Making a resolution list and following it are both different ball games. Most people get too excited to make resolutions but are highly complacent while implementing them. And they are even a step behind to create a career resolution list. A large number of people don’t even make one.

But if you have been planning to make a career shift, land that dream job, or enter the professional world, well then nothing better than making career resolutions and sticking to them. In this blog, we outline 4 resolutions that are an imperative part of every career resolution list.

1.  Seek a Career Mentor

Be it job search, pay hike, job switch, or a career transition, at every stage of your career you are pushed to make decisions that may or may not work in your favor. And it is worse if you are starting a career. Which career path to choose? Which company to apply to? Whether to move to another city? And whatnot.

There are a lot of questions that cloud your mind and affect your decisions. This is why seeking a career mentor should top your career resolution list.

The role of a career mentor is pivotal to a candidate’s success. Mentors are individuals with significant experience and wisdom who can provide you required career guidance, motivation, advice, and training.

However, finding a mentor is not an easy endeavor. With thousands of people out there, how do you know who to choose?

To answer this, first, identify your career goals. Once you know where you want to be and what you want to achieve, then you can seek individuals who are already there.

Network with them, ask questions, and understand how they work. The more your questions are answered, the more confident you will be while selecting a mentor. Besides, most of the time you will not have to look far. You can easily find a mentor in your boss, a senior colleague, or even a recruiter.

2.  Personal Branding

Personal branding has always been important in climbing the career ladder. However, the only difference between now and then is the scope. Earlier, it was only limited to your organization or network. But today, it is wide open in the social space. In fact, it is being used as a tool to attract good opportunities without actually looking for one.

You can pledge to build your brand in 2021 by being more active on social platforms and engaging with people. Start from LinkedIn.It’s a go-to professional platform for individuals who want to widen their professional network or build their brand.

But before jumping onto these platforms, you need to do an important thing.

Find your niche.

Don’t try to be all over the place. Instead, find what you want to excel at and then stick to it.

Look for ways to expand your knowledge and network. Do this by attending workshops, seminars, or training. If your work lies in the creative field, build an online portfolio or website, and showcase your artistry. You can also take personal branding to offline spaces such as office premises. Here, personal branding can be done through,

1. Conducting industry knowledge workshops
2. Conducting or participating in in-house seminars
3. Asking pertinent questions
4. Understanding business’ bigger picture
5. Questioning how you contribute towards organizational goals

3. Hone New Skills

Communication, analytics, research, interpersonal, or leadership, every skill adds to your personality and the work you do. It differentiates you from others in the most tangible ways. But possessing news skills is not a cakewalk. You need to constantly invest yourself and be disciplined towards acquiring it.

To begin with,

• Research about your dream job
• Understand the skill requirement
• Analyze what skills you currently possess and what you would need
• Jot down the list and pick one or two on priority
• Join the required course or program
• Add the skill to the resume

There are many free online courses and educational websites that offer courses on varied skills. Based on what you need, you can enroll in these courses and get going from the comforts of your home. Some of the many learning websites are

1. Coursera
2. Udemy
3. edX
4. Linkedin Learning
5. MIT OpenCourseWare

4. Give Interviews

It’s an important entry in the career resolution list. Because the importance of giving interviews is underrated.

Due to the nerve-racking process, candidates often avoid giving interviews until it is inevitable. However, a good practice is to constantly appear in interviews to test the waters. Interviews are a great way to self-evaluate and understand where you excel or lag. It keeps a tab on your progress and gives you the right push at the right time.

Moreover, landing your dream job is a continuous process. You cannot expect to one day appear in the interview and ace it. For this, you need to be well prepared in advance. And it can only be done when you constantly polish your interview skills.

According to research, on average, each corporate job offer attracts 250 resumes. The typical employer interviews 4–6 candidates for the job and only one gets the final job offer. This means you need to be at the top of your game to ace any interview.

If you’re hesitant to directly appear in company interviews, opt for mock interview courses. These courses are designed to help you prepare by assigning you mock interviewers of the specific field. In most cases, they associate with the subject field experts to give you the required assistance.

Read More: Make These 5 Hiring Resolutions to Stand Out in 2021