New Year’s Resolutions for Your Career

By Dan Simmons

Welcome back from the holidays. You’ve probably already made your resolutions for the new year and while many people focus on some of the same time-honored resolutions (lose weight, work out at a gym, eat healthy), they don’t devote enough attention to the one area that could make a big difference in their life in the months ahead—their career.

Since devising New Year’s Resolutions for your career can be a bit more difficult, below are not just one, but seven that can help you in 2011.

Resolution #1—I will engage in specific training that will enhance my ability to do my job or advance my career.

Make sure that you’re the best employee that you can be.  Do everything you can to increase your skills and knowledge.  You’ll make yourself more attractive to any employer, whether it’s your current employer or the one you might have a year from now.

Resolution #2—I will update my resume with all recent accomplishments in case an opportunity arises or simply so I can feel better about my career.

Don’t be modest.  Make sure that your resume reflects all of the achievements that you believe emphasize how valuable you are as an employee.  There’s a psychological aspect to this one, since listing these accomplishments also serves to boost your self-confidence.

Resolution #3—I will get a good raise or a great review.

Even if you’re not completely happy with your current position, that’s no reason to go through the motions.  No matter the situation, a consistently solid performance fueled by hard work, creative thinking, and initiative will benefit you greatly, both in terms of compensation and future opportunities.

Resolution #4—I will send my resume to a recruiter just in case the right job opportunity happens to come across their desk.

There are many job opportunities that only recruiters know about.  They aren’t circulated at all through traditional media channels.  These opportunities are the ones you want to interview for, because they’re often the ones that are the most attractive to job seekers.

Resolution #5—I will network better so that I’m more aware of what’s going on in my industry and of any career opportunities that may arise.

Networking is crucial to the advancement of any career.  In fact, evidence shows that it’s almost impossible to over-network.  It’s not only about what you know, but also whom you know.

Resolution #6—I will become active in an industry organization for the betterment of my industry and to advance my career.

With this resolution, you can actually accomplish two objectives: 1) Increase your knowledge, and 2) Increase the number of people you know.  Organizations often hold conventions and other annual events that offer excellent opportunities for you to accomplish these objectives.

Resolution #7—I will sign up for the Animal Science Monitor and forward them to my friends.

At the ASM, we continually strive to provide job seekers just like you with the information they need to build the career they want.  Keep looking in our newsletter for career-related articles, and also visit www.animalsciencemonitor.com in order to peruse back issues.

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Some people might think that New Year’s Resolutions are made to be broken.  That’s why they end up making the same ones year after year.  However, the good news is that if you stay persistent, focused, and disciplined, the above resolutions will turn into habits.