Top 2015 Career Resolutions You Should Think About.

Source US News.

The new year is a great time to look at your job hunt so far, step back and reevaluate your priorities in order to make your search go as smoothly as possible. Take these four steps to bolster your job hunt in 2015:

Better Time Management.

Create a schedule for yourself, and prioritize your tasks. Better time management is one of the most common New Year’s resolutions, whether or not it’s related to a job hunt. Set a daily, weekly and monthly schedule for yourself. When you make this schedule, consider these questions:

When will you make the calls to keep up to date with people in your network and make appointments
How much time will you budget for online activities, like networking on LinkedIn?
Don’t forget to plug into your schedule times for networking at group meetings, professional associations and alumni functions.

Volunteering should be a part of your schedule as well! It’s a great way to get out of your house, do some good for a group or cause larger than yourself and meet people who have similar interests and values to yours. Plus, you can never tell when a fellow volunteer will know the person you really want to meet and help pave the way for you.

Remember that you need to continue to have a life, even in the midst of a job hunt! Include time for other people.

Keep Learning:

Keep learning, and keep your skills up to date. Whether or not you are currently employed, the way just about everything gets done today is different than it was not that long ago. You can only remain relevant if your skills are in-line with an employer’s needs for today and tomorrow.

Sure, you’ve gotten results doing things this or that way in the past, and maybe you just don’t feel like changing. But if you take this attitude, don’t be surprised if you are labeled as both outdated and lazy. It is a sure way to make your competition look better!

Career Change:

When embarking on a career shift, measure twice and cut once. There are many valid reasons why you might be considering doing something very different than you have done up to now. Whether you are fleeing from a horrible job or boss or following your passion to something new and different, be certain to do your due diligence.

What’s professional life like for those who are already doing what you aspire toward? What do they find both fulfilling and frustrating? What are their challenges, and how do they see the future panning out for themselves, their company and industry? How well are you prepared, and how willing are you to deal with the frustrations and challenges that would await you?

Do your research carefully, lest you go from the frying pan into the fire by following a dream you never researched.

Moreover, as you gain greater knowledge, you will be able to make a stronger case for yourself when you do get to the stage of actually interviewing for new dream role.

Happy hunting!