Can You Really Find The Perfect Job?

I often hear people talk about finding their "dream job" or the "perfect job," but do they really exist?  There are some jobs that appeal to our skills more than others, but it's a mistake to believe there's one job out there that is absolutely perfect for you.  Job seekers often make the mistake of devoting all of their time and effort to one job.  There's nothing wrong with putting a little more effort into the jobs that make the most sense to you, but you shouldn't be turning off other potential options for the sake of one job that you might not get. 

In most other decision making processes you have a plan B, so why should your job search be any different?  I speak from experience when I say that it can be very hard convincing yourself of this.  During my first job search after college, I came across a job that looked "perfect" to me in every possible way: It was relevant to my major, I had worked there before, it paid well, and it was a very short commute.  I thought there was no way I would not get that job, so I put little to no effort into the rest of my job search.  That left me at a huge disadvantage when I eventually learned I didn't get the job.  I could have had a number of potential back-up plans, but instead I had to start from scratch.

So do perfect jobs exist?  It really depends on who you talk to, but I'd argue they don't.  Every job is going to have its flaws.  You shouldn't just apply to jobs that are 100% of what you want; you'll never get anywhere with that attitude.  Apply for the jobs that suit your job skills the best, while keeping in mind that it may involve job functions you don't like as much.