2016 – Top Tips to focus on your Career

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Every new year starts with Resolutions but by February many have been forgotten and before you know it Christmas is on the horizon again!  If your New Year’s Resolution is to push your career to that next level, here are some top tips to help you break it down and make 2016 your year.

REFLECT ON 2015

Take some time out to reflect on your year – what were your greatest achievements? Were there any low points and what could you do differently in the future?  How has your past year’s experiences helped you to develop as a person?

WHO ARE YOUR BUSINESS IDOLS?

Who in the business world motivates you because they are just so damn good at their job?  This may be an entrepreneur like Richard Branson or it could be a work colleague or perhaps your manager?  How have they earned your admiration and what could you learn from them? If you can’t think of anyone, take a look on LinkedIn or Facebook at businesses or people in your dream role.  Follow them on twitter and research them thoroughly. It’s a great way to mentor yourself and progress in business without any cost attached!

SWOT YOURSELF!

It’s the hardest thing to do on yourself, but really analysing what are your Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats can help you to understand what the next steps should be in your career. Are you maximising your strengths in your current job and how are you going make the best of your opportunities?  If you have weaknesses or threats, identify how you could turn them into strengths and opportunities – perhaps by additional training or mentoring support.

CREATE A PLAN OF ACTION

To achieve goals in business every company sets themselves an annual business plan and they do this because it works! It’s a place they can go to daily, weekly or monthly to ensure they are sticking to their plan and achieving their goals, so why would you not create your own personal business plan?

SET YOURSELF CLEAR GOALS

Set yourself 3-5 clear and realistic goals and ensure you have set yourself step by step targets to achieve these in your personal business plan. Write these goals somewhere where you will see them daily, your bedroom wall, your phone/laptop screensaver or your mirror, anywhere that will constantly remind you of who you want to be.

NETWORK, NETWORK, NETWORK

As well as attending events that will help you get your name out there, ensure you are a LinkedIn Guru. Firstly, is your LinkedIn profile up to date and full of detail, like your CV? Do you have colleagues that can endorse your skills? Can you ask past employers to write a review for you? Secondly join focus groups on LinkedIn and other sites that are related to your business and skillset.  Form opinions on important industry topics and comment on discussions, start your own discussions and get your name out there as someone who knows what they are talking about.

CONTINUOUS SELF-ASSESSMENT

Every month check your personal plan and ensure you are on target with the goals you have set yourself.  If you are behind, set yourself more manageable targets to achieve your goals and remember to reward yourself every time you get one step closer to the end result.

VISUALISE THE END RESULTS

The most important part of your journey is to continuously visualise yourself this time next year when your goals are achieved. How will you feel? What will it mean to you? Remember if you work at your goals you WILL be in that role you desire and you WILL be successful.

According to research, visualisation works because the neurons in the brain interpret imagery as the equivalent to a real life action. So when we visualise our future the brain generates an impulse that tells our brain to actually perform this action.  So visualise away!

Finally remember the only person who can create your success is YOU. Good Luck on achieving your goals this year, go make 2016 the year you achieve your dreams.

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