What to do to make the new year better at work? How to make something finally change in your professional situation? I don’t know if you are aware of this, but sometimes you are only a short step away from such a change. One small thing, action, or person – or all 3 together.
Below is a list of 10 ways you can start a good change in your job. Of course, you don’t have to try all of them at once. Just focus on one path in the new year and create your professional resume on resumeget.
1. KNOW YOURSELF BETTER
If I were to point out the most important thing worth doing this year, it is getting to know yourself better. Many people are looking for an idea for themselves outside. However, the key to finding a satisfying job is getting to know yourself better.
Knowing yourself, you can easily answer the question: what do I want in my life. When you know what is important to you, you will have no problem making professional and life decisions. If you get to know your strengths better, you will be more courageous in pursuing goals that are important to you. By identifying what interests you most, you will make your work more enjoyable.
2. PLAN YOUR FREE TIME TO MAKE THE NEW YEAR BETTER
It may seem strange to you that on the list of ways to make the new year better at work is time planning. However, if you want this year to change your career – you need to think and act differently than before.
Rather than start the year with professional goals, start by taking care of yourself. Ultimately, you will pursue these goals – no one will replace you here. So you need to have the energy and strength to meet the challenges and obstacles that will likely come your way.
If you happen to work on the weekends, now’s a good time to change that. I know that work is calmer on weekends, but unfortunately working 7 days a week is a straightforward way to burnout.
So plan something fun for the weekend and Monday afternoon. It ensures you will have more energy and do more in a week.
3. DEFINE 1 PROFESSIONAL GOAL FOR THE NEW YEAR
People are divided into those who plan and those who approach life spontaneously. The biggest mistake of those who love to plan is… setting too many goals. I have been working with goals for over a dozen years, I love to plan and the most important thing that I have learned is to reduce the number of goals.
The fewer goals, the more focused, and the better the results. It is really enough if you define 1 – one professional goal for the new year. Regardless of what you choose – be it a promotion, raise, change of job or profession – choose one goal. Such “laser” focus will really have a great impact on the effects and your sense of effectiveness. If you reach your goal sooner – congratulations! You can now plan more.
4. FIND SUPPORT FOR A WHOLE NEW YEAR
Even if you set one goal for the new year, it may not be easy to achieve it. I have no idea why this is so, but as soon as I set a new goal for myself, the world does everything to prevent me from doing so. You have that too?
In such a situation, the support of other people is extremely useful. Depending on what you need, choose the best support for you. If you need help on a specific topic, individual work with a mentor, coach or advisor may be better support.
If you prefer to work in a group, mastermind or group coaching will be more supporting. Or maybe the support of a loved one or a friend that will lift you up in a difficult moment is enough.
5. OPTIMIZE YOUR LINKEDIN PROFILE
If your goal for the new year is to change your job, be sure to create or optimize your profile on LinkedIn. A profile on LinkedIn is nowadays the basic working tool of every recruiter.
Thanks to a well-created profile, I get several new job offers every month. If I wanted to change my job, I wouldn’t have to compete with the army of candidates from popular job viewers.
If you do not have an account on LinkedIn yet, and you plan to change your job – create and enter at least basic information.
6. REFRESH YOUR CV
Tell the truth, when was the last time you updated your CV?
If you can’t remember when, it’s about time to refresh this document. An up-to-date CV is useful not only when you are looking for a job. Your CV can also help you realize how much progress you have made over the past months. This may come in handy when talking about a raise or promotion. By updating your CV, you will also quickly determine in which direction you are going and is your career developing the way you wanted?
If you have previously updated your profile on LinkedIn, the next step will be your CV. If your profile arouses interest, the manager will definitely want to learn more about you. Enter the current position, employer, and responsibilities. If in the meantime you took any courses, received certificates, gained new competencies – it’s time to show it in your CV.
7. LEARN ONE NEW HARD THING
Updating your CV can make you take a closer look at your skills. This is a good time to verify your professional value. Each completed project, course, training, certificate, or diploma contributes to your value in a job interview. Candidates with such certificates as CIMA, ACCA, PRINCE2, and Scrum Master have a better position during salary negotiations. Each industry has its own certifications that add value and set you apart from other candidates.
If you like to learn, look for courses and training that offer practical classes and complete your education with a formal certificate. However, check in advance which certificates and diplomas employers value most in your industry. More and more courses can be taken remotely. However, a good course will always require your commitment and systematic learning. If you choose correctly, the course will quickly pay for itself in the form of a raise or a new higher salary job.
8. GO TO MEETING INDUSTRY PEOPLE
If you want to build your personal brand, keep up to date with news and know the most important personalities in the industry, then meetings will be perfect for this. Very often, at such meetings, you can quickly make new professional contacts. These new contacts may prove invaluable in the time you decide to change jobs.
If you are an introvert and don’t like crowded conference rooms, you can look for more intimate meetings. You will surely find something for yourself in the events on Facebook. It is enough to go to some training, meeting or conference 1-2 times a new year. Sometimes one meeting can pay off with a contact that will lead you to a job offer.
9. EXPAND YOUR WORK NETWORK BY ONE PERSON PER MONTH
It is impossible to make a change in the professional sphere without the participation of other people. But you don’t need to know everyone to change jobs. One of my clients, who was looking for a new job, is an introvert with a very small group of friends. During the consultations, however, it turned out that most of these people are managers who make recruitment decisions. It was only 5 (!) People, but almost all of them could offer employment to my client – they worked in a similar industry.
We are not always so lucky, but it is always worth making new friends and building relationships. Especially if these are people who may decide to hire you in the future. Of course, this is not about getting a job “acquaintance” if you do not have the required competencies. It is about selecting a candidate that the employer already knows has worked for the previous company.
10. CHANGE OLD HABITS AND BELIEFS INTO NEW ONES
New year, new me! The beginning of the new year is a good time to take a look at how you have acted and thought so far. If you are dissatisfied with your situation, you may need to change something in these well-established ways because something is clearly not working.
Pick one thing that will make the new year better. This may be a new habit that will support your New Year’s resolutions. Or a change in limiting belief that will change your attitude towards work, money, or self-confidence.