Begin 2018 With A Resolution To Restart Your Career

As we welcome the year 2018, we may have a list of resolutions on our mind. Be it to lose weight, spending less time in front of the TV or saving more money. However, if you are a woman on a career break and want to make a comeback, let 2018 be the year to make this happen. If you put your career comeback as the number 1 priority on your list of resolutions and persistently go after this goal, nothing can stop you from getting there.

It’s important to remember that making resolutions is easy, however, following through is the tough part.

Here are a few tips that can help you stick to your resolution and bring your goal to fruition:

Break It Down:  A job search can feel like a daunting process and this can make you give up quite early. To make it easier for yourself, break down your search into steps. Since you are coming back after a career break, it is better to keep things as objective as possible and do an online assessment or self-evaluation. You can try assessing your skills here. Once you figure out exactly which direction you want your career to take, based on past experience and your current goals, you can start applying for companies which best suit your experience and personality as well.

Ask For Help: Let people know that you are looking for a job. Networking doesn’t just mean attending meetups for job seekers. Expand your social circle. Meetup is a good website to join some exciting groups and find people with common interests. Who knows? Your neighbour or even your cousin’s friend could know of an opening which is a perfect fit for you. Put yourself out there and make sure to have an updated CV.

Enjoy Yourself: Make sure to have some “me” time, so that the job search doesn’t seem like drudgery. It could be travel, an afternoon at a spa, time out with friends or even a day out with your kids. These small pleasures in life can keep you motivated to keep at your job search with enthusiasm and vigour.

Learn A New Skill: Let 2018 be a year where you focus on upskilling yourself as you look for a job. This will give you greater confidence to crack that crucial interview and will add to your CV as well, in the long run. A good website where you can find a large variety of courses to suit your needs is Coursera. People underestimate how important it is to follow industry trends and keep yourself relevant while making a career comeback.

Take Better Care Of Yourself: If you take care of yourself and lead a healthier lifestyle, it will automatically translate into a greater focus towards your job search. You need to put your best foot forward while you are making a career comeback.

During an interview, any signs that you are not focused on being your best physical self can give an indication that you don’t know how to do your work best either.

Organisation Is The Key: This year, stay organised to make your job search easier. Keep track of the companies you apply for. This can make it easier for you to follow up with them. Use apps, calendars, whatever works for you to keep track of your applications and their status. Have recruiters’ numbers handy and make sure to reconnect with old colleagues.

And most importantly Stay Positive: In 2018, resolve to stay positive and resilient. Every company you apply for, every interview you prepare for, will help you and increase your confidence levels and is a stepping stone towards realising your goal. Your efforts will ultimately lead you to get the job of your dreams.