Mistake 1: Accept a job you don't really want - just because it's your dream company.
Here is a great example:
You love marketing but can’t find a suitable role. You then decide to apply for the sales team because they're hiring. You plan to get an offer first and find a way to switch team later.
The cost you have to pay is probably many hard-working hours of interview prep and networking.
Then spending 1-3 years in a new role that you are not passionate about instead of building your expertise in your dream job.
It’s also not always guaranteed that you can successfully transfer to your dream team as an internal candidate.
The opportunity cost is high and it hurts your long term career
This is what you should do instead:
- Shift your mindset from “I want to get into X company” to “I want to do Y job, where I can learn to master it?”
- If you can’t land a job at your dream company the try other things in your list.
- Build up your experience and try again when the right opportunity comes
Remember to always optimize for what you want to do and what you want to learn.
Mistake 2: Wait until you are ready to apply for your dream jobs.
I interviewed with a consulting firm when I was a few months away from graduating from college.
I had very low expectation when applied because I never had a case interview before and I was still in school.
I ended up getting the offer after studying case interviews and consulting frameworks day and night for 3 days.
I honestly didn't crack the case interviews up to my current standard but if I had waited to master everything, I would have missed the opportunity.
That said, when the opportunity comes, go for it.
You won't lose anything.
You will learn about the role, company culture and team dynamic.
You will have a chance to ask questions, to confirm if it's the right one for you.
Either get the offer or not, you will gain experience to help you win the next ones.
Check out other posts I wrote about career here.
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