Just behind losing weight and quitting smoking, the most common New Year’s Resolution is to find a new job. Many people use this time to reassess their current position and start making the transition from one job to the next. As we posted to LinkedIn this week (if you don’t follow us by now, you can check out our page here), the most common month to switch jobs is January.
Maybe you’ve considered it, and possibly even taken some of your first steps toward greener pastures. Sari Cantor at Recruiting in Motion’s Ottawa location suggests that taking the time to reassess your priorities and your future goals is a great way to determine if a new job is in your future.
Other common New Year’s Resolutions focus on spending more time with family and saving money. How can getting a new job make that difference, and where can you expect to start to lead with your best foot forward in 2016?
1. Reassess your priorities.
Two weeks’ vacation and a standard bonus structure? Sounds like the average benefit offering from most firms, but does this suit the way of life you’ve been aiming for? In their quest for work-life balance, many candidates express a desire to spend more free time with their families. Taking the time at the beginning of the year to tackle and realign some of your priorities is a good place to start when considering looking for a new role.
Are you looking to make more money? Are you starting a family, or possibly creating a larger one? Has your geographic location changed? Are you looking to shorten your commute? Perhaps you’re looking to travel more within the next couple years? All of these questions are important to consider when embarking on a job search.
2. A resume tailor-made for your goals.
The end and the beginning of every year is a great time to take a look at your growth and accomplishments over the past twelve months, and make updates to your skill set and resume. Perhaps you tackled an incredible project, or managed a great team – now is the time to let the world know about it! While considering your list of goals for the year, take a careful and attentive look at your resume to determine if it says everything it needs to say about your accomplishments to date and your goals for the future.
If you had an end-of-year review with your manager (or human resources) late last year, a lot of your accomplishments are likely still fresh in your head. Take note of them, and make sure that the qualities that make you stand out to your current company will look even more prominent to the companies hiring this year.
3. Don’t be afraid of the job market.
Yes, hiring does cool down in the lead up to Christmas, but come January, it’s a whole other ball game. As budget confirmations come back for the first quarter, managers have a better understanding of where they stand financially and start to assess whether or not they need a few extra sets of hands around the office. This leads to a sharp increase in hiring during the first couple months of the year. Now is your time to capitalize upon that. By making sure you have a firm set of life and career goals, along with a reinforced resume to aid in your search, you will grab these employers’ attention and join the forefront of a new selection of candidates who are primed and excited for a fresh start.
4. Get yourself online!
Since you’re reading this blog, we feel pretty confident that you have some familiarity with the internet and social media in general. If you don’t have one already, now is the time to create a professional LinkedIn profile, and make sure it reflects your skill set, goals, and up-to-date work experience. The greatest advantage of a LinkedIn profile is that it allows you to include information that isn’t typically featured on your resume. Having a clear, current, professional photograph for your profile, and including details about your soft skills, extracurricular interests, and volunteer experience can further entice potential employers.
Joining groups, responding to job postings, and communicating with hiring managers are all made easier through social media. One afternoon on LinkedIn can easily equal an entire week of searching for work through old-fashioned channels.
5. Utilize resources that you’ve overlooked in the past.
Reaching out to recruiters, joining online groups and job boards, and networking with professional contacts are all great resources that you may have overlooked in the past. As you enter the New Year, we encourage you to reach out to others, particularly to form and maintain relationships. Meeting new people and spending time communicating with past contacts can simplify your job search and give you new ideas as to what kind of industries and roles you wish to expand into this year. At one point or another, everyone seeks new employment and there are those who find their profession – and great satisfaction – in helping people land their next great job.
What’s most important in your 2016 job search is to realign yourself with your goals. Determining what you want and going out to get it is facilitated with tools like social media, constructive and thoughtful resume building, and networking. With the job marketing opening back up from the holiday lull, now is the time to reconsider your employment options and get the job you want and deserve.
For daily, updated, and expertly curated information on your job search in 2016, don’t forget to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter, where we post information from across the web to help you find the perfect role.
