We hope you had an amazing New Year’s Eve and Day. Did you make any resolutions or goals for 2019? I’m sure you will agree with me that it doesn’t take long for us to begin to forget those resolutions in the daily hum-drum.
Career-related resolutions are some of the most common that people make. Unfortunately, they are usually too big, too bold, and too scary and therefore they turn out to be unrealistic, unattainable, and have far-too-short a life-span.
According to Forbes.com, some of the most popular career-related New Year’s Resolutions are:
- Get a raise/Promotion
- Reduce stress
- Be more organized
- Quit your job/Get a new job
- Improve your work-life balance
- Network more effectively
These are great, in theory, but not in practice as they are too general and unfocused.
So, rather than repeating the same mistake yet another year in a row, let’s start a new trend this 2019. It’s never too late to re-qualify your new year’s goals by defining ones that are more realistic and achievable. Here are some ideas on how to do that:
- Analyze what you really want – Before you begin setting your career-specific goals, ask yourself if your current career is really what you want. If so, then begin your goal-setting. If not, then take some time to reflect, and begin your process of figuring out what kind of change you are looking for.
- Be tough on yourself, but also realistic – Set high professional expectations of yourself – just make sure they are attainable.
- Focus on the short-term as a means to the long-term – While your long-term goal may be inspirational, it’s best to focus more on the short-terms goals that will lead you to your ultimate goal, down the line.
- Network – I can’t stress how important networking is – both professionally and personally. Whether or not it results in a job, talking to people will almost always enrich your life. Some stats reflect astounding results when looking at the percentages of people who find their current jobs through networking (as high as 50% – 80%).
- Make sure you are relevantly certified – Having the necessary educational credentials is important when changing jobs. Perhaps now is the time for you to go back to school and study that course you were always passionate about, or get certified in that field that is necessary for your dream job.
- Give yourself a deadline – Be sure to assign realistic deadlines for each of the goals you give yourself. For example, if you decide that networking is one of your goals, choose what you are going to do and by when you want to have done it.
Small incremental changes can lead to big steps in the long run. Don’t forget to look back at your starting point and appreciate the progress you have made so far.
Here’s to a successful, fulfilling and healthy year ahead – may all your professional and personal dreams come true!