The key to nailing those new year - new me career resolutions is achievability

After indulgent Christmas breaks, the beginning of a new year comes with lots of new year, new me talk. Some of the classics include, losing weight, doing more exercise, spending less and reading more. However, this time of year can also be utilised to focus on more career related ambitions; it’s a great time to set goals and plans for your career. I have comprised below a short list of some of the best and achievable career related resolutions you may want to adopt. ‘Achievable’ really is the key word here. Of course, we want to challenge ourselves however, setting yourself up for failure won’t do you any favours. When considering a career-related New Year’s resolution, ensure that it’s something you have the time, inclination, tools and ability to achieve.

• Read a career-related book – reading is one of the best ways to expand your thinking and improve your overall performance, whether this be around your career, personal habits, or your skillset. Find a book on professional development that interests you and allow yourself time and think space to explore a new perspective.
• Sign up to a relevant blog – Knowledge is power and for busy individuals that may not have the time to read lots of books, a blog is a great way to stay informed, relevant and specific to the industry you are in, as well as the wider market.
• Expand your network and attend more networking events – There are only positives to expanding your professional network, especially on LinkedIn. It can open many doors for you in your career whilst also allowing you the best opportunity to get to be invited to events and further expand your network. These events are not just great exposure but also are a really enjoyable way of meeting like-minded people in your profession.
• Find a work mentor – Work mentors can be some of the best people to help direct and advise or your career progression. At any stage in your career, you can benefit for the advice and knowledge of a mentor, so make the first move and reach out to someone in your network.
• Update your CV - Whether you are actively looking for a role or not, keeping an update to date CV is vital to being able to quickly analyse the skills and responsibilities you may be missing in your current role. This can allow you to explore internally to make these changes or explore the wider market if you wish to experience something new.

These are all achievable and worthwhile endeavours that, at the very least, will put your career goals into perspectives. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on my suggestions for new year career resolutions and would love to read any of your own. If you have any questions about how to focus your career ambitions for 2022, please do get in touch.