New Year's Career Resolutions

Ask any professional resume writer and they will tell you that it always happens at this time of year - a sudden influx of clients, many of whom first made inquiries months earlier, but then didn't follow-up. Others are first-time contacts, eager to get started on a job search.

I suppose partly it's because the holiday season gives people time to reflect, and partly it's that sense of possibility that comes with a new year. In some cases, the interest in a new position is prompted by returning to work and realizing "I am not happy here!"

But as with any other new year's resolution, your excitement about finding a new position can quickly dissipate. It's easy to get caught up in the day-to-day craziness of your current position, or to let anxiety about the search process dissuade you from making a start. Before you know it, it's September again and you're still in the same place.

So if one of your new year's resolutions was to find a new job, here are some tips to make sure that you follow-through.

1) Invest in a great new resume and cover letter
As a professional resume writer, obviously I believe that you should hire a professional! But investing doesn't have to mean investing money - you may choose to invest time in learning how to write a great resume for yourself. Either way, it's important to make a commitment and get your marketing materials ready. Too many people miss out on perfect opportunities because of sub-standard resumes that don't communicate their true value.

2) Understand Your Value Proposition:
As part of the resume writing process, be sure you understand what makes you uniquely valuable to employers. If you don't know why you are different, how will employers ever understand?

3) Clarify What You Want:
Many years ago, when I was looking to make a career change, a wise friend told me to make sure I was running to something and not away from something. It really is important to be clear in your own mind about what you need in your next position - otherwise, a year from now you could find yourself unhappy all over again.

4) Make a Doable Plan and Stick To It:
One of the most common New Year's resolutions is the commitment to lose weight. Despite the best intentions, many people fail because they try to do too much. A couch potato decides to go to the gym every day, or someone who has always eaten a lot of food decides to try the cabbage and pineapple diet (I don't know if that's a diet but it sounds possible!) And of course they fail, because they have set the bar too high.

The same happens with job search plans. If you currently have a job, you are no doubt busy and have a lot on your plate. Don't expect to be able to commit hours every week to job search. Set a target that's reasonable and then measure yourself against that (for example, "I will read job listings for an hour a week" or "I will make contact with 3 people from my network every week").

5) Spend less time applying for jobs and more time networking:
Every survey and research study on hiring practices confirms that networking is by far the most effective job search strategy, and that applying to Internet job postings is one of the least effective strategies. So allocate your time accordingly. One hour spent renewing contact with old acquintances is probably worth 5 hours of job search on the Internet. And if you do see a great job on the Internet, don't forget to mine your contacts to see if you have a way in at that company.

Don't let another year go by - take action now while your new year energy is still high!