I'm dating myself by saying that  The Secret of My Success was one of my favorite childhood movies, but it's a risk I'm willing to take. In the movie, Michael J. Fox plays a character who uses his creativity and ingenuity to work his way to the top of the company. The great part about it is that he starts his climb from the mailroom.

Everyone daydreams about the company they've always wanted to work for. We idealize the industry and the people in it. The industries that are more glamorous are more interesting to dream about, but they all have their merits.

In my career, I have been fortunate enough to have had experiences in many different industries from IT to for-profit Education, from Pharma to Healthcare, and from Manufacturing to Publishing. They are have pluses and minuses but my experiences have created the substance of who I am today.

The one industry I have yet to join that is on the tippy top of my list is the entertainment industry. I have even dreamed about moving to LA to lean the recruiting function for major motion picture or TV companies. If the stars were all aligning perfectly, I would be working for Ellen DeGeneres.

It's fun to dream, but at some point you need to take some action. Consider one or more of the following options:

• Volunteer for the organization that you wish you could work for, or volunteer for an organization that your favorite companies support. Then use your networking skills to make good connections.
• Sign up with temp agencies and accept assignments in companies that you might consider working for. Then, be the best temp the company has ever seen and they may never want to let you go.
• Apply for positions that are one level down from yours and prove that you belong at the higher level by excelling at your job within the first 6 months.
• Last, but not least, consider consulting or working part-time for your favorite companies as superstars are frequently hired.