Where do the Resolutions Go?

January is always a very busy month for my business. We're inundated with calls from new clients looking to make a move and with returning clients who want to update their resumes.

I'm definitely not complaining! But it did get me to thinking.

I haven't made a New Year's Resolution in years. Not because there aren't things (lots of things!) that I would like to improve, but just because I've learned that I never keep my resolutions.

When I finally stopped smoking, it was my birthday that provided an unexpected turning point. I woke up that day, with a tight feeling in my chest, and realized that I didn't want to be a 40 year-old smoker. And it still took a month after that before I actually quit. "Stop smoking" had been my new year's resolution for years, but it never worked. Just like "get in shape" and "give up chocolate" never worked either.

Of course, this is why most gyms make people sign a 1-year membership in January. They know Joe will be gone by March, but this way they have his money while he's on the couch  watching "Desperate Housewives" and eating Cheetos.

For most of us, New Year's resolutions don't work because we're forcing choices on ourselves when we're not really ready.

A new year begins, we return to work and that's when we remember that we don't really like our job/our boss/our industry/the corporate cafeteria/the accounts payable manager. The realization is exacerbated by the fact that we've had a week or so at home, and also by the fact that it's a new year. That's supposed to be the time to make changes, turn over new leaves, drastically improve our entire lives ... but truthfully, nothing changed except a page on the calender.

There are reasons you are in a job that you don't enjoy, and those reasons haven't gone anywhere. Perhaps you're conscious of them, perhaps you're not.  But unless you take the time to really understand why you are where you are, you will probably not keep that resolution to go out and find something better.

So if you're going to make a new year's resolution about finding a new job, make it this: "I resolve to understand why I haven't made a move in the past. I resolve to deal with those issues. And when I'm ready, I resolve to go find something better!"

Cross-posted at Career Hub

Comments

[Paula Gregorowicz]

Good article. You make a good point because if you don't become aware of what you don't like about the job you're in and more importantly what you really value and envision in a job, even if you're self-motivated enough to get out there and get another job, you'll end up attracting more of the same "yuckiness" you were trying to escape. Much like how people date several people and realize later on they were really just the same person with a different name & face (in many ways).

Also, if you don't know what you really want in a job it makes it darn hard to position your existing skills effectively in a resume because you're essentially throwing spaghetti at the wall.

[Louise Fletcher]

That's so true Paula. I really do think looking for a job is like looking for a partner - you shouldn't just jump at the first one you see!