Posted by A new year means a chance to try out different ways, plan fresh goals, and have new achievements. Apart from making your personal resolutions for the new year, why not make career resolutions to steer your career in a better direction? Make work-related goals to maintain and drive your focus at work. For example, choose to refine your character and lessen your bad habits as an employee. Aim to become a good example to your colleagues and a more productive employee. If you’ve no inkling about what type of career resolutions to make, read on to get some inspirations.
Career Resolution 1: Update Your Resume and Strengthen Your Online Presence
There’s a handful of reasons why you should keep your resume up-to-date. Firstly, it’s best to be prepared in case an opportunity pops up out of the blue. The chances are limitless, it can come from a recruiter with an enticing new job offer or even a recommendation from a friend-of-a-friend. When your employability level is tip top, you wouldn’t want to be caught off guard when you can be ready with an updated resume upon request. A big tip is to make your updates periodically, especially when new accomplishments are still fresh in your mind.
Secondly, building an audience. This point links to online presence and its opportunities. Your LinkedIn profile acts as an online resume and should be updated regularly. Refresh and tally all your information including adding your responsibilities, recent works, current profile photo, testimonials, or portfolio so that those who visit your profile page can be aware of the right things.
You can even deposit your resume on a career site to put yourself out there through the proper channel. There’s a favourable chance that through such initiative, something positive will happen to your career.
Do take note that whatever you decide to do, it’s best to separate your personal social media accounts with work. If you do happen to make your personal social media accounts public and want to share things regarding to work, remember to keep it appropriate and free from scandalous content.
Related: How to Build a Personal Brand Through Effective Communication?
Career Resolution 2: Up Your Networking Game
This supports point number one. When you’ve spruced up your online presence, you’ll stand higher chances of being noticed by professionals. These chances can then help you to be an advantageous employee. Having a broad and diverse network with multifaceted connections will make work much easier via collaborations and exchange of news. It isn’t necessarily just for striking deals or trending information though, there’s more to it. It’s also so you can elevate your social skills to communicate well, share diverse knowledge, promote your organisation, and bonus point, won’t cost you a single sen.
Related: A Job Seeker’s Networking Guide to Boost Your Job Search
Career Resolution 3: Be More Helpful
Being helpful at work will not only help build a solid and strong relationship with your colleagues, it’ll also indirectly make you a nice person. People feel more comfortable being around pleasant colleagues, hence develop a bond and trust. To have trust from your peers and bosses, means there’s also respect and no room for pride or ego. Less pride at the office promotes teamwork and healthy competition. If you find yourself struggling to be in a cheery and calm mood at work, challenge yourself with this career resolution option.
Start small and simple. Volunteer to plan the next team lunch outing or be one of the welfare representatives at the office. Through this resolution, you’ll be able to cultivate empathy towards others, be productive, active, and livelier.
Career Resolution 4: Stay Neutral
No one likes hanging out or working with gossip mongers. Whenever possible, don’t get involved in office gossips or politics. It’s encouraged that you keep a healthy relationship with your colleagues for a more conducive working environment.
Being positive works amazingly and you can opt to take control of negative conversations when they arise. When you notice a co-worker gravitating towards a saucy or negative topic, rather than feed the topic, incorporate positive nuances. Limit your contact with those who can be of bad influence to you. You deserve to enjoy working and not let others affect your perspective.
Related: 8 Types of Colleagues We All Have (and How to Work with Them)
Career Resolution 5: Strike a Balance
As much as work pressures kick in, don’t forget to have fun. Work diligently yet be happy as you complete your tasks. Being grumpy will deter people from people from socialising with you in a heartbeat.
Start your day by going through your to-do list and set realistic goals for the day. The trick is to tackle the toughest tasks first. Strike off what is not urgent or shouldn’t be prioritised. Once you get the main tasks out of the way, follow through with other matters. Having control of your workload will lower your stress levels and grumpiness. This is essential when you’re aiming to get a raise or a promotion. Also take note of the fundamentals like work on your punctuality, mannerisms, and work efficiency.
Always remember to give your best shot when you tackle your tasks at hand. That way, even if you make mistakes or fail to hit the overall target, you still learn from it. It takes humility and patience to learn from a mistake. Apply the 50/10 rule for productivity. Use 50 minutes to focus purely on work and have 10 minutes of break to rest.
As for play, don’t be afraid to hang out with your colleagues. This can be done with boundaries. Pick the right crowd and get to know them better. You can have group movie night outs or spend lunch hour talking about your hobbies, interests, and personal point of views like taste in music or travels. Mingling with your work family helps improve your communication skills and nurture a solid relationship which can help with producing top-notch work.
In conclusion, career resolutions are created to improve yourself and your working environment. View them as progressive changes you can implement in your life to become a better version of yourself. If you find yourself getting stuck whilst thinking about your set of career resolutions, use these key points to help you:
- Something to Help You Learn
- Improve Your Focus
- Instill Gratefulness
- Teach You to Teach
Share your career resolutions with us in the comment box below. We’d love to know!