36 Top Experts on the Best Career Resolutions for 2017 - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / 36 Top Experts on the Best Career Resolutions for 2017 - Introvert Whisperer 36 Top Experts on the Best Career Resolutions for 2017 Every year we make New Year’s resolutions like “eat healthy” and “run five miles a week” and “volunteer,” things that are usually manageable until the middle of February. Wouldn’t it be great if they made it through the entire year!? This year, instead of trying to make it to the gym every day, consider adding manageable actions to your list that will further your career and better your professional development. We asked top career experts for their advice for making career resolutions you’ll want to keep, here’s what they had to say: “The one New Year’s resolution to make this year (and actually keep!) to benefit your professional development would be to become a better networker.  Nothing can advance your career faster than being a good networker.  So, in 2017, you should not only find and attend networking events that can further your career but you should also dedicate some time to hone your networking skills.  Being a great networker doesn’t just happen â€" it must be practiced! Make 2017 the year that your networking efforts pay off!” Jennifer Gefsky, Co-founder of Après “Update your photo on LinkedIn. How old or outdated or appropriate is it for your current career stage? Recruiters (and I am one) still look at photos and we will jump over a profile that is without one or lacking a professional photo. That picture from a wedding 10 years ago isn’t right for you now. Update using a true photographer or have a friend with a great camera take a bunch of shots and choose the best.” Lora B. Poepping, President, Plum Coaching Consulting “The best thing you can do to benefit your career and professional development â€" is to help others within your networking sphere. To position yourself as The Go-To Candidate Everyone Wants on Their Team… 1) Introduce your contacts to  key individuals you know who can help them, 2) Write a positive review about your contacts in social media, or 3) Offer to volunteer at your contacts’ next extracurricular project.” Grant Cooper, CARW, Founder President, Strategic Resumes Business Plans “Seek out a trusted ‘partner in action’ to help guide you in taking the first step towards your career goal, be it a career coach, professional mentor, etc. The one reason why people don’t keep their resolutions is because they don’t actually take the first step needed, or don’t know how to get started. A resolution is useless without action!” Vicki Aubin, Career Transition Personal Branding Consultant, The Rockin’ Career Coach “My professional development resolution is to have a coffee or a peppermint mocha with extra whip with an industry idolâ€"anyone I admire and want to emulateâ€"once a month. I believe you can learn a lot more about a person over a cup of coffee than 100 webinars.” Kayla Kozan, Director of Marketing, Ideal “Decide what you need to give yourself permission for this year to ensure you are not the barrier from meeting your goals. It may be you need to give yourself permission to try new things and fail. It may be to give yourself permission to put your needs first. It may be permission to speak up  or permission to quiet your inner critic/self-doubt.” Amy Wolfgang, Career/Leadership Coach Owner, Wolfgang Career Coaching “Focusâ€"Know what your professional (career) goal for the coming year is, pick one relevant professional development experience (education, training, etc.), and make sure it can be accomplished within the yearâ€"or, worst case, break it into components and schedule the bulk of it for completion during the year. Then DO IT!” Georgia Adamson, MRW / ACRW / CPRW / CJSS / CEIP, CEO, A Successful Career “Know thyself. The more you know about what you naturally do well (vs. acquired skills), what you do to get in your own way (e.g., limiting beliefs), and what you truly desire (vs. what others expect), the better you will be able to find satisfaction and excellence in your work. This is when a job is more than a job or even a career. It becomes a calling. Be willing to invest in this process (e.g., books, group programs, individual coaching).” Carol Ross, Career Integration Coach, Carol Ross and Associates LLC “Keep it simple. If you find the stories developing in your head, remind yourself you could be complicating things and look for a simple explanation. If you don’t have one, ask for it, and don’t overthink. Sometimes things are simpler than they seem.” Tanya Ezekiel, CEO and Executive Coach, CareerCoach.com “The career planning task that every individual should do ASAP is to assess the likelihood that their jobs will be automated out of existence. They can visit this site: Will Your Job Be Done By A Machine? input their field and job title, and look at the results. And if they conclude there’s an uncomfortable likelihood their job will be automated, then they need to: identify a “safe” career pivot, develop the skills they need to make the change via on-the-job, online education sources, and more formal training and start job hunting to make the change.” Donna Svei, Executive Resumes LinkedIn Profiles, Retained Search, AvidCareerist.com “Many professionals consider their professional development only in “crisis mode” instead of planning early (save costs, get good seats) and implementing sound career trajectory strategy. As much as possible, invest in development that leans toward your next career step with or without your boss’s blessing or buy-in.” Mark Anthony Dyson, Founder, The Voice of Job Seekers “Whether you are looking for a job or seeking more professional satisfaction I highly recommend that you become an active member of a professional association. My clients have had many successes after actively participating in their respective trade associations because it has been the most effective way to meet people in their  field, make friends that share similar interests  and stay abreast of current developments in their field.” Lynn Berger, Career Counselor and Coach “The one New Year’s resolution I personally keep and that I advise my clients to keep is to find thought leaders in your industry â€" those you admire and aspire to be and then follow them on social media, read their blog posts, enroll in their online training programs or webinars so you can learn from the best. This is the greatest benefit to your professional development and it’s easy to keep because you enjoy following their work and learning from them.” Jessica Holbrook Hernandez, President/CEO, Great Resumes Fast “Do one thing each day to further your professional developmentâ€"whether that’s reading an article or book chapter, having lunch with someone in your network, attending a professional event, or spending time to update your LinkedIn profile.” Mitchell Friedman, Ed.D., APR, Career Coach “Establish your short and long-term career goals, and proactively identify the experience, skills, and professional development you’ll need to achieve them.” Marty Weitzman, NCRW, IJCTC, RPBS, Managing Director, Gilbert Resumes “The best gift a person can give themselves is to increase their emotional intelligence.  At a professional level, your ability to connect to others effectively will be the difference between a career with very little traction and one that moves like a rocket.  There are books and classes to take on the broader topic of emotional intelligence or you can hone in on such things as increasing your ability to influence, reading body language or communications.” PERSONAL BRANDING Personal Branding starts with how well you speak about YOU.  I want to help you accelerate your career by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my eBook â€" The Definitive Guide to Creating and Using an Elevator Speech.  In this guide, I give you simple to follow instructions for creating a “wardrobe” of ways to talk about you â€" to leave a lasting impression. Get your copy now! Brought to you by Dorothy Tannahill-Moran â€" dedicated to unleashing your professional potential. Introvert Whisperer