent way to increase productivity and get work done throughout the day.
5. Goal-Setting
While many employees have goals, not all individuals are creating plans to achieve them. Develop habits that will help you reach your goals and find more success in your career, family life, social interactions, volunteer work, etc.
To help you along the way, develop habits such as:
- Writing down each goal and place the goal in an area where you will see it.
- Not making excuses for when things go wrong.
- Not blaming others for your weaknesses or shortcomings.
- Scheduling time to work on your goals each day or week.
The habits you develop will vary by your career goals, personality, and lifestyle. However, you must strive to develop good habits that help you become an excellent candidate. These habits and skills will help you land your dream job regardless of the industry, position, work experience, and more.
