Last Updated on Dec 20, 2019 by James W
The start of a new year is a great time to evaluate your current work situation and consider exploring other options. If you’re thinking about your next career move, here are some avenues you could pursue in the coming months or years.
Aiming for a promotion
If you love what you do, but you feel like it’s time to take on more responsibility and increase your earnings, why not make it your mission to climb that next rung of the ladder? If there are opportunities to progress under your current employer, talk to them, let them know that you’d be interested in any upcoming roles, and show them why you’re the best candidate for the job. Be punctual, show off your passion, demonstrate hard work and commitment, and be prepared to push yourself. Some companies have much more fluidity and flexibility than others. If you’ve been surrounded by the same staff team for years, and the chances of more senior roles opening up are slim, it’s worth looking at possibilities elsewhere. Moving to a new company can be daunting, but you might find that relocating opens new doors and offers fresh, exciting challenges.
Continuing your education
Do you have a dream job in mind? Are you considering a career change? Are you keen to maximize your earnings? Do you want to learn more and explore other career options? If so, continuing your education may be the best option for you. Studying and undertaking training can expand your skill set and provide you with qualifications that may be needed to get ahead in your chosen sector or facilitate a career change. Today, there’s a host of options available when it comes to further education, including online learning. If you are thinking of investing in yourself and taking a course, the Internet is a brilliant research resource. You’ll find everything from posts like Top 10 US Aviation Colleges: Pilot Training and Engineering to sites dedicated to the best schools to study medicine, computer engineering or nursing. If you’re undertaking training while working, and your newfound skills will benefit the business, talk to your employer about the possibility of funding. They might be willing to contribute to or cover the cost of the course.
Changing direction
Does your current job pay the bills, but offer very little else, or have you decided that your dream job isn’t quite cutting the mustard? Often, we end up going down paths that we didn’t really expect to follow, or we change our minds after a period of time. Even if you wanted to do a certain job for decades, this doesn’t mean that it will all work out and you’ll live happily ever after. People change, and the experience of working can be very different to the vision you create when you’re younger. If you’ve decided that it’s time for a career change, look at your resume, review and update it, and think about what you do want to do going forward. Do you have a specific job or industry in mind, or are you open to ideas?
If you know what you want to do, look at job descriptions, figure out what kinds of qualifications you need, and take steps to make sure you tick all the essential requirement boxes. You might find that you need to study or take a training course, or it may be useful to look at entry-level positions and internships to gain experience. If you don’t have a job in mind, register with some recruitment agencies, upload your resume to job sites, and check new vacancies online on a regular basis.
Going it alone
Have you ever thought about being your own boss? If you don’t like being stuck in a 9-5 schedule, you feel undervalued, you’d like to earn more, or you don’t particularly enjoy the office culture, why not consider going it alone? You could set up your own business or go freelance. It’s not easy to establish a company, but it could bring you great success in the future and enable you to do a job you love. Freelancing may be less secure than full-time employment, but it gives you more control of your diary, and the rates of pay may be better.
Even if you love your job, it’s always beneficial to be open-minded about the future. Sometimes, change can bring exciting new challenges and enable you to try new things and meet new people. If you’re open to exploring your options, you might find that your next move is the best one you’ve ever made.
