There’s no doubt that the start of a New Year means it’s time to set some goals and resolve to make a commitment to changing some bad habits, get out of a rut or merely learn something new. Our resolutions are often focused on losing some extra weight, learning a new exercise, making healthy choices (see the trend??), but how about using the New Year to set a new tone for your career? It’s easy to get stuck in a career rut, unsure of how to make a change or what your next steps should be, but if you lay out some personal goals, it helps to build a framework for moving your career in the direction you want to go. If you’re just not sure where to start, here’s a look at some practical career goal-setting tips.
Start by assessing where you are right now. Ask yourself: are you happy in your current position? Which parts of the job are most fulfilling and which parts would you like to work on growing? If you feel more like you’re going through the motions and the daily routine of 9-5 is killing your spirit and your passions, it’s definitely time for a reset. If you’re pretty content, perhaps some smaller goals should be in play. Whatever the case may be, taking a moment to look at the big picture is essential.
Determine both your accomplishments and your worth. When it comes time to sit down with your supervisor to ask for a promotion and a raise or look for a new opportunity, knowing what you’re worth is essential. Doing some research on your role, your industry and what the latest median salaries are will help guide you in understanding exactly what you’re worth. In addition, writing down all of your accomplishments for the year and figuring out how you can take some of those to the next level will give you some framework for next steps. When you sit down with your boss or you head into a meeting with a new company, you’ll have the facts to support your requests and your role.
Exploring and networking. If your goal is to move up the ladder in a big way, change jobs or even make a massive career change, networking and exploring other opportunities is the name of the game. Getting out there to meet people at the companies or in the fields you’re interested in is the first step to making a move. You can start by using a social networking platform like LinkedIn to begin the early stages of checking out other opportunities. Once you’ve made some connections there, start working on setting up some in-person informational interviews or meet some of your new connections for coffee to get the conversation started. Bottom line: ask questions, it’s the only way you’re going to learn.
Learn something new related to your field. Things are changing – and, fast. Making sure you are keeping pace with the rapidly changing business world will help keep your value high and the demand for your contribution at its peak. Whether it’s a new tactile skill, like a computer skill for example or it’s something more interpretive, live a new style of management, you can add it to your resume and you’re broadening your skill set – and that’s what counts.
If you can take all these tips and start to formulate a plan for making your next move – whether it’s at your current company or something totally new – you’ll be set for taking your career to new heights in 2016. But, don’t forget – work/life balance is key….it’s not all about getting ahead at work, you have to enjoy life a little too! What’s on the docket for your career this year? Are you ready to make some moves?
