5 Things You Need To Do For Your Career Before 2018 Ends

By Lilian Wamaitha
We are just four months away to the end of the year and one of the questions that you need to ask yourself is if you are where you’ve always wanted to be career wise?
Are you doing what you love? Are you earning what you had intended to be making this time of the year?
Life is all about taking risks. If you are not willing to risk everything, your will never get anywhere. Your career right now will not drive itself until you do something about it.
If you want to earn more, look for a job that will give you that or ask for a salary increase. If you are not happy with your job, be willing to get out of your comfort zone and look for another one, even though it means starting from scratch.
You career is the greatest investment you have and if you are going to do what you are doing half of your life, then you better do it right.
Before the curtains of 2018 come to a close, I believe that there is never a right time to take that risk. There are still four months to go and as short as that period may seem, you can still achieve what you have always wanted.
Here are 5 things then than you need to do for your career between now and January.
1. Opt to do something you love
Are you stuck in a career that gives you no motivation? Did you want to be someone else but ended up where you are because of circumstances?
Well, before the year ends, why don’t you strive to do something you love? Did you always want to own your own business? Get your finances in order and make that move.
To tell you the truth, it’s a long way down that regret path. You don’t want to be stuck in a career that you don’t like for the rest of your life.
At the end of the day it’s about you and not your boss. Chances are he/she is doing what he loves, so it’s up to you to pursue what you have always wanted to do.
2. Better you position with your current employer
Are you unhappy with your current job? Are you not finding the satisfaction you hoped you could find when you first started that job?
Is there a better position that you are eying in that same company where you know you can realize your potential?
Most people opt for the option of leaving and finding another job when they are not happy with their current position.
But before you walk out of that door, think about what you can do. Talk to your employer about your interests in that position and start working towards that.
3. Map out a career pivot plan
Maybe you don’t want to stick to your current employer. Maybe you want things to get better for you somewhere else. If you don’t define this, there is no way you are going to move forward.
Before 2018 ends, think about what “better” means to you. What do you want to do?
What skills do you want to utilize when you move on.
4. Gain new and valuable skills
Before the year ends whether you like that job or not, ensure that you have gained new skills that you can utilize to propel you forward in future.
Take up new roles when they come up. Do something worthwhile.
Take up a new class if you must and gain those valuable skills that you think you will need to progress in your career.
5. Build thought leadership
I cannot emphasize enough the need to build thought leadership in your chosen field. This means establishing yourself as an expert in something.
Use social media like LinkedIn or Twitter to showcase your passion. Write about things that you love and allow people to see you as the go to person in that particular field.
Your turn
Are you stuck in a job with little or no room for growth? Are you wondering what happened to your career when you compare where you are versus what you wanted?Are you unhappy with your salary as the pay is not commensurate with your skills and experience level? At the end of the day, you are the only one who can change your life. Stop living in a shell afraid of the unknown. Doing something and failing at it is a hundred times better than not doing anything at all.
Lilian is a Communication Officer at Corporate Staffing Services, a HR and Recruitment firm offering trainings, coaching and job placements. To reach her today and sign up for this CSS Career Mentorship Program, email her through lilian@corporatestaffing.co.ke and she will get back to you.