The answer is a resounding 'yes' if you ask Arlington, Va.-based Internet advertising executive Andrea Smith, who says her story of career triumph is proof.
Two years ago, Smith found herself frustrated at work. She had started out as an intern and had impressed her bosses so much that she was quickly offered a full-time job.
But even though Smith was no longer technically an intern, she says it was harder to ingrain her new status into the minds of her peers. Co-workers still treated her as 'the intern,' and she felt that her career was going nowhere too fast. So she heeded some good advice.
"Someone once told me that when you have a bad day or week at work that's okay, but when you start having bad months, it's time to regroup. That's exactly what I did."
Smith's situation isn't unusual. Seventy percent of people surveyed for a recent study by the Families and Work Institute and Pricewaterhouse Coopers said they long to find their 'dream job.' But the difference between Smith and many other unhappy workers is that Smith went out and found it.
Taking control
Never one to sit around and wait for the perfect opportunity to find her, Smith geared up for the challenge ahead.
"I started my search by updating my resume and having a number of people critique it," she says. "This allowed me to get several different perspectives from various professionals."
She then took some time to figure out exactly what she wanted to do.
"When I decided to leave my old job, I did not have a new job lined up," she says. "However, I knew that it was time to move on. So I resigned from the position and believed that God would work things out.
"During this time, I relaxed and did some soul searching about what I really wanted out of my career. I decided that I was still interested in Internet advertising and decided to find a job in that industry."
And she did.
Rather than finding someone who was hiring and attempting to mold herself into what that company needed, Smith figured out what she needed and found a company that was able to fulfill her.
According to Nancy Blue, a career specialist based in Austin, Texas, control is the key that opens the doors to one's dream job. Once job seekers realize that they - not potential employers - are in control of their own destinies, the hardest work is done.
Andrea Smith can attest to that.
"I think that it is important to take the time once every six months or so and evaluate where you are in your career," she says. "Assess how happy you are at your current position. Are you challenged? Are you treated fairly? Do you feel that you are contributing to the success of your company? Are you fulfilled?"
If the answer is 'no,' Smith says, it's time to regroup.
