The "Dream Job" Trap
- Dr. College
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
Most people start a job search by looking at a list of titles and salaries. They pick the one that sounds the most impressive or the one their parents suggested. But if you don't know what your actual priorities are, you’re basically just guessing.
Think about what your ideal day looks like. Do you actually want to be working outdoors, or is that just an idea you like? Do you need a predictable schedule to keep your sanity, or would you be bored to death without travel opportunities and a fast-paced environment?
To see why this matters, imagine you land a high-paying role at a prestigious firm. On paper, it's a win. But six months in, you realize the "hidden obstacles" are draining you. Maybe it’s a grueling daily commute that eats two hours of your life, or a workplace culture where being micro-managed is the norm. If you value "Job Autonomy" and "Work/Life Balance," that high salary won't stop the burnout. You’ve traded your most valuable resources for a "status" that doesn't actually make your daily life better.
The reality is that every job is a trade-off. You might find a role that offers high income and job security, but it might come at the expense of creative expression or remote work options. On the other hand, you might find something that focuses on helping others and social change, but it might not offer the professional status or advancement opportunities you thought you wanted.
The goal isn't to find a "perfect" job that has everything. That doesn't exist. The goal is to figure out your "must-haves" versus the things you’re actually neutral about.
Putting it to the test
To help you get clear on this, you can use the Career Priorities activity linked below.
In the Classroom: If you are a teacher, this is a great hands-on project. You can print out the sheets and cut out the individual tiles—like "Salary," "Job Security," or "Travel". Have students glue them to a physical grid based on their own values. Seeing the tiles at the extreme ends of the grid makes it very obvious what they find most and least important. Have the class discuss the reasons they chose the most and least important priorities. If you are a student, see what other students picked the same top priorities as you. It might also be interesting to see which students picked opposite priorities and find out why.
In a Virtual Setting: If you are working online or don't have a printer, you can achieve the same result by sorting your priorities into a "Tier List." Take fifteen different career factors—everything from "Quality of Supervisor" to "Remote Work"—and organize them into these three categories, with exactly five items in each:
Top Tier (Non-Negotiables): The five things you absolutely cannot live without. One of these should be your "ultimate deal-breaker"—the thing that would make you turn down a high-paying job if it wasn't offered.
Middle Tier (Important): Five things that matter to you and would make a job better, but aren't necessarily deal-breakers.
Bottom Tier (Low Priority): The five factors that have the least impact on your happiness right now.
Once you have your tiers, take a second to look at your top five. Based on what you know about the career path you’re interested in, ask yourself: does that industry actually provide these five things?
Being honest with yourself now about what you need—whether that’s a short commute, clear objectives, or professional growth—makes every decision you make for the rest of college a lot easier. You won't just be looking for a job; you'll be looking for the right fit for your life.
Download the materials here:
Career Priorities Grid
Career Priorities Tile Cards
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