# The "Dream Job" Myth: Why You Shouldn't Find Work You Love (But Should Create It)

Based on the insights of Sergiy Nozdrachov, inspired by the research of Gallup, Dr. Barbara Fredrickson, and Marcus Buckingham.

We’ve all heard the cliché: "Find a job you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life." Let’s be honest –  it sounds like something dreamed up by a jobless poet. For most of us, work often feels like something we just have to "survive" to get to our real life. But what if the problem isn’t the work itself, but the way we try to find "love" in it?

According to Sergiy Nozdrachov, a Gallup-certified strengths expert and business professor, the secret to professional happiness isn't about hunting for a perfect role. It’s about a process called Job Crafting.

### 1. Love is a Biological "Turbo Mode"

We often think of love at work as a romantic abstraction. However, research by Dr. Barbara Fredrickson, a professor at the University of North Carolina, shows that "positivity resonance" (love) is a measurable biological state.

When you experience micro-moments of connection and joy at work:

* Your cognitive functions expand.
* Your resilience hits a "turbo mode" (a study after 9/11 showed that people who felt moments of love and gratitude recovered from trauma significantly faster).
* You become more creative and less prone to burnout.

In short, love isn't a "nice-to-have" – it’s high-performance fuel.

### 2. The 1,500 "Luckies" and the Big Secret

Gallup once conducted a massive search for people who could genuinely say: "I have the opportunity to do what I love every day." They found about 1,500 such people.

The shock? Not a single one of them "found" that job. They didn't stumble upon a magical vacancy on LinkedIn. Instead, they found an acceptable job in a good organization and gradually built their role into something they loved. They turned a standard position into a customized fit for their talents.

### 3. The Three Languages of Love at Work

To stop "surviving" and start "loving" your 9-to-5, you need to look at three specific vectors (inspired by Marcus Buckingham’s Love + Work):

* WHY (Meaning): Do your personal values align with what you do? You might be a coder in a telecom company, but your "Why" isn't the code – it’s helping people stay connected to their families.
* WHO (People): Are you in "sync" with your team? Love thrives in environments where you feel mutual care and shared energy.
* WHAT (Tasks): This is the most important and most neglected part. What exactly are you doing from 9 AM to 6 PM? If you are an adventurer forced into a spreadsheet-heavy operational role (as Sergiy experienced during his time in Shanghai), you will burn out, no matter how much you believe in the "Mission."

### 4. How to Become a "Job Crafter"

If your current job feels like carrying heavy stones, don't quit just yet. Try Job Crafting (a methodology by Prof. Amy Wrzesniewski):

1. Task Crafting: Can you shift your schedule to spend at least 20% of your time on tasks that use your natural talents? Even small tweaks can recharge your battery.
2. Relational Crafting: Change how you interact. Spend more time with people who "light you up" and set boundaries with those who drain your energy.
3. Cognitive Crafting: Change your perspective. Remember the parable of the three stonemasons: one is "hauling rocks," the second is "earning for his family," and the third is "building a cathedral." Same task, different reality.

### 5. What if Love is Nowhere to be Found?

Sometimes, circumstances force us into jobs where love is impossible. If you’re in that spot, Sergiy suggests a "Backup Generator" strategy: Find love on the side. Realizing your talents (whether it's writing, analyzing, or creating) is a physiological need, like sleeping or drinking water. If your job won't let you do it, do it through volunteering, hobbies, or side projects. It will give you the energy to survive the transition until you can build a better professional reality.

You don't need to love 100% of your job. But if you can reach a point where you love at least 25% of your daily activities, you are already ahead of most of the planet.

Don't wait for a "dream job" to fall from the sky. Take the job you have and start crafting. Because in the end, love at work isn't something you find – it’s something you grow.

Research shows that 1,500 people who love their work didn't "find" it—they built it. Discover the Three Languages of Love at Work and how to recalibrate your tasks to trigger your biological "turbo mode."

Stop Searching for a Dream Job: Master the Art of Job Crafting

Beyond the LinkedIn Cliché: How to Use Job Crafting and the "20% Rule" to Turn Your Current Role Into a High-Performance Fuel Source.

The "Dream Job" Myth: Why You Shouldn't Find Work You Love, But Create It

When change stops feeling like progress, it starts feeling like noise. Learn to identify the signs of change fatigue, why it's a matter of trust rather than energy, and how to create the stable rhythms your team actually craves.

Change Fatigue: The Hidden Crisis in Modern Teams

It’s Not Burnout, It’s Exhaustion: Why Unlimited Flexibility Without Structure is Draining Enthusiasm and How to Restore Trust and Clarity in 2026.

Change Fatigue: Why Constant Innovation Quietly Exhausts Your Team

# Silver is the New Gold: Why 55+ is the Ultimate Asset for Modern Business

If you still think innovation is the exclusive playground of teenagers in hoodies, fueling themselves with matcha while coding on the blockchain, we have some news for you. And it’s very "mature" news. While the world was chasing the cult of youth, the real powerhouses were quietly accumulating experience, grey hair, and strategic calm.

Welcome to the era of the Silver Economy, where 55 isn't the finish line; it’s the peak of performance.

### The Myth of the "Young Drive" vs. Reality

We’ve been sold the image of the 20-year-old startup founder who changes the world. But Harvard Business Review says: "Wait a second." The average age of founders behind the fastest-growing companies in the U.S. is actually 45. Furthermore, a 50-year-old entrepreneur is 1.8 times more likely to build a "unicorn" than their 30-year-old counterpart. Experience isn't just a number on a passport; it’s an immunity to the mistakes that the youth often make just for the sake of "content."

### Why They Are Your Greatest Asset

According to the World Economic Forum (WEF), multi-generational teams are the secret sauce of productivity. Here is why the "silver" players are winning the race:

* Mental Zen: Where a 25-year-old marketer might hit burnout over a failed post, a 55-year-old pro simply adjusts the strategy. They have seen market bubbles, financial crises, and global pandemics. They aren't easily rattled by a deadline.
* Loyalty as a Superpower: AARP confirms that older workers are significantly more stable. While 38% of Gen Z workers plan to change jobs within a year, silver talent stays with a company 2.2 times longer on average. They come to work to deliver results, not to "find themselves" at your expense.

### The Elephant in the Room: The Reskilling Challenge

Let’s be honest: experience alone isn't a magic wand if it’s decoupled from modern tools. The real challenge for the 50+ generation isn't their age, but the digital skills gap.

According to PwC’s Global Upskilling report, 74% of workers are ready to learn new skills or completely retrain to remain employable. However, for those over 50, the transition into the tech-heavy landscape can feel daunting. The goal isn't to turn a 55-year-old CFO into a junior Python developer – it’s about translation.

Coursera research highlights that older learners often outperform younger ones in "power skills" like critical thinking and self-management, but they need targeted upskilling in AI and data analysis to apply that wisdom in a tech-driven environment. This is why high-growth companies are now investing in "Returnships", internships for experienced professionals who need a 3-month "bridge" to update their tech stack.

### Global Shortages and "Active Ageing"

The OECD warns that by 2030, the world will face a shortage of 85 million workers. Ignoring experienced specialists today isn't just ageism; it’s economic suicide.

The world is shifting toward the "Active Ageing" model. This is an environment where a 60-year-old isn't a "pensioner on a bench," but a vital mentor passing on soft skills to the youth while holding the company’s structure together. Tim Cook (65), Satya Nadella (58), and Jeff Bezos (61) aren't just running the world; they are setting a pace that would make any Zoomer sweat.

### Summary

The world is getting older, but it’s also getting smarter. If your HR department is still filtering resumes based on birth year, you are losing the very people who possess the largest networks, the strongest nerves, and the deepest expertise.

* Advice for Business: Stop looking for "young and ambitious" in roles that require "experienced and effective." Invest in reskilling your veterans; the ROI is higher than you think.
* Advice for Candidates: Your grey hair isn't a sign of fatigue; it’s your seal of quality. But don't let your tech stack rust. In a world where AI is doing the "busy work," your ability to provide human judgment and strategic oversight is your greatest currency. Just learn how to talk to the machine.

Innovation isn't just for hoodies. With an 85-million-worker shortage looming, discover why silver talent stays 2.2x longer and how high-growth firms are using "Returnships" to bridge the digital skills gap.

The Silver Economy: Why Experience is the Best Tech ROI in 2026

Beyond the Cult of Youth: Why 50-Year-Old Founders are 1.8x More Likely to Build Unicorns and How "Mental Zen" is Saving Companies from Burnout.

Silver is the New Gold: Why 55+ is the Ultimate Asset for Modern Business

# Why is this question quite popular now?

There are several reasons. First, the most terrible and unpleasant is the war in Ukraine. Many people lost their jobs and were forced to move and work for a penny.

In my opinion, the war has shown us the fragility of our postponement “for tomorrow.” Now more than ever, there is an opportunity and reason to start again. Yes, it may be a difficult path, but he who goes will come. For my part, I am ready to help you with your start, at least with this post.

Secondly, IT is high salaries relative to other areas. Many courses are very conspicuous with this, showing salaries for vacancies requiring experienced developers (5+ years of experience). Therefore, I will share with you the data for positions with less than a year of experience in Ukraine:

> \- $300–400 — Intern/Trainee Software Engineer, QA
>
> \- $600–700 — Junior Software Engineer, QA
>
> \- $300–500 — Junoir Designer

You can find more salary data for Ukraine [here](https://jobs.dou.ua/salaries/?period=2021-12&position=Intern/Trainee%20SE&experience=0).

# So…

I want to start by saying that you **should not go into IT just for the money.** Money is a good motivator, but it will not work every day. If you have no passion, it will quickly turn into a routine, and you will not leave thoughts about the meaninglessness of your work and time spent.

You should not go into IT just for the money

### A little bit about my experience

Life is very unpredictable; as they say, “If you want to make God laugh, tell him about your plans.”

I was graduating from the filmmaking faculty, so the end of my studies fell under quarantine. My worldview turned 180 degrees, and I had a redistribution of values and goals. The end of my studies was getting closer, and my confidence in my chosen profession was tending to zero.

Unfortunately, at the university, no one explains the current working conditions. No one even says you can’t feed yourself with metaphors or years of adoring the hope of getting money for your idea. Nobody explains that you need money for a graduation movie, which is difficult to earn because you spend twelve hours a day, seven days a week, attending endless classes and only have time to work at night. As you understand, this is, first and foremost, the destruction of your physical and moral health.

After the graduation exam, I was exhausted and disappointed. My best friend, a programmer, encouraged me to study design, and I am very grateful to him for showing me a different world, with varying conditions of working and cooperation. I will say that my craving for drawing and creativity helped me in rejecting web design myself. I started learning web design for 3–4 hours a day and tried to figure out what kind of miracle it was. I did not even think about where the button in the application comes from and who does the design.

# Where do I start?

## 👉 It’s worth a shot

Let’s start with the fact that no one stops you from **the attempt**. I used to think that programming was tiresome and not enjoyable, and only some nerds do it, but everything is not so simple. Having solved one fundamental HTML/CSS problem, I felt wild euphoria and a desire to solve more and more.

But before, you might understand what EXACTLY you need to learn.

![It’s worth a shot](https://miro.medium.com/max/1400/1*3hJWD3zvCdMJGAJj8xc00w.png "It’s worth a shot")

It’s worth a shot

# 🤹‍♂️ Use your talents

IT-sphere is more than just programming or design. The members of this team include managers, business analysts, human resource specialists, and accountants. An excellent place to start is with your current skill set.

My education as a film director taught me to look into human psychology, which helped me better understand the users’ needs of a website, application, or customer desires. So do not forget that what you already know can (should) be used.

* **You have a financial/economic education** — the road to the company’s financial management.
* **You know how / like to draw** — design, 3D, graphic design, and illustration is waiting for you.
* **You know good English** — try yourself in sales, management, and copywriting.

> Write all your experiences, hobbies, and interests in one document — analyze your skills. This is a significant point.

![Use your talents](https://miro.medium.com/max/1400/1*39q9fwEItj6vEUyNQlFKVQ.png "Use your talents")

Write all your experiences, hobbies, and interests in one document — analyze your skills. This is a significant point.

# 👩🏻‍💻 Googling

It is the best skill for you, I promise! The IT sphere is built on finding information quickly and analyzing it. Secretly, 90% of a website’s or application’s code is template-based, but to see the same template, you must know WHAT, HOW, and WHERE you are searching.

> Nowadays, searching for information is much more critical than knowledge, so pay attention to this. Thanks to it, you will quickly find both materials for training and the job of your dreams!

![Googling](https://miro.medium.com/max/1400/1*wl9L5w1TZYZFKFZg4h9t0g.png "Googling")

You must know WHAT, HOW, and WHERE you are searching.

# 🤝 Networking

Do not hesitate to write to IT companies and ask them to study, so you will have the opportunity to gain commercial experience immediately. Many companies even provide paid internships and are ready to invest in your education. Moreover, now it is possible to do it remotely.

But an important detail: come to them with the base knowledge, show that you are interested in the topic, and the chosen direction, and are ready to learn. Do not forget about your enthusiasm! It will be your main pusher at the beginning.



> ## Even in many unspoken conditions of hiring a junior specialist or intern, there is a clause called “shining eyes.”

![Networking](https://miro.medium.com/max/1400/1*MaRxZ0nKtsG92zVxBZsiFw.png "Networking")

Even in many unspoken conditions of hiring a junior specialist or intern, there is a clause called “shining eyes.”

# 🧐 Mentorship

I was amazed by the mentoring system. I have never seen it in other areas. In almost every company, more experienced people can help newcomers for free. It is crucial to start surrounding yourself with people who know more than you and already work in IT. Current social media can help you to find friends with similar interests and learn more about your chosen path in IT.

The main thing is not to be shy and write, for example, on Linkedin. It is vital to create a profile because it is the largest professional social network in the world. The platform provides opportunities to find a job and meet exciting people and real pros in their field or other social networks.

I also recommend the service [ADP LIST](https://adplist.org/). The service allows you to find a specialist from the largest IT companies in the world and make a 30-minute call. It is free of charge!

I want to focus on the mentoring system as more of a system of questions and advice, not training or courses. Very often, human experience is more important than general knowledge. I am also open to mentoring, so [email me](mailto:upme12345@gmail.com), and I will be happy to help you. Again, it’s all free!

![Mentorship](https://miro.medium.com/max/1400/1*5iab9xOgHXlpEHdPoHGT0A.png "Mentorship")

Very often, human experience is more important than general knowledge.

# 👽 Start discovering

After you have analyzed your skills, realized your desires, and found or are looking for, start learning with inspiration!

Don’t forget about English. There are a million ways to learn it now. English not only opens up the opportunity to work abroad (which is an excellent addition to the skill) but also to absorb information much faster because many quality courses and scholarly sources are written in this language.

I watched a lot of content in English for a year, and I can already communicate fluently with native speakers. I believe that you can learn a lot on your own so I will leave a couple of useful sites:

## [dou.ua](https://dou.ua/)

Ukrainian IT community (vacancies, companies, exciting research, and articles)

## [FreeCodeCamp](https://www.freecodecamp.org/)

The site for essential learning of programming languages

## [Projector](https://prjctr.com/)

You can buy an annual subscription to their video library courses from design to marketing.

![Start discovering](https://miro.medium.com/max/1400/1*SbUDqIUBXcufzfia663X_Q.png "Start discovering")

Start learning with inspiration!

I hope I helped you and you are one step closer to your goal! Of course, we all have our own experiences, and there is no one way to achieve the goal. The main thing is to go in its direction and not be afraid to ask even what seems strange or stupid. Everyone started with this.


Explore the reasons behind the growing interest in IT careers and learn practical tips for making the switch, from leveraging your talents to networking and mentorship. Get started on your IT journey with The Cymes today.

Breaking Into IT: Transform Your Career and Find Your Passion | The Cymes

Hello, my first subscribers; most likely, you are already IT specialists. Maybe we even work in the same company, but I’m sure many of your acquaintances, friends, and relatives are interested in this topic. I would be grateful if you could help them and me by reposting this post. Thank you!

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