An employer knows exactly what they’re looking for when they recruit. Do you know exactly what you’re looking for?

Spending time now on establishing what your ideal job looks like will help you massively when searching for jobs. It’ll stop you applying for jobs that don’t match your criteria, it’ll help you communicate to others what you’re looking for and it will help you make the right decision when you get a job offer.

Here’s a series of steps to help you work out and capture what your ideal job and employer looks like:

1) Geographically: Where do you want to ideally work?
2) Hours: What hours do you want to work?
3) Contract: Are you looking for full-time, part-time, interim, contracting, consulting, self- employed?
4) Salary: What’s your ideal salary bracket?
5) Environment: What work environments suit you best – an office, within the community,
working from home, outdoors? New business, or an established organisation?
6) Working culture: What values, leadership style, behaviours and attitudes do you want in your ideal employer?
7) Weaknesses: What do you not enjoy doing or find stressful?
8) Wellbeing: What makes you feel happy, confident and fulfilled at work?
9) Skills & Strengths: What are you really good at? What are you known for at work? Do you have any natural talents, special skills or expertise?
10) What are your interests and passions? Could you find work in any of these areas?