5 steps to career success in year ahead

Business moves at a fast-forward pace. If we are just going through the motions at work or resting on past laurels, we soon will be left behind. Career planning is vital in today’s ever-changing market.

Whether you have a job you love or are looking for your next opportunity, it is equally as important to manage your career. What is calling you now? Where to next? And, what do you need to do to get there?

The following five career resolutions will keep your options open and ensure that you have as much control over your career as possible. More importantly, these steps can help us live and work with greater purpose and meaning.

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1. Take the pulse of your values

Do a check-in about what matters most to you today. Many of us are operating based on outdated values or beliefs about life and work that no longer serve us. Identify your top 10 values based on your current needs and desires.

Values may include job location, work schedule, level of responsibility, a desire for recognition, creativity in one’s work or a commitment to the environment. This is far from an exhaustive list. Once we are clear about our values, career decision-making becomes much easier.

For example, you may have spent the past 10 years traveling extensively for work in exchange for a high salary. A change in your family or your own health issues may help you decide to look for a new position even if it means taking a significant cut in pay.

2. Get inspired

Whether you are looking to make a change or simply want to keep the job you have, revive your passion for the work you do. People who are inspired and engaged in their careers have a glow about them that is hard to resist.

Commit to learning and trying new things. Join a meet-up group of like-minded professionals. Read a biography about someone who worked against the odds to achieve something miraculous. Log on to Coursera and take a free online course. Walk across hot coals with Tony Robbins. Inspiration is found when we move outside our comfort zones.

Attending national conferences is another way to re-establish a connection to our careers and grow our professional networks. Take advantage of early bird registration fees. Offset costs by signing up to volunteer. Volunteering has the added bonus of putting you behind the scenes with speakers and other key players in your field.

3. Polish your online presence

Do an online search for your name. Your LinkedIn profile is likely to show up at the top of the page. Do you like what you see? Maybe it is time for a new headshot. Perhaps your summary section can be expanded to include new skills or offerings.

Many of us ignore our online profiles until we are in search mode. If you cringe at the thought of a potential employer or client looking at your profile, you have some work to do. Commit to keeping your online image up to date just as you would a personal website.

Beyond updating your profile, spend 15 minutes a day participating in discussions, sharing interesting articles, writing recommendations, and offering kudos to people who do good work.

I recently “endorsed” a colleague for a skill. She promptly sent me a note of thanks. I found it refreshing that she would take the time to acknowledge a standard LinkedIn endorsement! Small actions can have a big impact on the quality of our relationships and on our professional identities.

4. Update your résumé

The résumé is not dead. We still need to convey our worth on paper. Whether you are looking for a new position or not, pull up several job postings for your current job title or for roles to which you aspire. You may be surprised to find that the skills and requirements that employers are seeking have expanded.

Focus on what employers are looking for today. Continually adding the right skills and achievements to your résumé ensures you can respond quickly and effectively to opportunities.

We often need a new résumé in a hurry, so it makes sense that we keep them up to date. It is so much easier to add a bullet when an accomplishment is new and fresh in our minds than to recall the value we added several years ago.

5. Invest in relationships

If you do nothing else in the coming year, resolve to develop and nurture your relationships. The majority of opportunities come to us through referrals and networking. Still, many of us fail to get out and meet new people, or we get busy and let connections fizzle or fade.

Clients often admit that they are embarrassed to reach out to someone because it has been such a long time since they have been in contact. This is precisely why waiting until we are in job search mode to network is a bad idea. It feels awkward and uncomfortable to reach out in desperation.

Make a habit of having coffee or lunch with people who inspire you. Do life activities you enjoy and get involved in your community. Send a note to your references. Express gratitude for their continued support and inquire how you might serve them in the coming year. If you show sincere interest in others, it is likely that others will take an interest in you.

We all will experience changes and challenges in the coming year. While we cannot completely control our circumstances, a career plan that includes one or more of these resolutions can help you recover quickly and thrive regardless of what comes your way.

Set aside time to ponder the year ahead. Grab a pen and pad, and put a career plan in place. May 2014 be a year in which you resolve to live and work in the most purposeful and rewarding ways possible.

Carrie Pinsky is a freelance writer, job-search coach and training specialist. Reach her at Pink Sky Counseling and Career Services, 970-225-0772 or www.pink-sky.net.