Top 5 Best New Year Career Resolutions
Posted by Saundra Lee on Tue, Jan 04, 2011 @ 11:17 AM
There are several reasons why 2011 is going to be the year things happen for your job search and /or career. The first of which, is making your mind up that it will. The economy seems to be on a slow and steady growth path depending on who you listen to and there is definitely an increase in job postings over the last week or two but that is not the deciding factor as to whether or not you’re career path hits the fast track this year.
The deciding factor is going to be whether you are going to do the same stuff you did last year waiting for the economy to turn around or you are going to try some new stuff.
NEW STUFF: These New Year career resolutions apply whether you are in a full blown job search, contemplating a career move or just stuck in a rut at your current job.
1. Dress for the job you want, not the one you have. Yes, this one is purely psychological but it works on yourself as well as people around you. It might even work better on yourself. When I dress in FULL business attire, my actions and thoughts tend to follow. Like what happenned to me, people around you will start to assume a higher level of capability and you will have more opportunity to step out of your comfort zone and the more you do that, the more success you will have.
Added benefit: If your current company does not take advantage of the all you have to offer and you decide to interview elsewhere, you are going to wish you dressed like you are going to an interview everyday so you won’t raise any red flags by your attire on the interview days 
or wishing you were Superman and wondering where all the phone booths went.
If you are not working, keep in mind you never know where you might run into your next opportunity (like a friend of mine did at a coffee shop) and looking the part for a first impression is equally important no matter where it happens. In other words, don’t walk around looking unemployed!
2. Create Allies! When we first start out on our career path, we are not aware the importance of EVERYONE as in building alliances. As we spend more time in the workforce, we see how important it is to have allies for career upward mobility. Look for ways to help people around you for no apparent reason. Why you ask? It will be apparent some day.
3. Search for Solutions. If you are working, instead of complaining about issues, take some extra time to come up with solutions. Whether or not they are implemented is not of most importance. You will gain a reputation of being someone with answers vs. problems. This technique can also be used in an interview.
4. Be a good corporate citizen. This took me the longest to understand. At first, I just wanted to do my work and go but there is a limit as to how far that sort of mindset will take you. Help out with company projects and join committees to increase your exposure, expand your skill set and help you out with resolution #2 & #3.
5. Outside networking. While this is probably the most fruitful of the resolutions it is the least practiced by most employed and unemployed and important for both. Networking can be uncomfortable and there is mostly no immediate gratification but it is the first step on building relationships we don’t have now and won’t have unless we step outside that comfort zone and gain a little more of a long-term plan for our career.
Dubin & Lee is making every attempt possible to create beneficial, fruitful networking events for jobseekers, professional & corporate recruiters looking for new avenues of talent acquisition and we have one coming up on January 20th as well as workshops and free webinars on our EVENTS PAGE.
Posted by:
Saundra Lee,President
Dubin & Lee