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In today's economy, many people have given up hope of finding their dream job. A recent CareerBuilder.com survey estimates that nearly seventy-five percent of workers are still in search of their dream job. Sadly, most stay put for fear of leaving the stability of their existing jobs. These feelings are justified. Who would have thought that two major airlines would file bankruptcy and cut thousands of jobs? Who could have predicted the downfall of Enron and Arthur Andersen? Or the downturn in the telecom sector? The truth is stability in the workplace is hard to come by these days regardless of whether you are the new kid on the block or a tenured veteran.

Julie Jansen, in her book I Don't Know What I Want, But I Know It's Not This: A Step-By-Step Guide to Finding Gratifying Work, says there are six basic scenarios that lead to professional unhappiness. These range from lack of meaningful work, being bored and feeling as though you have reached a plateau, to being just a step or two away from retirement.

If you're yearning to do something different than what you are doing now, here's how to begin the process to search out your dream job.

Experts say that you should begin plotting a career move by thinking through and writing down your values. Be sure to include things that are really important to you. For example, is leaving your mark on the world important to you? If so, be sure to include this as one of your values. One expert calls your values the emotional anchor of all that you do.

Next, identify your skills and talents. Skills are something you've learned to do. Talent is something you were born with. More often than not, people enjoy doing things that come naturally to them. Keep this in mind as you build your skills and talents list.

Then research careers that interest you. Talk to people who are working in your career of interest. Visit a library or log onto the Internet. Most colleges and universities have career counselors on staff who have a variety of tools available to help people explore careers. While conducting your research you should also examine industry trends. Is your desired industry projected to grow, or is it experiencing a downturn? This information can be found in many trade journals or on Web sites dedicated to the field of interest. The Bureau of Labor Statistics provides outlooks through 2010 for many industries and job types.

When conducting your research, keep in mind that salary is an important consideration. Jared Cohen, a recent college graduate with a degree in journalism, dreamed of landing a job at a small, hometown newspaper as a sports reporter. What he didn't realize was that this job pays less than $20,000 per year with very limited opportunity for advancement. As soon as he began looking for a job and laying the groundwork for his future, he realized that a salary of $20,000 wouldn't enable him to live in the manner he had hoped. He ended up accepting a sales position at a major utility company with opportunity for growth and advancement.

Finally, list the factors that have kept you from moving toward your dream job. These factors may include a lack of training or education, the desire to pay off debt, or family obligations. Map out a specific strategy for tackling each factor. For example, you could take advantage of an online degree program that offers flexibility and is affordable.

Sharon Nelson was working as an advertising account executive while pursuing her dream job as a second grade teacher. After just several years, she made it through school and resigned from her job. "I'm not going to tell you that it was easy to continue to work full-time while going to school at night. I did it because I wasn't happy in my job for many years. Rather than complain about it, I began thinking of my job as financial fuel for my dream. It made it easier to come to work each day knowing that I was working toward my ultimate goal," said Nelson.