Feeling like your career is in a rut? Maybe you feel stuck and are ready to make a change. As we enter a new year, it’s a great time to chart a new course for your professional growth, so you can take your career to the next level. This can feel scary at first, but being intentional in bettering yourself today can make a huge difference in where you are tomorrow.
Spend some time reflecting.
Before you set new goals, look closely at the things last year or in years past that haven’t worked for you professionally. What were your biggest achievements? What did you struggle with the most and were you able to overcome those? Be intentional and honest in your self-assessment and understand what went great and what didn’t. This will help you identify your strengths and weaknesses, and zone in on where you ultimately want to be in your career.
Be intentional about learning new skills.
As we all know, technology continues to advance at a rapid pace, and jobs continue to shift and adjust accordingly. It’s important to be adaptable and willing to learn in order to take your career to new heights. Research the trends or skills in your industry that are happening and figure out how you can be a part of that. Maybe it’s signing up for a class, working toward a new industry-related certification, completing a degree, or listening to podcasts or webinars that are tailored to professional growth. In addition, be intentional about networking with other professionals who can introduce you to new career growth opportunities.
Be intentional about your mental health.
The best employees are those that prioritize their health and wellbeing – physically, emotionally, and mentally. So, be intentional about your work-life balance. Maybe that means committing to leave work at a set time, or it means not checking your emails after a certain time each night. Perhaps it means using those saved PTO days to take a vacation or finding a therapist who can help you make sense of your busy life and the difficult things that can happen. Above all, choose to be intentional about taking care of your mind and body. Doing this will make you stronger and more efficient when you’re working on advancing your career.
Build a strong support system.
Most successful professionals will tell you that somewhere down the line, they’ve had people who have supported them along the way. Maybe it’s a boss who you respect, or it’s a mentor who has wisdom to share, or it’s just a friend who can encourage you as you navigate your life. Find people who build you up and speak into your life. This helps give you the confidence you need to be successful in your career. It’s truly one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself – not only in life, but in your career, too.
Now’s the time to go for it!
If you want to shift gears with your career, it requires you to be intentional and disciplined. Doing so will help you stand out in a competitive work environment and land a fulfilling professional role.