Consider these job search tips when working toward your career goals this year.
A new year offers you a new chance to reassess where you are in your career and where you’d like to be.
Are you happy with your current situation? Fantastic! Are you dissatisfied? Where do you want to be, and what would it take to get there?
If you think looking for a new position will be part of your priorities for 2021, here’s some advice on how to move forward instead of staying lodged in the past.
1. Know where you want to go.
Every big dream, every big change in life, starts with a vision. Do you know where you want to be? Yes, this is a quintessential interview question, but it’s also a great one to ask yourself. Imagine yourself five years in the future. Where do you want to be? What do you want to be doing? Close your eyes and daydream a little. What does your life look like? After you get a sense of that, start walking backward: from where you are now to the life and job you envision, what steps will you need to take along the way? How can you get started? Will the job you’re currently in help get you where you want to be? Where do you go next? Figure that out, then devise a way to get there.
2. Update your resume to incorporate your skills and training.
Almost every job incorporates skills you might not consider. Are you currently in a customer service job? Does your resume reflect your communication, prioritization, and time management skills? It should! Have someone you trust to look at your resume and ask you about what you do daily. There are likely skills you don’t realize you have and utilize regularly. Have you picked up new training or skills while on the job? Does your resume reflect that? An updated resume that reflects your abilities, technical and personnel skills, and areas of expertise can help make you very attractive to potential new managers. Be sure to search out and utilize free online tools to help make the most of your resume, like LinkedIn’s Resume builder to help spruce up your resume too.
3. Network, network, network.
Your personal connections can help you in unexpected ways. Does your college or university have an alumni group and, if so, are you part of it? Do you belong to any trade organizations? Do you have any special interests that have online or in-person clubs that might help you meet people who could become friends or help advance your career? Have you joined any industry organizations? Who you know can help you find opportunities for your career you might otherwise miss or never hear about. You never know when a friend might hear of an opening in a company that could be exactly what you’re looking for to make the next step in your career.
Once you create a vision for the life and career you’d like to have, it’s important to work backward and find the paths you might take to achieve your goal. Having access to the tools that can help you move forward is only half the battle; utilizing them is the other half.
Make the Most of Your Career Search
If you’re looking for other suggestions and advice on how to make the most of your career search, contact Debbie’s Staffing. We have close relationships with some of the country’s best companies, and we know exactly what they’re looking for in new employees. Contact Debbie’s Staffing today, and let’s get started toward your new career!