New Year, new career…
First week back in January can be the hardest time, the excitement and magic of Christmas is a distant memory, the evenings are dark and the weather can be hit and miss. To top is all maybe you're dreading the thoughts of another year in the job you have long since fallen out of love with or even become stale in. You've hung on until December to claim that end-of-year bonus (if you are lucky enough to receive one), but with some downtime over the holidays and time for reflection, now might be the perfect time to look for a new job opportunity. January is actually the busiest time for those who want to kickstart not just their careers, but their entire lives. All you need to be is proactive and positive. Anything is possible if you put your mind to it.
Here's our guide to helping you change career this year:
- Take Stock: Vanilla Ice famously told us to “stop, collaborate and listen”. The end of year is the perfect time to take a break from your busy day-to-day routine and evaluate (rather than collaborate) both the year and your career trajectory. Did you achieve what you hoped for this year? Are you happier or less happy now than 12 months ago? How much closer are you to promotion or that dream job in the shiny multinational down the road? Consider making a list of your top 5 achievements and top 5 disappointments and ask yourself 'am I where I need to be?
- What do you want? -What is it you want to achieve in 2023? Are you looking to gain promotion, or do you want to move to a bigger company? Do you feel it's time for a pay raise and you want to see what else is out there in the current job market? Perhaps there has been a change in management in your company and you feel disenchanted? Or, maybe you are looking to move back home to be nearer to family and friends? It's worth thinking about what your objectives are because until you know where you need to be, you can't decide how you are going to get there.
- Take action! - You've now decided to do something about your situation. Now comes the tricky part - how! Consider what type of position you'd like to interview for but be realistic in your expectations. Look at job advertisements online and perhaps even print them off or save in a word document and start by highlighting/circling/underlining the key elements of the role; from the most mentioned tasks and duties, to the essential skills needed to carry them out. Using this, you’ll be able to match your own experience and abilities accurately – avoiding the temptation to add any irrelevant information. This should give you an idea of what types of positions you can hope to interview for.
- Seek advice: Crafting the perfect CV and job application is an art. Talk to an expert - here in FRS our consultants are specialists in their respective areas, who can help you with your CV and give expert market information on typical salaries, companies etc to help you find your perfect job. Tailoring your CV to the job requirements is the only way you should be applying for jobs, remember your CV is a tool to get you an interview, you want to make sure it's perfect so that hiring manager is reaching for the phone to call you in for an interview ahead of the rest of the chasing pack
- And Finally: Start loving what you do. With a focus on what you want and how to achieve it, 2023 can be the year that you find that dream job. Trust us, it’s possible, so make it your goal to start applying for suitable jobs, tailor your CV for each vacancy, and prepare for every single interview. You might find that giving your job search a much-needed boost is exactly what you need to find your dream role.
Thinking of making a move in 2023? Click HERE to begin your job search.