It’s not too late to plan your New Year’s resolution. As you probably have considered what your New
Year’s resolution will be, you probably haven’t thought about what career
related resolution you could make. The best part about making a career related
resolution is that you are more likely to stick with it, as it will be a
constant reminder as you enter your job every day.
A few ideas for career resolutions are:
Change your Attitude – Whether it’s towards your colleagues,
your boss, or the customers, it is always important to evaluate your attitude
and how it comes off to others. You may even want to consider making your
resolution more specific: once a month on a “bad day,” focus on being nice to
one person you’d normally get frustrated/annoyed with. This way you’re making a
conscious effort and after enough times of repetition it will mentally be the
way that you address others, even on an off day.
Focus on Improvement – Whether it’s being more punctual to
work, fulfilling tasks more quickly, utilizing more outside resources or even
delegating work [1] more efficiently it is important to show improvement. Making
an attempt to improve will make you feel better about your day and your day's
work, and who knows, you might even impress your boss with your improvement
(possibly leading to a raise or bonus).
Work Towards a Goal [1] - Many places of employment have “employee
of the week/month” or other honorable awards. Make this the year you either
receive one or get more this year (in a single year) than you ever have gotten
before. This way you have an incentive to perform better and work harder at
work. It can completely change your focus at work if you feel like you have a
goal to obtain.
Make a New Friend- As this may sound a little odd, as making
friends should be easy and natural, this resolution can alter your way around
the office. If you make friends with someone else in the office it can be
beneficial to you later. For example, if you make friends with an intern or an
office assistant, when you get an overload on a project, you won’t feel as bad
asking a friend to rush an order at the copy machine than you would asking a
complete stranger.
Expand Your Social Media- In a social media driven world it
can be hard to keep up if you not in the loop. Many people who utilize social
media have created more business contacts, found new job postings, and even
learned about alternative occupation options. As a resolution, challenge
yourself to join one new social media group and utilize it “x” amount of times
in a month. I would recommend any business related social media. Many companies
utilize LinkedIn, but there are several out there. You could consider Facebook,
Twitter, Instagram, etc. but be conscious that these aren’t business related
spaces and anything you put on the web can be analyzed by a potential boss or
co-worker.
There are several other blogs and articles of business
related resolutions. If an idea from above doesn’t work for you, then you might
want to consider looking at one of the following articles:
Just remember that any career related resolution you choose will be beneficial to you in the long run. Make 2014 your year for improvement. If you are an Oregon Tech student or alumni please contact the Career Services department with all your career related questions and needs.
career@oit.edu or 541-885-1020
career@oit.edu or 541-885-1020
References:
[1] Green, Alison.
"7 New Year's Resolutions For a Stronger Career in 2014." AOL Jobs.
U.S.News, 31 Dec. 2013. Web. 13 Jan. 2014. .
