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5 New Year’s Resolutions to Advance Your Career

Is there anything better than the new year? It’s a blank slate, a great chance to think about areas in which you’d like to build upon the previous year’s successes while also determining areas for improvement.

For many, the flipping of a calendar is also a time to focus on making big strides in their career.

Here are some suggestions — resolutions, if you will — to help advance your career in 2020.

Identify your short and long-term goals

Don’t lose the forest for the trees, but don’t ignore the landscape either. Think about small benchmarks that can lead to larger leaps. Do you want to get a promotion? Do you want to change jobs altogether? Identify small goals and steps that will help you build toward that bigger change, with benchmarks along the way to remind you progress is taking place. While you’re at it, think about where you want to be in a year, or five, or 10. That’s not just a question for job interviews; it’s a great way to check in with yourself on how your career is going and whether you’re on track. You might find it’s time for a bigger change.

Revamp that resume

If you have your eye on a new position, take the opportunity to look at your resume and give it a review. Can you better phrase your work experience? Tailor your resume to speak to the position to which you’re applying, highlighting the most pertinent skills and experiences possible and adding in specific wins and, if applicable, sales and savings. Then, do the same for your cover letter, making sure you’re telling a prospective employer from the start why you’d be the best candidate for the job. Your cover letter and resume should work hand-in-hand, introducing you and your expertise quickly, concisely and in detail without taking too much time.

Look for requirements or skills within your reach and don’t sell yourself short. Your work history might not be a 100% perfect match for the job you’re eyeing up, or the promotion you’re working toward. Do you feel like it’s within reach? Do you feel like you’ve got the vast majority of the training, certifications or requirements? Then try anyway! You can always build up skills on the job, especially if your foundation is in keeping with the expectations. Hiring managers use job postings to provide a wish list for their perfect candidate and don’t expect anyone to be a real-life version of their imaginary person. You’ve come this far — don’t give up!

Network, network, network

One of the best ways to find opportunities, and learn how to take advantage of them, is to meet and talk with other people who are in positions you want. If you haven’t done so yet, join a professional group, ideally one in your industry, in your city. Go to their events and bring business cards. Shake hands, ask questions, pay very close attention to the answers. Find out where your skills need some improvement and learn how people got the job you want, so you can do the same.

When the time comes, leave on a high note

The temptation might be to adopt a scorched Earth approach when leaving a job, especially if there’s been animosity or disagreements with co-workers or a manager. Resist the urge! You never know what the future holds or when you’ll need to be able to get in touch with someone from a previous job. Don’t burn bridges — build them, from your current job to your future one, and make them steady.

When you’re ready to start looking for your next opportunity, think of IFG Global. We’ve got a long list of opportunities across North America with employers looking for someone just like you. Check out our job posting database today to get started, then give us a call to see how we can help make those resolutions stick.