New Year Resolutions – Time to Make Your Career Your Priority!

New Year is the time for new resolutions, and these allow a person to make a fresh start or improve things that exist. One of the most important aspects of an individual’s life is their professional career. Career is a product of several factors, and therefore it is essential for you to choose the right career path to achieve your goals. New Year, therefore, is the right time to analyse the current status of your career and set new objectives.

To achieve success in one’s career, it is important to understand the few basic aspects that facilitate its advancement. These include further development of existing skills, learning new skills and networking. Development of skills and learning new skills determine the level of dexterity at which an individual is able to perform in their chosen profession. However, it is equally important to get the right opportunities to succeed. Opportunities can also be termed as being at the right place at the right time, and with the right people.

Why is Networking Crucial?

Networking plays a significant role in this regard. Throughout professional lives, people work with several people and develop cordial relations with many of them. Successful professionals not only develop good relationships but also maintain these relationships. This helps them climb the career ladder faster than others and achieve targeted goals.

The essence of networking is to ensure that the people are contacted often and it is ensured that whenever an opportunity arises, you should be the first person that comes to their mind. To develop your social and professional network, you need to stay in contact with people who can help you advance your career further. Networking ensures that you are identified by these people as a potential candidate in case any opportunity arises.

So What Should Be Your New Year’s Goals?

New Year’s resolution for your therefore must be set higher goals for your career and develop strategies to achieve these objectives. Developing and learning new skills certainly play a vital role, but networking plays the most important role. These factors ensure that you achieve success in your career in the right manner. Professional success is not a matter of luck; it requires perseverance and efforts. Right and meticulous planning, persistent efforts, focused execution and right approach determine professional success.

Successful professionals follow these principles and act accordingly. Your new year’s resolution should be to make your career the priority and ensure that you stick to your plans till the time your goals are achieved.   

- ReKruiTIn.com Team

5 Steps To Change Your Career

5 Steps To Change Your Career 

Let’s say we do a reality check: friends – great; kids – doing well; health – the mid riff could be a lot better (or should I say flatter) but overall good; Career – hmmm – not sure????

Well here’s the thing, when everything is just okay - it is not okay. Once you reach the mid-life milestone, and realize that there is more to life than having a steady paycheck;  this is when you stop to think of what is that you want from life and where do you think you are heading.

Ergo, if you are one of those who wants to trade your mundane desk job to chase your adventurous dream then here’s how you do it:

1. List out your ‘Whys’ 

Most often the answer to ‘how’ you go about something lies in the ‘why’ you want to change. So firstly, identify why you would want to change and your plan will automatically be laid out. For instance, let us say that you rreason to change is because you clinch at the very thought of writing boring code for software applications day in and day out. Your reason is boredom. How do you alleviate this monotony? Simple, list out the things that interest you and choose the one that you are really passionate about. For instance, Vinay Raghavan, a Hardware Specialist, in an IT firm quit his boring job to grow and nurture bonsai's. An unusual career, you might say, but that passion is what led him to make big bucks at an untapped market and what more, he is not ‘bored’ any more.

2. Chalk out a plan

When Boman Irani asked Priyanka Chopra on how she managed to achieve so much in life, right from becoming a model to Ms. World; growing into a successful actress and now a poet and singer with a chart busting album, she very humbly said that it just happened; that opportunities just came her way. Saying that, she also admitted that she had a plan and back-up plans, so if becoming ‘A’ didn't work out then she would need to work towards excelling at ‘B’. So if a 32 year old ‘Achiever’with an in-flow of successful career options has plans and back-up plans, then a 43 year old ‘Software Developer’ who has only known how to perform one task for most of his productive life, definitely needs a robust strategy before plunging into change.

3. Build a network of Business Contacts

The importance of networking cannot be stressed enough. Networking is about making connections and building enduring, mutually beneficial relationships. Merely adding a business card to your address book is not enough, building and nurturing relationships is key. Also, keep in mind that the least expected contact can bring you a world of opportunity. So, according to you, the chef that you met at the recent flea market that you attended, may not add any value to your ‘Interior Designing’ business. Well, it just so turns out, that his brother was remodelling his villa and because you invested the time in building a strong association with him, who do you think he called first!

4. Make an Informed decision

Pursuing one’s passion is a romantic ideal, but jumping into it just because you want to do it, can lead to frustration. Ideally once you have made your list of career options, chalk out the advantages and disadvantages of each. Take your time and research each subject in detail. Speak to your peers, or people in a similar business to gauge the nuances of starting such an enterprise. Determine the right path for you, only after fully weighing the pros and cons.

5.  Improve your skills

When you have decided on the path that you want to pursue, it would make sense to take weekend classes and get certified. Remember, people always trust a credible source, so investing in a course on ‘Social Media Marketing’ will only enhance your prospects on landing digital marketing deals from top firms.

Follow the steps above and take the road less travelled Un-flurried. Believe in yourself and remember it is never too late to change!

By ReKruiTIn.com Team