Career Resolutions for 2015
Ready to start making New Year’s resolutions? Don’t wait until December 30, or worse, January 1 to start making these resolutions to live a better life in 2015. With failure rates north of 85%, few people even feel confident that they will complete their resolutions before they begin.
Just as any endeavor, goal accomplishment takes strategy and planning.
That’s why we would like to share with you three (plus) resolutions you can start planning now that will put you in a position to grow your career in 2015 and beyond.
1. Dress for Success
This is an easy one. You’re already out shopping for holiday presents, why not take advantage of the sales to pick out a few key wardrobe pieces that will make you look more confident and send the right message in your workplace.
Like it or not, appearance does matter. When you dress and carry yourself in a positive manner, this helps convey to others the business message you’re trying to convey. This is especially important in giving presentations, whether the audience is two executives or a thousand.
Etiquette expert Jacqueline Whitmore shares these tips:
- Dress to Boost Confidence: Looking your best isn’t about vanity, it’s about investing in self-improvement. Keeping high standards for your appearance will help you feel happier and more successful.
- Send the Right Message: The definition of what constitutes a casual outfit has reached an all-time low. If you look like you just rolled out of bed, most people will assume you just did. Strive to look your best and live up to the expectations of your audience.
- Make Appearance a Priority: Many executives put their appearance on the back burner because of obligations to work and family. To look your best every day, dedicate resources toward long-term investments like clothing purchases, hair maintenance and self-care.
- It’s the Little Things: Carefully selected accessories can make the difference between someone who puts on clothes and a person who gets dressed.
So, when you see that 90% sale on office attire, consider it. Set aside novelty and pick out some items that will make you look better, feel better, and amplify your professional life.
2. Learn a New Language
This is a two-pronged resolution. As we celebrate the “Hour of Code,” the first language we could recommend is education in a career related programming language.
Maybe you want to learn something like HTML/CSS for your website. Maybe being able to better code using VBA or C++ will help grow your career. Udemy, which offers free online courses, shares the top 10 programming languages:
- C Language
- C++ Language
- C#
- Java
- Objective-C
- PHP
- JavaScript
- Python
- SQL
- Ruby
With many free resources available, some turning learning into games, learning a programming language is an easy fix for 2015. If traditional learning is your forte, community colleges offer basic courses in programming languages for a relatively low price.
The other, of course, is learning a foreign language. The top languages to learn, according to an article in The Richest, are as follows:
- Russian
- French
- Japanese
- Portuguese
- Spanish
- Arabic
- Mandarin
Again, with multiple tools available, it can be cheap and easy to learn a new language. One of the most popular free tools to learn a new language is Duolingo, available for Android, iOS, and Browser.
Maybe the language route isn’t for you. If that’s the case, at least start learning the etiquette of other countries.
3. Build Your Brand
If you haven’t heard the term ‘personal brand,’ something that has been discussed ad nauseum over the past few years, now is the time to get it together. Here are four things you can do to build a brand:
- Audit your online presence
- Secure a personal website
- Share pertinent information
- Associate with other strong brands
Other New Year’s Resolutions for Professionals
Rather than drone on, we’d like to give you some other ideas for 2015 New Year’s Resolutions for your career:
- De-Stress
- Organize Yourself
- Perfect Your Elevator Pitch
- Cure Your Workaholism
- Read More
- Wake up earlier
- Set goals
- Plan your day the night before
- Communicate more effectively
- Develop better work relationships
- Sleep better
These, of course are just a few things you can learn or improve upon to grow your career in 2015. However, as said prior, these require a plan. Start planning your New Year’s Resolution now, so you aren’t blindsided at noon on January 1.
If finding a job is on your list of resolutions for 2015, submit your credentials, and if qualified, we may be able to help you. As an executive search firm, The Overture Group helps mid-level and higher candidates find positions with leading companies in Iowa, Michigan, Illinois, and other states. Send a resume today to be considered for positions available.