As you ring in 2019, what have you vowed to do?
- Hit the gym more often?
- Lose weight?
- Save more money?
- Go on a summer vacation?
- Spend more time at home?
These are great personal goals. Have you, though, thought about your professional mission?
During the holidays is an opportune time to assess your career and your intentions for the upcoming year – even if you have no plans to leave your current role.
Employees should resolve to:
- Refresh your Resume
If you plan to enter the job market anytime during the next year and haven’t dusted your resume off in the last 6 months, now is the time. Take the time to re-read your resume carefully and make changes to keep your accomplishments live. Use terms and descriptions that would make sense to your role and areas of expertise. Be concise and make sure your resume tells the future employer why you stand out.
Even if you do not plan to apply for opportunities during 2019, we suggest that your resume is refreshed and always ready. Keeping a stale resume on file for the future creates more work in the long run and introduces the risk of forgetting accomplishments that could help land your next job.
- Chart Next Year’s Career Path
The best use of any slow time at work during the holiday season may be to layout a few, simple career goals that can be accomplished in 2019.
Don’t ignore longer term goals, just be sure to break them into manageable, achievable actions that you can take control of immediately. While there are several sites that can offer career goal-setting advice, it is always helpful to remember “S.M.A.R.T” to ensure that your goals are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-based.
Employees should not be alone in using the holidays to reset career goals, hiring managers and employers should too.
Hiring Managers should resolve to:
- Cast a Broader Net
The single biggest way to miss a qualified candidate for an open position is a list of job requirements that is too restrictive – taking good potential applicants out of the game before kickoff.
The holidays could be the perfect chance to look at the roster of positions that you (a) plan to fill or (b) have had trouble in filling to make sure you’re seeing the best crop of resumes. Take time to make sure that all job postings are detailed enough to draw attention while flexible enough to encourage even marginal candidates to apply.
- Stay Top of Mind
There is a truth we see in the job market: hiring managers have, very likely, already met candidates that are a perfect fit for their currently open job postings. That’s right – you’ve already spoken with your next Project Manager or Superintendent!
When did you last reach to past candidates? Now is the best time to stay on past candidates’ radar for the future and/or to check in on whether they would be interested in opportunities you might have coming available in 2019.
There are many tools to help you stay in touch with job candidates. No matter which you use, reaching out around the New Year is a personal touch that no “we’ll keep your resume on file for future opportunities” email can provide.
At some point during the next few weeks, after being engulfed in the excesses of the holiday season, our focus will begin to shift to the opportunities that 2019 could hold for us – a new, sleek figure, more daily energy or the aim to be a better parent.
And, no matter the goals, many of us will enter 2019 with renewed vigor to succeed. Be sure that your career is part of your 2019 renewal.
Resolve to make your working life as strong now as your biceps will be by 2020.
Need help finding your next job or locating qualified applicants? Contact Goliath today!