Many resolutions revolve around career. Here are some questions to answer as you consider your upcoming goals.
Many resolutions revolve around career. Here are some questions to answer as you consider your upcoming goals:
What career strategy is right for me for now? If you are unemployed, do you want to be an employee or entrepreneur? If you have a job and are happy, how can you expand on what you like? If you are unhappy, do you need a change of company, industry, function or all of the above?
What commitments can I make now before I get too busy? Are there professional development workshops I can register for AND schedule into my calendar now? Are there networking groups I can join in time for the holiday mixer AND whose regular meetings I can schedule into my calendar now? Are there colleagues past and present I can schedule lunch with for the next few weeks?
What do I want and need to accomplish 30 days, 90 days, 180 days, 365 days from now? When interviewing for a job, good candidates ask this question to understand what is expected of them and to have an outline of where to focus in the short-term. If you are a company veteran, look at your role with fresh eyes and plot out your next 30, 90, 180 and 365 days. Be deliberate about where you are spending your time and energy in the next weeks, months and year. Set a calendar reminder for regular periods to update your resume or block off some time for self-reflection and to reorient your plans if needed.
What do I need outside of my career to be successful? A strong personal foundation supports professional success. While you focus on professional development, networking and career strategy, don’t forget to include time for relationships, self-care, fun and relaxation, community involvement – whatever you need to be at your personal and therefore professional best.
Is Your Job Search Flexible or Just Unfocused?
As a recruiter, I’ve seen lack of flexibility on the recruiting side with employers clinging to every last detail in their ideal spec while perfectly good candidates get overlooked. As a career coach, I see jobseekers prematurely dismissing possible targets waiting for that perfect job. It’s true that you want to be focused in your job search (otherwise you dilute your efforts and come across as scattered and possibly desperate).
5 Questions to Test If Your Resume Is Recruiter-Proof
After recruiting in search and in-house for over ten years, I have read thousands of resumes. Due to sheer volume of resumes received and all the other things that vie for the recruiter’s attention in the hiring process – scheduling, interviewing, networking, reference checks, client debriefs, and more – the resume review process is ruthlessly quick.
Why Conventional Wisdom On Work Flexibility Is Always Wrong
In a previous post, I wrote about why employment statistics are always wrong. In a similar way, conventional wisdom on work flexibility is always wrong. It is impossible to generalize something that is inherently case-by-individual case. Therefore, any boilerplate advice or conventional wisdom is bound to omit a key consideration, underweight or overemphasize other considerations, or take too long-term or short-term of a view.
