Career Goals in the New Year: 5 Things to Consider.
The new year may have you thinking it’s time for a fresh start, and if you are reading this, that might mean a new career. Setting career goals is a powerful way to transform your professional life and is a meaningful way to evaluate your current career path.
Your Passions and Strengths
Before considering a new (or change in) career, think about your passions and strengths. What parts of your job bring you joy and fulfillment? What are your natural talents? If you’ve taken any personality test (like the Enneagram), you may have a good understanding of what motivates you, and your true abilities. By understanding your intrinsic motivations, you can align your career goals with your genuine interests and strengths. This might mean considering changing what you do every day but might also mean simply changing industries. For example, if you are an accountant at a manufacturing company, but have a passion for the outdoors, seeking an accounting position for a landscape company might bring you more enjoyment in your professional life.
TalentSource Pro Tip: If obtaining a new career is your goal, one of the milestones to that goal should be to take an online personality test to see if your career goals align with your career goals.
Your Skills
Evaluate your current skill set and identify the areas you may need to develop. This assessment will serve as the foundation for setting realistic and achievable goals. An honest look at your current skill set may show that brushing up on technology (for example) could make you more marketable; make that one of the benchmarks to achieving your new career goal. Dedicating yourself to continual learning will make you an invaluable employee.
Your Career Goals
Avoid being vague in your goal setting. Define clear and specific career goals that are measurable and have a deadline. For example, instead of setting a goal of “finding a new job,”, a more specific goal is, “to secure a marketing coordinator position in the technology industry within the next six months.”
TalentSource Pro Tip: Setting goals with a deadline helps to keep you on-task. If you find the deadline you have given yourself is not attainable, break down the goal into smaller steps. Using the above as an example, your first goal is to list ten companies in the technology sector where you want to send your resume.
Your Network
Building a professional network is crucial for career advancement. Networking, both online and offline, is a logical benchmark for your new career goal. Attending industry events, connecting with professionals on LinkedIn, and seeking informational interviews are good first steps. Walking into an interview with someone whom you’ve met at a networking event can start the interview on a more personal level.
TalentSource Pro Tip: Part of your professional network should be one of the recruiting specialists at TalentSource. If you haven’t perused our open positions or uploaded your resume into our database, do this today at https://talentsourcestaffing.com/job-seekers/
Your Online Image and Resume
While updating your resume, don’t forget to optimize your online presence too. Remember, your online profile is often the first impression potential employers have of you. Make sure what you are showing them is what you want them to see.
BE READY FOR CHANGE
Career transitions can be challenging, and setbacks are inevitable. Stay resilient and view challenges as opportunities for growth. If you find you are scheduling interviews, but not getting the job, talk with your career partner at TalentSource for feedback. Our Smart Recruiting system helps connect you with quality companies to fulfill your career goals.