Daniela joined the Office of Career Development in July 2018 as a Graduate Assistant Career Advisor. She strives to connect students with catered opportunities and is especially excited to support students at NSU achieve their goals.
It’s on everyone’s mind once December 31 comes around; a brand new set of resolutions to commit to for the next year. If “new year, new career” is on your mind this season, now is a great opportunity to get serious about your career-oriented goals! Get empowered, spruce up your personal brand, and get yourself moving faster to your dream job.
Picture yourself one year from now, and then five years from now. It helps to start building those goals and experiences to get you to those points you want to reach. Consider these five resolutions as an invitation to up your game in your approach.
- Gather up your professional social fuel and network: Consider setting actionable goals to get social in different capacities! This could mean being present in class and meetings, taking on leadership roles, or maybe attending a conference that introduces you to people in your field. The more you network with people in your industry, the stronger your brand becomes when job search season comes knocking. Don’t be afraid to slide into some LinkedIn inboxes with your most professional foot forward.
- Join a professional organization: An efficient way to start getting social and build networking skills is by joining professional organizations. NSU’s SharkHub website has a whole database of relevant clubs and associations to join. If you’re a biology major looking to become a dentist, for example, consider joining the Pre-Dental Society and surround yourself with knowledge and resources. This can also keep you updated with the trends of your industry, which helps you develop as a professional. It makes your journey more exciting to be around people who do what you do and love what you love.
- Learn a new skill: Employers are looking for candidates with motivation to learn new skills! Whether this be learning a new language, coding skills or getting social media certified, nothing makes you more impressive than having a strong drive to continue growing. NSU’s case competitions every semester can help you build your problem solving and public speaking skills, so sign up for those early in the semester to really stand out amongst your peers.
- Refresh your brand: When was the last time you Googled your own name? The results can be a little surprising sometimes. Do a new year sweep through your social media accounts and LinkedIn profile to make sure you’re showing off your best self. You can also make an appointment with your office of career development to update your resume with those great new organizations and skill sets you’ll need to add on soon!
- Find some valuable mentors: Behind every successful professional you aspire to be is a mentor who guided their path to where they are now. Find the right mentor(s) who you trust and work well with within the network you created. These could be professors, current or former supervisors, or just people you admire in general. Make it clear to them that you want them to mentor you and set goals together. Don’t forget to send a thank-you note or email once in awhile to share your appreciation for their mentorship.
With this new year, reward yourself for the career progress you’ve made, and build on the goals you’ve already started. Career growth and advancement is a process for the whole year, but why not give it another jumpstart this time around? Here’s to a new year!
