Does your job search need a jump start before the end of the year?
Can you believe it’s already October?
Scratch that. The MIDDLE of October!
I continue to be amazed at how quickly this year has flown by and it’s almost over! When the leaves start falling, it always seems to send a signal to me to buckle down and finish the year strong so the New Year isn’t so chaotic.
Sometimes when we start to get closer to the end of the year, we start putting things off until the New Year because the holidays seem to take over, or it’s easy to say, “I’ll start that in January.” Kind of like a new diet. Who wants to start a new diet in mid-October with Thanksgiving right around the corner?
Have you been putting off your job search?
I actually just spoke with a prospective client last week who was contemplating getting their resume updated and starting their job search in January… and I thought to myself (and then actually asked him directly), “Why wait?”
Why would you want to be almost 3 months behind on landing a new job or promotion, starting the New Year, when you could start now? You could be three months ahead!
What can you cross off your job search to-do list NOW?
What about you? Are there things that you could cross off your list now, instead of putting them off until January? And in doing so, set yourself up for an even MORE successful career next year?
I’m guessing you’ve already put a lot of energy and effort into this year so far… and if that’s the case, this is your chance to reap the benefits!
And I know it can be a stressful and busy time of year. Halloween. Thanksgiving. Hanukkah. Christmas. New Year’s Eve. Family parties, work parties, events, shopping, traveling… Plus, still working, for a lot of us! There’s just so much to juggle. I get it! I know it can be easy to get overwhelmed, and put things off until the new year…because that’s the traditional time to do them…(back to the diet example).
But may I suggest that this year… let’s do it right! There is so much opportunity in starting NOW.
What if….
Instead of using the end of the year as a reason to put things off, how about setting a deadline to get your resume in a strategic format that will ‘speak’ to each of the six gatekeepers, so you can land interviews and job offers?
Imagine job search and career success…
Landing the job offer… with the right salary… amazing benefits… in the right location… doing what you love…
How would that feel?
Here are 5 ways to finish the year strong:
1. Revisit your goals from January.
What’s left on your list of goals that you haven’t achieved yet? And OF those goals, what do you still have time to accomplish? Is there something specific that you wanted to achieve this year? There’s still (almost) three months left in the year! What can you get done now? Be specific and realistic.
2. Pinpoint ONE thing that you’ve been putting off… and move it to the top.
What is it? What is the one thing that you keep procrastinating? Is it crafting a successful resume that actually positions you for a great job offer, great salary, and great benefits? Is it updating your LinkedIn profile? Building your network? Is it reaching out to that networking contact that you met earlier in this year? Doing some research on the promotion opportunity that you know you deserve? Or even just researching available jobs? Talking to your boss about growth opportunities?
What is the single most important thing that you want to cross off your list before the end of the year? Write it down and make a plan to make it happen. 🙂
3. Adjust your mindset.
What negative thoughts are clouding your mind and preventing you from moving forward? Do you have limiting beliefs? Are you a victim of imposter syndrome? Do you have insecurities or self-doubt that cause you to drag your feet? If so, lay these out in front of yourself—or better yet, if they have to do with your career, email me! Maybe I can share some tactical advice to help you move forward… But either way, identifying the negative thoughts—and reframing them—is the first step to moving past them.
4. Picture yourself on January 1st.
This is a little visioning exercise. Can you do it with me? Imagine yourself waking up on January 1… Would you rather wake up with a large carryover list from this year? Or do you want to wake up feeling accomplished ready to hit the ground running? Would you rather start the resume update and job search process NOW knowing that you’re already way ahead of your competition and set up for success…with a freshly polished, strategic resume for the today’s job market—ready to land interviews and lucrative job offers? Well, keep reading.
5. Relax!
Above all, stress is one of the things that paralyzes people the most. Stress diminishes hope. So don’t make your to-do list so long it isn’t achievable. The goal is to set yourself up for success… not failure. 😉
It’s also important to take care of yourself. Go to bed early. Exercise. Get a massage. Take yourself out for a nice meal and celebrate your achievements…or go with friends! Take some time to journal and reflect on what you HAVE accomplished this year. It’s possible to wind down AND be productive at the same time. Just reading your list of accomplishments should energize you!
Then, make the decision to move your career—or job search—FORWARD!
Making the decision sets the intention. Have you had your eye on a promotion and you’ve been working on positioning yourself for it?
What is the single-most important thing for you to prioritize if you want to move your career forward?
If you said your resume, you are absolutely right! Your resume is the single-most important career document! And in order to achieve your career goals, it MUST be your #1 priority to achieve success…faster!
And if getting hired or promoted in the Federal Government (faster) is on your list of goals for next year, maybe you could make it a priority to join our livestream this week…
Here are some questions to ask yourself:
What would make you feel most accomplished?
What is something that would make the biggest difference for your career? Or your health, your bank account, happiness, or success?
What would help you feel more confident, in control, or even more relaxed as you close out this final quarter of the year?
Use this last quarter to create new habits—including job search habits!
It’s easy to cut yourself some slack and even ‘let yourself go’ … but imagine with me (and maybe you’ve been here yourself before! I know I have…) when you loosen the reigns and start eating all of the delicious treats and maybe stop exercising as much as you normally do—I mean, we’re BUSY, right?!
How do you end up feeling afterwards? I know how I feel… I can feel MORE stressed out…
How will this impact your ‘fresh start’ for the New Year?
The same holds true for your career goals. When you neglect your single-most important career document—your resume—and your job search, you’ll end up starting the New Year behind the eight ball.
And… you could be right where you are now this time next year. Maybe you are right where you were last year and nothing has changed. You still haven’t landed the job or promotion?
Think about where you’d like to see yourself on January 1st and make this last quarter an example of how you want your whole next year to be!
By finishing the year strong with set intentions, you will be so much further ahead in the New Year than you would be if you continue to put everything off.
Now is your chance to push and to make the most of all the work you’ve put in this year already.
MAGNETIC TIP: End the year with intention and focus so you can start the New Year refreshed and ready to make your career or job search your priority!
What ONE thing will you do first? Will you comment below and let me know?
For more than 25 years, I've been trusted by all levels of professionals to senior executives in the Federal Government to collaborate with them and strategize, coach, and write not only their single most important document—the resume—but all of their career marketing that propels them upward in the ranks of the Federal Government and private sector. And, I would love to meet you and help you with yours! Thank you for stopping by!
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