Courtesy of USAG-Humphreys (via Flickr)
For the large number of Americans who are unemployed, finding a new job is a likely resolution. There are many relatively easy actions you can resolve to do in order to get closer to your employment goals. You can:
1. Update your resume and cover letter. Always keep your resume and cover letter up-to-date. Working on them is kind of fun too, because it can remind you of skills you have that you take for granted. It’s also a good idea to keep many different versions of each document handy if you start hearing about a lot of great job openings.
2. Build your online presence. Do you have a LinkedIn profile? There really is no better way to begin online networking than to create a profile on LinkedIn. It’s a widely used and respected professional networking site. Also, you can build your web presence by starting a blog about a subject related to the career you’d like to have. It looks really good to a future employer when you’re proactively learning, sharing, and communicating on a subject through your blog.
3. Stop thinking of “networking” as a four-letter world. Networking can be uncomfortable because it sometimes feels fake. But it’s really important to get over your networking squeamishness, because the fact of the matter is that “only a small percentage of jobs are advertised and filled through job boards; most are filled through personal connections.” Get out there and meet people while working on building meaningful, genuine connections.
4. Volunteer. Just like blogging and networking can show your future employer that you’re proactive, volunteering can do a similar thing. While you look for a new job, get out into the community as much as you can. Not only does it look good, but getting out, working, and being around other people can do you wonders when you’re down.
5. Be persistent. When looking for a job, you don’t have to play it cool. Let your future employer know how much you want the job. Don’t be afraid to follow-up or to set up informational interviews with companies you could see yourself working for.
6. Stay fit. It might seem like this resolution belongs on a different list. But keeping yourself physically in shape can help you in your job search. Staying fit gives you stamina and energy, and if you’re like me, exercise clears my head and improves my mood like nothing else.
7. Dream. Ask yourself, if I could do anything in the world, what would I do? It’s amazing that when you focus on doing what you really love, things have a tendency to come together. Take some time this year to ask yourself about what you really want in your career, and then come up with the concrete ways you can make your dream a reality.
