If you have been lucky enough to get some time off over the festive period, then you may have had the opportunity to think about the direction in which your career is heading. Several studies have claimed to show that January is the most depressing time of the year, and having a new work-related challenge can be a great way to avoid the ‘January blues’.
So, if you have decided that you need a new challenge in 2018, here are some steps you should be taking.
If you want to leave your company and get a new job elsewhere:
- BRUSH UP YOUR CV – ENSURE IT CLEARLY DEMONSTRATES THE QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE YOU HAVE ACQUIRED THROUGHOUT YOUR CAREER TO DATE. GET SOME PROFESSIONAL ADVICE ON THE LAYOUT OF YOUR CV
- THINK ABOUT THE TYPE OF ROLE YOU WANT TO APPLY FOR – A SIMILAR ROLE BUT WITH A DIFFERENT COMPANY, A ROLE ALLIED TO YOUR CURRENT JOB, A MORE SENIOR ROLE IN THE SAME FIELD, OR A COMPLETE CAREER CHANGE?
- PRACTISE YOUR INTERVIEW TECHNIQUE AND THINK ABOUT QUESTIONS YOU MAY BE ASKED AT INTERVIEW – WHICH OF YOUR SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE CAN YOU DRAW ON IN ANSWERING THESE QUESTIONS?
- START SEARCHING JOB SITES FOR SUITABLE ROLES
- GET IN TOUCH WITH YOUR RECRUITMENT CONSULTANT AND LET THEM KNOW YOU ARE ‘ON THE MARKET’
If you want to expand your current role and take on additional responsibilities:
- THINK ABOUT THE DUTIES OF YOUR ROLE AT PRESENT. THEN PERHAPS CONSIDER WHAT ADDITIONAL TASKS YOU COULD CARRY OUT THAT ARE RELATED TO YOUR CURRENT DUTIES, AND HAVE A CHAT WITH YOUR BOSS ABOUT WHETHER IT IS FEASIBLE TO TAKE ON THESE NEW RESPONSIBILITIES. MAYBE SOME OF THESE DUTIES ARE CARRIED OUT BY YOUR BOSS AT PRESENT, AND THEY MAY WELL WELCOME YOUR OFFER OF HELP
- ARE THERE ANY SPECIAL TASKS OR PROJECTS WHICH START IN THE NEW YEAR, AND WHICH YOU COULD GET INVOLVED WITH?
- HAS YOUR COMPANY RECRUITED NEW STAFF FOR THE NEW YEAR, AND IF SO, COULD YOU ASSIST WITH THEIR INDUCTION AND TRAINING?
If you want to secure an internal promotion, then a good place to start is by taking on additional responsibilities, as outlined above. Additionally:
- CONSIDER IF THERE ARE ANY PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS, OR ADDITIONAL TRAINING, THAT YOU COULD UNDERTAKE
- SHOW INITIATIVE – IF YOU THINK THERE ARE BETTER WAYS OF GETTING THE JOB DONE, THEN SHARE YOUR IDEAS WITH YOUR BOSS
- STAY LATER TO GET THE JOB DONE – THIS MAY NOT INVOLVE WORKING HUGELY UNSOCIAL HOURS, OR ACCUMULATING VAST AMOUNTS OF UNPAID OVERTIME. IT MAY SIMPLY INVOLVE ENSURING YOU FINISH THE TASK OR FILE YOU ARE WORKING ON AT THE END OF THE DAY, RATHER THAN DROPPING EVERYTHING AS SOON AS YOUR CONTRACTED HOURS ARE DONE.