CareerWomen.com Offers Tips on How to Make 2006 Your Best Career Year Ever
As 2005 draws to an end, CareerWomen
advises that now is the time to plan for 2006 career goals. In addition
to creating holiday shopping lists, take the time to create your own
career strategy checklist to make 2006 a career-defining year.
JillXan Donnelly, president of CareerWomen.com advises, “Take some time
during November and December to conduct a reality check of your
professional life. This means evaluating your career path, updating your
resume to reflect recent accomplishments, and creating goals for next
year. Many companies do a lot of hiring and promoting in the first
quarter of the year. If you take the time now to ready yourself for new
opportunities, you can breeze through the holidays and be confident in
your ability to meet new career prospects.”
CareerWomen.com’s top five career strategy checklist items includes:
1. Prepare for the year ahead by reflecting on this year’s accomplishments
Did you accomplish or exceed your professional goals in 2005? Take stock
now and close any gaps before the end of the year. In addition, make a
list of all of your accomplishments and be sure to write down why you
were successful. A surefire way to make an great impression on your boss
is to make an appointment now to talk about your goals for 2006. Being
proactive will set you apart from your colleagues.
2. Update your resume to show off the best of you
After creating your most current accomplishments list, take it one more
step and update your resume. You may want to update your resume style to
better reflect your aspired position. Ask the question, “Does this
resume style convey who I want to be?”
3. Determine goals for 2006 and think outside the box
If you are accomplishing your goals without breaking a sweat, now may be
a good time to decide if you should stay in your current job or look for
opportunities elsewhere. Remember, it is always best to look for
opportunities within your organization first before venturing outside.
4. Take stock in your worth by evaluating your salary and perks
While salary is important, most people like jobs that reward them in
other ways such as value to the organization or flexible work
environments. Research your salary range to find out if you are being
compensated appropriately for your skill level and accomplishments. Look
online for tools such as The PayScale Report that will quickly give you
the information that you need to prepare for your next salary review.
5. Get new skills while everyone else is thinking about the holiday party
During the end of the year when the business is typically slower, look
for new avenues to add to your portfolio of skills. Attend evening
workshops, monitor online seminars or find a few business books on a
topic of interest. If you are thinking about pursuing an advanced degree
such as an MBA, start studying for the GMAT.
Additional resources to enhance professional development and advance women’s careers can be found at CareerWomen including
career development tools, career and employment news, professional
associations and employment opportunities across the US with some of the
best women-friendly companies.
Copyright© 2005
CareerWomen.com/The Career Exposure Network
