New Beginnings

As we close out the year, you may spend some time reflecting on what you accomplished. You are also likely beginning to think of what you would like to achieve in the New Year. This is a great time to set goals for the future.

Unfortunately, achieving something new in the future can often mean letting go of something else in the past. For example, to have a new job, you will eventually have to let go of your current role. As much as you are gaining something new, you will also lose something.

We often don’t think about how much our jobs mean to us. They are often a bigger part of our identity than we are consciously aware of. And, we are attached to our colleagues more than we might want to admit. On more than one occasion, I’ve stayed in a job longer than I should have because I loved my team.

Change can also be tough when the decision is made for you. From the news reports, it’s clear that many companies used the end of 2024 to lay off workers. This is a tough experience for anyone, and can take months or year to fully recover.

Whatever the reason, if you want to look for a new role in the New Year, this is the perfect time to begin. As many companies return from the holiday break, their hiring will begin to pick up speed again.

Start by sprucing up your LinkedIn profile. Then, ensure your resume is up to date, and uses a current style. If you haven’t searched in a while, look around online to find the latest resume trends.

Think twice before publicly posting on LinkedIn that you are open to work. It’s a new trend to let your network know that you’re looking for a job. Unfortunately, if you are still employed, it may make you look like you aren’t committed to the company. And, if you aren’t working, it might make you look desperate. It’s better to tell your contacts individually that you’re looking. Set your profile as open to work privately, so that recruiters who are looking for candidates will find you.

Begin to reconnect with old business contacts, and friends who may be aware of job openings. But, be sure to lead with your friendship, rather than your request for help.

When your resume and LinkedIn are up to date, begin to apply for jobs. But, don’t apply in the typical online way, or if you do, do more than just apply. Try to find the hiring manager. In other words, try to look up your potential future boss on LinkedIn and send them a message. If they like you, they will ask the recruiter to interview you. It can be a faster and easier process than applying online.

Today is the perfect time for new beginnings. I hope you will commit to starting your journey today.

I hope these tips have helped you. Visit CopelandCoaching.com to find more tips to improve your job search. If I can be of assistance to you, don’t hesitate to reach out to me here.

Also, be sure to subscribe to my Copeland Coaching Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher where I discuss career advice every Tuesday! If you’ve already heard the podcast and enjoy it, please consider leaving a review in iTunes or Stitcher.

Happy hunting!