Doesn’t it feel like 2018 just whizzed past us? As 2019 is just around the corner, many of us find ourselves making resolutions on personal, financial, and career fronts.
We all begin with ‘New Year, New Me’ cliche only to see the resolution go out of the window.
But what about the career goals you set out to achieve?
Career development forms an essential part of everyone’s life – whether you are a student, fresher, or a professional. Regardless of whether you are looking to climb up the corporate ladder or are unhappy at your current job or are simply starting out, having a clear plan of your career path is vital.
Before Preparing Your Goals For 2019, Do This
Step 1: Reflect on the present situation. Reflecting on the present helps to evaluate yourself and set your goals accordingly.
Step 2: Research and set future goals. Advancement in technology is creating an increasing number of jobs in various fields. There is nothing constant in career development. Imagine what your future role might look like, what skills does it require?
Step 3: Write down your career goals and share it with a support system helps so that they remind, encourage and challenge you.
9 Career Goals You Should Set In 2019
Now that you’ve done your research, take a look at nine realistic, achievable and measurable goals you should consider for 2019:
Goal 1: Update your resume/professional profiles
Do you remember the last time you updated your resume?
Building a new resume can be time-consuming, but there are plenty of sites like My Resume Format, and Canva that help build it in a couple of minutes. They also offer creative and customizable templates of your liking.
Keeping your professional profiles updated should be one of your top career goals. Even if you are not looking for the job, don’t let it get outdated.
Show off the new skill you have learned and your accomplishments on professional platforms like LinkedIn. A lot of communication happens on LinkedIn when people connect with you, and recruiters find you when they are sourcing for jobs. The headline is possibly the most important part of your LinkedIn profile. It can either make or break an impression, so make sure it is creative and enticing enough for someone to visit your profile.
Also update your job qualifications, employment history, skills, and experience.
Goal 2: Build a network
Don’t just share your resumes. Aim to network with like-minded people in the industry. Networking isn’t always comfortable if you are an introvert.
Thankfully social platforms like LinkedIn and Facebook give you an opportunity to connect with others. The basic rule of thumb is to go out and make friends. You can expand your social circle by going to meetups, doing volunteer work, and joining your college alumni. One can take advantage of the connections they already have like family, friends, and neighbors who can introduce you to valuable connections.
Networking is the key to staying updated in your industry, feeling involved, and succeeding in the long term.
Goal 3: Learn new skills & challenge yourself
Progressing upwards in your career is attributed to learning new skills. Learning a new skill, even if it doesn’t pertain to your field, is never wasteful. One of the best ways to advance in your career is by constantly learning something new.
Getting out of your comfort zone is another way to grow.
As Neale Donald Walsch once said, ‘Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.’
So many people are afraid due to the fear of the unknown. One should gather information about whatever skill or activity they are pursuing. The next step is developing a plan to move out of the comfort zone. Even if you arrive at a stated goal, aim to push yourself and take up some challenging task beyond what you are capable of doing. Because breaking out of comfort zone opens up new opportunities in your career.
As technology is progressing and more jobs are created, most sectors are constantly being updated. And if you want to keep up with the latest trends in your profession, you need to set certain educational goals.
Goal 4: Be an expert at one thing
Most people have many talents, especially in creative fields. They are the jack of all trades with skills in every discipline and truth is, they often end up being mediocre. The gap between good and great is huge. By focusing on one thing, you will be able to discover new opportunities. It means committing to and giving everything to that one thing and putting other things of interest to rest for some time.
Goal 5: Build a side hustle
If you have a day job and still manage to find time for other activities, having a side hustle can be rewarding. A side hustle is basically something that you are interested in. This can be writing, photography, graphic designing, etc. Having a side hustle lets you follow your passion and is also capable of generating additional income. It also helps break away from a monotonous work routine.
Goal 6: Read books that help shape your career
All successful people have one thing in common – they are massively resourceful. Many of the world’s top leaders insist on reading books. Reading expands our knowledge, perception, and views. Reading biographies, motivational books help in growing your thoughts and improving critical thinking abilities.
Goal 7: Ensure work-life balance
Work is for making a living.
Having a life outside the corporate world is imperative.
Work-life balance isn’t easy to accomplish. If you bury yourself in work, it will take a toll on your body and also affect your peace of mind.
To ensure a good balance, one should set clear boundaries like not checking emails outside office hours or during the weekend. Find a new hobby or spend time with your family.
Goal 8: Personal development
Personal development is an ongoing process of self-improvement. It is about setting goals and putting plans in place to reach those goals. Personal development can improve one’s industry skills and help in developing talents & potential. It can also develop strengths, boost confidence and lead to an increase in productivity.
Goal 9: Setting personal deadlines
Here’s the thing about deadlines – they keep you motivated and inspired. Having a deadline helps you focus on the task at hand. It pushes you to to do more than what is expected. Realistic deadlines keep one on the track towards achieving their goals.
It’s easy to feel suffocated without a proper direction when navigating your career. Sticking to goals can be hard.
Don’t rush and take baby steps, one goal at a time.
No matter who you are or what you do, it’s always a good idea to have career goals. They help you in building a career that is richly satisfying both on the professional and personal fronts. So, starting 2019, strive to be a better version of yourself and achieve what you aspire to be.
