Don’t put off until tomorrow that which you can do today. And that includes preparing your career for the New Year.
The New Year is just around the corner. That means now is the best time to get your career in shape by preparing, networking, planning and organizing your way to career success.
Prepare for Year-End Discussions
The end of the year is when many companies give bonuses, establish individual and company objectives and prepare for the annual review process. Make sure that your superiors are aware of all that you accomplished this past year.
While the wisest move is to track your achievements all year long, if you haven’t done so yet, now is the time to get started. Be sure to collect written compliments from customers and coworkers, gather certificates of achievement and awards and review the work you’ve done over the course of the last 12 months to highlight your high points.
If your organization doesn’t have a formal review process, be proactive and ask for a private meeting with your boss so that you can discuss your year-long contributions along with any future expectations.
Use the Holiday Season to Network
It’s easy to let relationships slide during the course of a busy work day. However, this is the perfect time of year to reconnect.
Start by attending a holiday mixer with a new professional association or volunteer to assist with one where you are currently active. Or ask a friend to bring you as a guest to a professional organization meeting you may want to join. Take the time to network and mingle with those you know and those you don’t.
Send a holiday message to business colleagues you haven’t seen for some time and plan to expand your network over the next year by scheduling a reminder to reach out to someone on a regular basis.
Plan Your Career Strategy for the New Year
It’s important to know what you want from your career and where it is going. So before you do anything, make sure to have a personal mission statement that reflects what you want to achieve both in your personal and work life. Knowing both helps to building in work/life balance.
If meeting your career goals requires more training, be sure to sign up for higher education classes, in-house training or professional development courses before your schedule gets overbooked.
If your career goal includes changing jobs or careers, starting your own business or focusing on career advancement, begin now. The holidays are no reason to put your dream on hold. Who knows how much you might accomplish before January 1.
Get Organized before the New Year Starts
Have old projects that need your attention? Get them finished. Now is the time to clean out old files and reorganize your office so you’re ready for the challenges the New Year will bring.
If you didn’t do it this year, create a file where you can store notes about all that you achieve in the coming year. That way next year at this time you’ll be ready to toot your own horn.
For many the New Year is a chance to start something fresh. It’s a time to make New Year’s resolutions that too often go unfulfilled. If you want to make this next year really count, now is the time to prepare your career for the New Year.