A new year is the perfect time to get your career on track. Whether you’re working towards a promotion, looking for a new job, or are simply seeking growth opportunities, it’s important to take charge of your career.
Take advantage of the new year and the momentum that comes with it with these three tips to kick off your career in 2020.
Don’t procrastinate.
There’s no time like the present to get things started. Procrastination will only ensure that your career stays stagnant.
Don’t allow yourself to do things tomorrow, do them today, because too often tomorrow becomes a week or a month later. When you have an idea, run with it. If you can’t address something right away, set a reminder on your phone to make sure you don’t forget about it.
If you know that you have a tendency to procrastinate, try setting aside a specific block of time each day to work on your career goals. This can be as little as 30 minutes to as long as you need. The most important part is to ensure that the time you set aside is productive and career focused.
Be proactive.
You can’t wait for someone else to do the work for you or make the first offer. You have to be proactive in managing your career.
When you attend networking events, actively approach people and engage with them. Be the first one to send a follow up email instead of waiting for the other person to do it. Ask your network for introductions and provide them with the details they would need to make them.
Being proactive is especially important if you’re working towards a promotion or are looking for more responsibility in your current role. You can’t assume that your manager will know that you want to move up or take on additional responsibility. More often than not they aren’t aware of their team members’ aspirations. Set up a meeting to discuss your goals with your manager, then continue to put in the work to make your career goal happen.
Don’t settle.
Don’t settle or get complacent in your career. If you’re unhappy with your job or feel stuck in a rut, don’t settle and accept that as your fate. There’s always a way to improve a situation, even if it can’t happen immediately.
Settling can happen easily when you’re in a job that’s comfortable, pays well, and in general checks a lot of boxes, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for improvement.
Challenge yourself to step outside of your comfort zone and try something new. Imagine what your life would look like if you went for a promotion, took on more responsibility, or any other bold moves. That will put you in a different frame of mind and is the perfect antidote to settling.
Don’t wait until 2021 to take charge of your career – make things happen this year.
[“source=forbes”]
