On this episode, host Dr. Gertrude Nonterah spoke with Dr. Irina Cozma, organizational psychologist, coach, and former corporate executive, about finding your dream job—and why so many highly educated professionals end up living someone else’s career dreams.
Dr. Cozma shared her own story of growing up in Romania with strong parental expectations. Her father wanted her to become either a professional volleyball player or an accountant for his bakery, but she eventually realized that what truly interested her was people. That curiosity led her to psychology and, ultimately, to a PhD in organizational psychology and a career as a coach, consultant, and speaker.
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A Satisfying Career
One of the central ideas Dr. Cozma emphasized is intrinsic vs. extrinsic motivation. When people pursue careers based on what others want for them—parents, professors, or society—they often lose satisfaction over time. The first step in finding your dream job is asking a deceptively simple question: Do I actually want this?
From there, she encourages people to shift their focus away from money, prestige, or practicality and instead ask: “What is interesting to me?” Interest, she explained, is what sustains energy and curiosity over time. Being good at something does not mean you have to do it forever.
Dr. Cozma also warned against making impulsive career changes. Instead, she advocates for experimentation and data collection—talking to people in roles that seem interesting, doing informational interviews, and testing small changes before making big moves. Sometimes the issue isn’t the profession at all but skills like communication, boundaries, or delegation.
Another powerful concept she introduced was portfolio careers. In today’s world, one job doesn’t have to provide income, meaning, freedom, and identity. A 9–5 can pay the bills while side projects, volunteering, or consulting fulfill deeper passions.
Building Career Resilience
Dr. Cozma urged listeners to think preventively: always build skills, networks, and options before crisis hits. Regular reflection, networking, and clarity about one’s strengths and values create a safety net in an unpredictable job market.
For anyone searching for clarity, Dr. Cozma’s message is clear: finding your dream job begins with curiosity, self-knowledge, and the courage to explore what else might be possible.