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Workplace Challenges

Achieving career resolutions

This is it -- the year you're going to achieve your career goals. Whether that means working fewer hours, earning a bigger paycheque or finding a more rewarding job, breaking your resolutions into bite-sized pieces may help you achieve the success you've been dreaming of.

LINDA WHITE -- Special to the Toronto Sun

[ 2008-01-14 ]

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"Tackle your goal one bit at a time to avoid becoming overwhelmed," says Daisy Wright of the Wright Career Solution in Brampton and author of No Canadian Experience, Eh? "Achieving your goal is not so burdensome when you tackle small pieces."

If your ultimate goal, for example, is to land a promotion, you may need to increase your visibility by taking on additional responsibilities or improving your skill set. Want to work for a new company? Perhaps you'll need to research companies that interest you or update your resume.

"It's important not just to talk about your goals, but to do something concrete," Wright says. She recommends setting aside a certain amount of time each day to work on your mini goals and reward yourself when each is achieved. "Once you've achieved a step, you'll want to proceed."

Be realistic when setting goals. "Sometimes, reaching your goal may require huge sacrifices, such as returning to school, moving, finding a mentor or taking a drop in pay," says Stephanie Clark of New Leaf Resumes in Kitchener- Waterloo.

Once you've determined whether your resolutions are manageable and have taken the steps needed to achieve them, be prepared to hit the ground running. "You'll want a professional resume, a portfolio of accomplishments and a polished interview style," Clark says.

Achieving your ultimate goal may take some time, particularly if you need to return to school or volunteer to build your skill set. For some, the task of setting goals may be insurmountable. "If you're at a dead end, don't know what you're good at or hate your job, you should go and get help," Clark says. "There's help at every price level, from free online assessments to a professional career coach."

Unsure about which direction to take? "Ask yourself: 'Am I doing what I want to do?'" says Hugh Gunz, a management professor at the University of Toronto. "We often go through life doing what we did yesterday. Are there things you'd like to try? Maybe the answer is yes ... If you get an idea about what you'd rather be doing, find out what it would be like to earn a living at it. Is it realistic? Talk to people doing the work."

In the end, you may decide to stay the course. "Remember that work is only part of what you do. It's what you do to make a living. Perhaps you should think about what you can do to enrich the rest of what you're doing," Gunz says.

Given the stress often associated with the holidays, this may not be the right time to make career- related resolutions. "Maybe your resolution should be to think about your career next month, once you make it through the holidays and head into the February blahs," Gunz says.