New Year's | Journey

Keeping Up with Your 2020 Job Search Resolutions

By Job Journey on Thursday, February 27, 2020

Are you keeping up with your job search goals?

February is nearly over, which means March will be here before we know it. It seems like just yesterday we were celebrating New Years and planning our job search resolutions for 2020.

If you’re up-to-date with your resolutions, you’re ahead of the pack. According to research conducted by Strava, a social network for athletes, Jan. 12 is the day most folks give up on their resolutions. That’s less than two weeks of trying. If this sounds like you, don’t worry; there’s a whole year to achieve your goals!

If you aren’t quite caught up with your job search goals, that’s understandable. New Year’s resolutions can be hard to keep up with when you don’t have a plan. Here are our tips for keeping your job search resolutions going this year!

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At Work Leadership

Counting Down: A New Year’s Checklist for the Office

By callie collins deroldan on Thursday, December 23, 2010

10…9…8… The end of the year countdown is here, and many workers are looking forward to a little time off before 2011.

The year may be coming to a close and hopefully, you’re getting to take a holiday break, but business never comes to a complete standstill. And it can be a bit overwhelming to return to work after time away.

Monday, Jan. 3 is the first business day of the new year, and the end-of-the-year countdown can actually feel more like “Ready, set, go!,” as you turn the page to another calendar full of business objectives, projects, and meetings.

Before you close the door on 2010, give yourself some peace of mind this holiday season by preparing for January at work. Even if you’re not planning to take a break this year, every worker can benefit from a fresh start. So, take advantage of the last few days of the year to develop a different perspective.

Follow this checklist to help tie up loose ends and get the new year off to a productive start.

Clear up clutter: Come back to an organized office. Sort through stacks of paper to recycle or throw out unnecessary items. Dust and sanitize your work station. Take home seasonal decorations before you leave. Minimize distractions by eliminating those items that would otherwise delay your fresh start.

Archive your files: Look through that filing cabinet, drawer, or desk organizer. Separate out projects that are finished and store them in another area. Label new files for 2011.

Write detailed action lists: It’s easy to forget exactly what you were working on after some time out of the office. Create a list of action items to complete upon your return. Also jot down the last steps you took in the project’s process. You’ll know exactly how to pick up where you left off.

Manage email: Don’t forget to set your out-of-office message and include whether or not you’ll have access to email. Co-workers will be less likely to send or forward emails if they know you won’t be reviewing them immediately.

Finish up: Consciously decide to finish what you’ve started. You’ve heard it said: “Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today.” It’s easy to postpone projects that you don’t feel like working on, especially right before a break. Prioritize finishing up your projects so you can truly enjoy your free time without the dread of returning to incomplete tasks.

Bring business to a successful conclusion and make 2011 your year by starting it in a prepared way. Do you have other tips that help you transition back to work after the holidays? Share in the comments section.

At Work Career Advancement New Job Tips The Daily Grind Work/Life Balance

Ready for New Year’s Resolutions? How to Accomplish Everything on Your List This Year

By callie collins deroldan on Tuesday, November 16, 2010

“The longest journey starts with a single step.” - Lao Tzu

Gearing up for the new year

It’s that time of year again: new calendars, party plans, and “Auld Lang Syne.”

Counting down to the new year just isn’t complete without also making at least one resolution. Chances are there are a few issues you’d like to work on in 2011, broad personal or professional objectives that might top your official resolution list this year.

Turning those broad items into attainable goals is, of course, the real challenge.

Planning for success: how to set short-term goals with long-term objectives
Big picture vs. small steps

Setting a goal often starts with an idea of the “big picture,” the end result you want to achieve. A sense of accomplishment, sometimes at a key moment, usually lets you know you’ve met the objective. Students, for example, daydream about graduation, while job seekers likely imagine signing on the dotted line to accept their ideal position. That big promotion and what it might mean for your career might also be easy to envision.

While the mental image of achieving what you set out to accomplish might seem clear, exactly how to arrive at that specific end result can be less obvious.

Reaching goals is a process that requires time, self-evaluation, and sustained effort. Taking the right approach and maintaining motivation along the way can be major challenges. Knowing how to stay on track can help make any goal a reality.

Tips for managing your goals

Define them: Write down exactly what you want to do and what success looks like to you. SMART goals are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timely. Don’t forget to identify how you’ll define goal completion. Be realistic about what’s possible and when. Learn more about SMART goals.

Identify first steps: Outline a series of short-term goals that lead to long-term objectives. Assess what you need to do and be specific about details. For example, if you want to enhance your communication skills, penciling in “Communicate better at work” probably isn’t specific enough. Instead, try researching local public speaking clubs, finding university classes at a nearby campus, or scheduling a first presentation so that a target date is established from the beginning.

Find support: Let others know what you’re working to achieve. Talk regularly with people who can encourage you and will keep you accountable. If you can find another person with the same goal, try to tackle it together. Friends, family, or a support group can help keep you motivated.

Try small but significant changes: A small change can make a big difference. Trade one behavior for another that aligns with the goal, rather than trying to eliminate a big issue all at once. Know that what you’re doing is going to take time. Develop your skills and take gradual steps.

Revamp goals as needed: Take a step back and look at the progress you’re making. By assessing your progress, you can decide if you need to restructure your goals to better accomplish them.

Reward mini-milestones: Celebrate reaching short-term goals in a meaningful way. Make the reward something you can look forward to. Changing your habits is often the real key to achieving your goals, so choose positive incentives that reinforce what you’ve already done.

Give yourself a break: Recognize that the goal process may not always go as planned and give yourself permission to try something else. Keep an open mind and look into different options if your original plan doesn’t work in the way you thought it would.

New year, new you

Get your new year off to a great start by making your resolution list today. Take the time to determine what steps will help get 2011 off to a running start by following the tips above. Do you have others to share? Post in the comments section.

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