New Year's Non-Resolutions
By Joan Lloyd
Even though I’m not a big fan of New Year’s
resolutions, there is a lot to be said about doing a re-examination
of your career and making some adjustments along the way. So, if
you are up for a little self-scrutiny, here are some ideas to get
you started. If you decide to take action on any of these ideas
call it anything but your New Year’s Resolution. Resolutions
are too easy to break.
Remember how you visualized your career when you
graduated? Are you about where you thought you’d be right now
in your career?
Don’t be disheartened if the answer is “no.”
It’s surprising how many people graduate in one specialty,
only to take a completely different path. Life brings us many
opportunities—and forks in the road-- we never could foresee.
The question is-- are you using your talents in ways that bring you
satisfaction? Or, have you taken a turn that you find unsatisfying
but are stuck about what to do to get out of the rut?
If your answer is “No, I’m not a vice president
yet.” I strongly suggest that you reframe your goal. Using a
position as a goal is a poor measure of satisfaction. It often
drives us in the wrong direction. I’ve known individuals
whose sole ambition was to get the corner office, only to realize
they aren’t happy in the job. In other cases, I’ve
known individuals who feel like failures because they haven’t
reached some specific level, yet they are highly successful in the
job they currently hold. They rob themselves of career happiness,
all because of some arbitrary brass ring they think they have to
have.
Do you have at least one opportunity for advancement
within your current organization?
If you do, there is a good chance you are doing a good job and
are highly regarded by your colleagues and manager. But if you are
regarded as a great employee and there are no openings in the
ceiling above you, it’s time to talk to your manager about
growth on the job. Just because there is no open path,
doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be trying new things and
building your tool kit. If you build a reputation for learning new
things and being willing to tackle tough projects, you will have an
edge over the competition—whether it’s inside or
outside your company.
And if you don’t really want to advance because you
found your sweet spot, don’t fret about it. In the past, the
conventional wisdom was that we had to have upward career mobility.
Today, we know that there are many paths to career
“advancement”—one of which is to grow in the job
you are in and never leave it.
Have you identified at least two potential directions
you could go, if you decided to leave your current
company?
Think of this question as job insurance. I have seen many
individuals who thought they were safe in a company, only to be
caught unprepared when their company was acquired, or the company
closed or moved. The interesting thing about constantly identifying
opportunities is that you never feel trapped. In fact, you get a
sense of empowerment because you are working in your job by choice,
not chance.
If you identify a direction that interests you but you
don’t have the required experience, you can take steps on
your job, volunteer activities, or education, to fill the gaps.
Even if you don’t leave your current employer, you will be a
more valuable asset, regardless.
If you are unemployed, have you kept up a robust
search (even though you may have been unemployed for some
time)?
It’s understandable if you are discouraged and have
given up hope but there are enough signs that the economy has begun
to awaken from its stupor. Unemployment numbers are heading
downward and companies are showing signs of growth.
If you haven’t had much luck in your job search, get
active in a job-hunting support group, hire a coach and find out
what is blocking you. If you need to increase your networking
(which is the main problem in most cases) start an aggressive
campaign. If you are stuck about how to get started, visit my
website www.joanlloyd.com and search in the “Job
Hunting” category and enter “networking” as a key
word.
Have you maintained a healthy network of contacts,
both face-to-face and online?
The first thing I think—right or wrong—when
I’m asked to accept an invitation on LinkedIn, is “This
person is job hunting.” (Granted, a lot of savvy
professionals are also using LinkedIn, and other sites to network.)
But my second thought is “Why didn’t they spend more
time networking before they really needed to?”
If you haven’t thought much about networking in the last
few years, it’s time to step it up. Touch base with vendors,
lunch with former bosses, keep in touch with former teammates. Not
only will you enjoy it, it will be your safety net if you ever need
it.
When you are 80 years old, and look back on your
career, will you be satisfied that you took the right steps in your
career?
I asked myself that question (well, it was really my
husband’s question to me) when I was debating starting my own
management consulting and coaching firm. I’ve asked many
people the same question many years since then. It forces you to
look in the mirror and examine the risks you may be afraid of, and
the opportunities you might let slide by, if you don’t push
yourself to do things that may feel uncomfortable or require extra
work.
