Now is a good time as any to ask yourself, from a career perspective, is what you’re doing getting you closer to where you want to be?Come January 1st, your inbox will be littered with emails coercing you to try new things; new products, new diets, new gym routines, you name it. But there’s no doubt about it, the start of a new year is a great time to reflect on what has happened and what the future holds.
So before we cross the line in to 2016, now is a good time as any to ask yourself, from a career perspective, is what you’re doing getting you closer to where you want to be?
Are you in a company that offers career progression? Are you fulfilled by your hours each day in the office or site? Are you truly happy doing what you’re doing?
If any of those questions bring to bear an ounce of doubt, then perhaps it wouldn’t be a bad idea to make the most of the season of “new” and consider looking for a new career opportunity.
1. Hiring takes off in the New Year.
Many people assume that Christmas is a bad time to look for a new job given that we have a tendency to go in to ‘holiday-mode’ for the majority of December. But that thinking can turn into an advantage for you because, although interviewing for new permanent employees does take a back seat in December, January and February are typically the strongest hiring months of the year. Organisations begin new projects and initiatives, new budgets are agreed and additional staff can be required to carry out the company’s goals.The key is to be there for when people do start to look. So if you can take advantage of the Christmas period to prepare for the hiring season, you may well find yourself as a sought after candidate; one who’s first in line to be interviewed come January.
2. Write a list of Good and Bad
Taking your current and past positions in to consideration, what are the factors that make you feel motivated and what are the things you’d like to change? Your next move should be a positive step forward in your career; not necessarily in a monetary or title manner, but one where you feel you’ll be making progress, being challenged and getting the most out of your days. Have you mastered your area and feel ready to manage a team? Is there a company you’ve always wanted to work for? Are you eager to take on more responsibility? Think about what you want out of your next career step and then talk to your recruitment agency so that they can start looking for the right opportunities for you.
3. Update your Social Media and CV
Once your agency has put you in touch with a potential employer, the first thing that they will do is look you up online. Make sure that your LinkedIn profile is up to date with your current role responsibilities, any key projects you have worked on, any awards you have been a part of winning/being nominated for. However you can make yourself stand out online (in a positive, professional manner), put it on there! And double check your Facebook, Twitter etc pages and ensure your settings are not set to public if there are posts you’d rather a potential employer not see, especially the one’s over the festive period after a few too many drinks!
Taking the time to really assess what it is you want out of your next position is the first step you should make over Christmas. Then be picky about which positions you go up for. You spend a lot of time at work, thinking about it, travelling to it, so you owe it to yourself to go for things you can get enthused about.
This is an exciting time – you have the opportunity to go for the things you really want from your career when looking anew!We at Kingston Barnes specialise in getting to know both our clients and our candidates well, to ensure that we pair up people and businesses who are a good match. So have a good think about what it is you want next, and if you’re not sure then talk to the experts in the know! Come and chat to us! You never know what perfect position is waiting for you in 2016.
For now though, from all of us at Kingston Barnes, have a very Happy Christmas and New Year.
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