New Year's Resolutions for Job Seekers

That's right: there are approximately three weeks left in 2010, and with all the shopping, wrapping, and cooking you've been doing, you've hardly had a chance to think about your New Year's resolutions. That's why most of people fall back on old standbys when December 31 rolls around: Exercise more. Spend less. Eat more vegetables. We just don't have the time to plan something that might really change our lives.

But New Year's resolutions are just as important as visiting with friends and reuniting with family over the holidays, because they are the gift you give to yourself.  And if you're a job seeker, a carefully crafted New Year's resolution can help you land a position in 2011.

To write great New Year's resolutions, you need to follow a concrete plan that will help you attain your goals. Here's how:

Keep Your Goals Concrete
We all tend to make sweeping New Year's resolutions, like "this is the year I'm going to lose the spare tire around my waist," or "this year I'm going to land the job of my dreams." While these goals are great, they're more of a destination, when what you really need is a road map.

To focus on your job search in 2011, you need to treat your New Year's resolutions like a "to do" list of attainable goals. "I'm going to lose five pounds," "I'm going to build an online social media presence" or "I'm going to attend one networking event every month" are some great examples of resolutions you can actually measure and complete. Once you finish one step, you're ready to move on to the next one.

Start With What You Know
Like any good to do list, your New Year's resolutions should start with some familiar things you can complete and cross off your list right away. This will help keep you motivated – if your list starts off with "Climb Mt. Everest and cure cancer," chances are you'll never even get started.

Think about the things you need to do for your job search, but that you've been putting off because you've been too busy: updating your resume, contacting an old colleague, signing up for that alumni network at your alma matter. These should be things you can accomplish relatively quickly, and that you already have the skills to complete.

Expand Into the New
Any good New Year's resolution should also push you to break out of your routine, learn a new skill, and try something new, which can really benefit your job search. Think about the things you've wanted to do but haven't because you don't know how and haven't had the time to learn. Maybe this is the year you really want to take advantage of networking on Linked In, create a video resume to catch the eye or a hiring manager, or build your own website.

If you're unfamiliar with the technology behind these job search tools, getting started may seem daunting, so start out slowly. Do some reading and research to get acquainted with software options, "how to tips," and online protocol. (We've got plenty of social networking tips for job seekers in our blog archives.) Find experts and ask for their opinion. Then you'll be ready to get started.

Re-Evaluate During the Year
Another reason most New Year's resolutions fail is that they have plenty of momentum in January, but by mid-February, they've all but fallen by the wayside. As you plan for your job search and write up your New Year's resolutions, build in some deadlines and checkpoints to help gauge your progress throughout the year.

For example, if you know you want to attend a big industry conference in May, make sure to have your social media profile complete by the time you submit your RSVP in March, and your new business cards and resume printed in April before you leave.

Reward Yourself
One of the best parts of tracking your progress and setting deadlines is that you can see how far you've come on your journey. Finding the right job can be a long and involved process, so it's important you celebrate each step you take and each resolution you reach. It doesn't have to be anything huge or expensive – you can cook your favorite meal, go see a movie, or visit with friends – but building in rewards to your timeline will keep you motivated in your job search and your resolutions all year long.