What are your New Year's resolutions? If they involve job-hunting and career development, here are some to consider:
I will be a market maker, not a market taker. I will decide what kind of job I want and go after it, not take whatever job I can find and get interviewed for.
I will play my strong cards. I will look for jobs where my experience is essential, not jobs were my experience is unimportant.
I will figure out my value proposition to employers in dollar terms, and I will figure out how to explain it to employers.
I will take steps, at work or outside of work, to develop my skills and professional credibility in my area of interest. I will pursue professional development activities that enhance my expertise.
I will join a professional association or networking group, and get to know others in my industry. I will attend a networking event once a month, and have follow-up meetings with people I like. If the group is not a fit for me, I'll keep looking until I find one that is.
I will stay in touch with people I've worked with whom I respect.
If I'm unhappily employed, I will not quit my job to look for a new job. I will be patient and diligent in a way that puts time on my side. My quitting fantasies will remain just that, fantasies, until I have accepted a new job offer.
I will take responsibility for my own job search. I might contact recruiters, but I will not rely primarily on recruiters to help me find jobs.
I will remember that most jobs, and the best jobs, are filled by personal referral. I might apply to job postings, but I will not rely primarily on job postings and advertisements to find jobs.
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And here are a few for employers:
I will remember that, as Iain McFarlane observed in his December column, "you get the staff you deserve." I will strive to make my organization an employer of choice in its sector.
I will seek out the best people for my organization, whether they are job-hunting or not. I will not just advertise job openings and see who applies.
I will be choosy, and hold out for hires who will improve my organization. I will press my team to hire people smarter than we are.
I will be open to hiring someone different, who brings something new to the organization.
Finally, for everyone:
I will figure out what I love about my work, and be grateful for it.
I will volunteer in a way that lets the community benefit from my professional expertise.
I will help others accomplish their career goals.
Happy New Year!
Peter Gray is the head of executive recruiting at QTI Professional Staffing in Madison.
