Where will your career resolutions take you this year?
A new year = new beginnings and opportunities in your personal and work life. Most of us start the year with good intentions to eat more healthily, join the gym or exercise more, save more money, and so on.
For many of us, those intentions extend to our work too and taking stock of where we are, what we’ve achieved so far, where we want to get to and what it involves.
While it’s easy to start the new year on a bit of a slump because Christmas is way behind us, it’s cold and dark outside and your summer holiday seems like a million miles off, it’s the prime time to get your career outlook sorted for the next 12 months in check.
Need a little help with getting started? We hear you. We’ve listed six things you may want to consider career-wise:
1. Take stock of your current career situation
Before you start making any changes, it’s important you spend some time appreciating your current situation. Do you enjoy your work? What do you enjoy the most about it? What don’t you particularly like about it? What would you like to change? If there are changes you’d like to make, do you have the power to make them happen or do you need to call on others to help?
Be honest with yourself and don’t rush the process. These conclusions will shape your next steps, so be as thorough as you possibly can.
2. Boost your skills
Learning is good for us for so many reasons. It gets our brain going and gives us more strings to add to our bow, which is incredibly valuable in the workplace.
Are there any training sessions or courses you’ve always want to complete, but not been able to yet for whatever reason? While you’re taking stock of your career situation, factor in some time to reflect on your current skillset, any gaps you may have and the type of training you’d like to go on. Upskilling can broaden your skills and lead you on the path to new work opportunities too. Get into the habit of regularly assessing your skills and what you’d like to learn next.
3. Get out of your comfort zone
Maybe you like to steer clear of presentations or have avoided putting together that monthly report because it seems to complicated? This is the year to put your name forward for all of the tasks you normally shy away from.
It may make you feel uneasy because you’re well out of your comfort zone, but pushing yourself, even if you’re only taking baby steps, will give you a real confidence boost, add to your experience and potentially lead to bigger and better things.
4. Be kind to yourself
When you’re flat out busy, it’s easy to skip lunch, start work early and leave work late. You may even log on in the evenings and at the weekend too. Are you guilty of this?
If the answer’s ‘yes’, we’re about to tell you something you most probably already know, which is – you’ve got to readdress your work-life balance. While you may meet your deadlines (and well done too), you’re on the road to burning out. And if that happens, you’ll be no use to anybody. Be kinder to yourself by taking your breaks and making more time for you and your life outside of work. You’ll be glad that you did.
5. Get reading or listening
When was the last time you a read a work-related book? There’s a lot to be said for reaching out and reading a career book. They’re great for picking up great best practice advice from others, as well as broadening your mind and adding to your skills.
If you’re pushed for time or aren’t a fan of sitting down and reading, why not tune into a podcast instead? There are plenty of podcast options to choose from, our current favourites, include The Diary of a CEO; Eat Sleep Work Repeat; TED Talks Daily. The best thing is, you can get your podcast fix in before you start work, while you pop out to get your lunch or on the drive home.
6. Get a new job
After taking stock of your current career situation, you may find that now’s a good time to get a new job. You could have been with your current employer for several years, want a new challenge or are keen to try something new that really puts your skills and experience to good use.
Whatever your situation, we can help. If you’re after a new role in the marketing, digital, creative, PR, social media, events and freelance space, we’re here for you. You may just want an initial chat to scope out what the job market’s currently like, get help with your CV and personal brand or want us to proactively find roles for you. If you do feel it’s time for a change, have a read of this blog.
Feeling inspired now? There’s no right or wrong way to carving out your career goals. The most important thing is that you’re aware of them and the role they play in helping make sure you’re always moving forwards. If you’d like more inspiration or to discuss your current career situation with us, please do get in touch.