Most people give up on their New Year’s resolutions because the goals they’ve set for themselves are too difficult, especially when they relate to getting a better job or improving the job they have, according to CareerJournal.com, The Wall Street Journal’s executive career guide.
"Rather than focusing on the outcome of finding a new job or changing careers, set interim goals that are easier to achieve, such as the number of informational interviews, research and cold calls you’ll accomplish each week," says Tony Lee, editor in chief, CareerJournal.com. "Set tough but attainable career goals, then stick to them."
Mr. Lee adds, "It’s normal to get depressed if you’ve been out of work for a while or are stuck in a dead-end job. But it’s important that you don’t give up."
CareerJournal.com suggests the following career goals with tips to achieve them.
- Evaluate your career direction — determine if you’re heading in the right direction, and take steps to change course if necessary.
- Increase your skills — learn a new language, get a certification or take a college course that can help advance your career.
- Negotiate a raise — if you believe that you’re a key contributor, use the Internet to research how much you should be earning given your title, location and years of experience. Having this data in hand will make it easier to ask for a raise.
- Network — you should always be networking with friends, family and both social and business contacts, even if you’re not actively job hunting.
- Update your resume — don’t wait until you lose a job to update your resume. Keep a running tab of your accomplishments.
- Interview for a job — keep your options open and your interview skills sharp by confidentially interviewing for a new opportunity.
- Avoid burnout — you’ll be more productive if you restore yourself daily by taking a friend to lunch or getting some exercise.
"After you’ve developed your resolutions, create a real plan for achieving them," Mr. Lee explains. "Include interim benchmarks, measurable objectives and timeframes."
For more information on managing your career, visit https://www.careerjournal.com/.
About CareerJournal.com
CareerJournal.com is The Wall Street Journal’s award winning career site targeted to executives, managers and professionals.
This article was last modified on January 6, 2023
This article was first published on January 3, 2005
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