10 New Year Resolution Ideas for Work That Will Advance Your Career

As we approach the end of another year and start making our usual list of New Year’s resolutions, let’s not forget to include resolutions to aid our career growth. They don’t need to be overly ambitious resolutions. In fact, they shouldn’t be. When we set extremely complex or daunting resolutions, we end up casting them aside far too quickly. For this reason, it’s essential to come up with New Year resolution ideas for work that are simple and achievable.

Why making career resolutions is important

Making career resolutions is important because it helps you set clear goals. It makes you focus on what you want to achieve in your career. What is your career goal and intention? These are questions you naturally think about when you set New Year’s resolutions for work.Because of this, New Year’s resolutions help you take concrete steps toward achieving your career aspirations. And since you know precisely what your objectives are, keeping your resolutions gives you a sense of accomplishment.

If you’re looking to take the next step in your career, here are 10 simple but essential resolutions you need to include in your list:

1. Do an annual career review

This is important. We get so caught up in our busy little lives that we seldom have the opportunity to reflect on where we are and review our career growth. Take the day off. Go somewhere quiet where you can relax, collect your thoughts, and honestly evaluate your career.

Are you heading in the right direction, or have you gotten sidetracked along the way? If you have gotten sidetracked, what can you do to correct your course? Put your thoughts down on paper (or on your computer). Make a record of it, along with a plan for the next steps, so you can review it again the following year.

2. Update your resume and portfolio

It’s a time-consuming task, but keeping your resume and portfolio updated is important regardless of your interest in changing jobs. You never know who might be headhunting and when — it’s best to always keep the door open for opportunities. If you haven’t updated your resume in a long time, it’s time to apply the latest best practices, such as incorporating keywords for applicant tracking systems.

Be sure to have your latest resume and portfolio on relevant career networks such as JobStreet, as well as professional platforms such as Behance for creative skills. Visibility on the web can take you much further than you would expect.

3. Grow your professional network

Unfortunately, who you know usually matters much more than what you know. It’s a well-known fact that most companies prefer to hire based on internal recommendations. Having a wide network of professional contacts is always useful. You never know when there might be an opening at Google or Facebook, but if you have contacts there, you will stand a higher chance of securing an interview compared to a complete stranger to the company.

Take the time to attend industry networking events and conferences. You can also join professional organisations for your field. On top of opening up career opportunities, these events and organisations will also help you keep abreast of the latest developments and trends in your industry.

4. Add a new skill or qualification

Make it a point to learn one new skill or complete a course. Not only does it show recruiters that you’re a self-starter who keeps up to date with current trends and technologies, but it also looks good to your current employer. It’s a win-win situation whether you’re angling for a promotion or looking to make a career change.

5. Overcome a fear

Challenge yourself to step out of your comfort zone. Whether it’s fear of public speaking, chairing a meeting, giving a presentation or something else, pick one fear that has been holding you back at work and embrace it. It might feel like the scariest thing you’ve ever had to do, but the fear is all in your mind. You only need to do it once to prove to yourself that you CAN do it, and the second time will be easier.

6. Find ways to stay healthier at work

Taking care of your health is good not only for your career but for your overall quality of life. There are all kinds of easy ways to get healthier in the workplace. Consider taking the stairs instead of the elevator or going for a short walk during your lunch break.

Instead of keeping chips in your desk drawer, consider choosing more nutritious snacks. And instead of sitting hunched over at your computer, raise the monitor to eye level so that you naturally have better posture while working. This will prevent you from getting back aches.

7. Pick up a career-related book

Knowledge is power, so why not learn from experts? Pick up a motivational book to inspire you or a self-help book for areas in which you need to improve. You could also read memoirs of people who have been successful in your field. If reading isn’t your thing, get the audiobook version and listen to it while doing chores or driving instead.

8. Organise your files

The beginning of the year is a great time to organise both your physical and digital files. Throw out or delete old documents you don’t need anymore—this will prevent dust from gathering in your workspace, and free up space in your hard drive. Then sort your physical and digital files so that they’re easier to find when you need them. You can clean up your email inbox as well.

9. Find a work mentor

Getting a mentor is one of the best things you can do for your career. A good mentor can help you navigate office politics, guide you on the next steps in your career, and prevent you from making mistakes that hinder your advancement. Your mentor could be one of the higher-ups at the office or someone in your network with sufficient experience and expertise.

10. Reevaluate your work-life balance

It’s easier to prevent burnout than it is to recover from it. Take the time to assess whether you’re satisfied with your work-life balance. You can also ask your family or friends to get an objective perspective. Can you make enough time for your loved ones and for yourself? When you clock out, can you really take your mind off work? Asking yourself these questions will enable you to take the necessary steps toward achieving work-life balance.

Setting work resolutions is a good way to get a head start on your career growth. After all, we reap what we sow, and you’ve got to put in the effort to see results. Now that you have simple and achievable New Year resolution ideas for work, it’s time to pick at least one and put it into practice.

For more valuable tips and practical career guides, have a look through our Career Resources section. And if you are ready to #SEEKBetter jobs, create or update your JobStreet profile.