Make Your New Year’s Career Resolutions

Dr. Greg Ketchum, 01/01/05

The New Year is here and it’s time to make your new year’s resolutions. Honestly, how many have you made and failed to keep? Lost weight? Got in shape? I once made a resolution at a New Year’s Eve party to be the first astronaut on the moon to play tennis, without a space suit. Needless to say it didn’t happen.

Well today we’re talking about making New Year’s Resolutions for your career. You know, those career questions you keep thinking about and before you know it 5 years has passed and you haven’t done a thing, like should I change jobs, should I go back to school, should I tell my boss to… You get the picture.

First, here are some examples of critical mistakes and key success factors concerning your Career New Year’s Resolutions.

3 Critical Mistakes

Set unrealistic goals.
Forget your resolutions as soon as you make them.
Don’t make a firm commitment to your goals.

3 Key Success Factors

Set reasonable, achievable goals.
Convert a wish or a desire into a specific goal with action steps & deadlines.
Set up your resolutions with a partner and hold each other accountable.

Here are some action steps to help you successfully set and meet your Career New Year’s Resolutions.

Action Steps

Set Two Career Goals
Set a minimum of two career goals for the first quarter 2005. Define action steps and target dates & then meet with your partner each quarter to review goals and set new ones for the next quarter.
Set a Networking Goal
Set a goal of adding two people a month to your professional network and of offering to help a minimum of 2 folks a month.
Set a Goal of Acquiring Two New Skills
Learn 2 of the fundamental skills required to advance your career such as sales, negotiation, writing, finance, public speaking, or time management.

Make Your New Year’s Career Resolutions

If All Else Fails And You’ve Blown It

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