| Last year was brutal in so many ways: September 11th, the obituary for the dot.com era, the most layoffs in decades. But it's finally behind us and we get to breathe a sigh of relief and hope for a better 2002. A few New Year's resolutions for your career could be a good start, don't you think?
In early January, we're all filled with positive intentions, but by February, most of them have evaporated. I'd recommend that you not let this opportunity turn into Groundhog Day … you know, the Bill Murray movie where he keeps reliving the same day over and over. Don't just make career wishes - make a plan and resolve to stick to it for the long haul.
Here are some suggestions for career resolutions. Pick any - or all - of them. Or create your own (and send them to me at Jamie@jobcircle.com. All contributions gratefully accepted.)
1. I will get real about my career.
I recognize that my career is more than the sum of my jobs. I accept that I have to take responsibility for defining my career goals and supporting objectives. I understand that I will have to identify steps and activities that will advance my career over time. I know that this won't happen magically if I don't do anything. Sure, sometimes you get lucky, but I won't rely on it.
I will not let circumstances control my career. I realize that my career won't inevitably progress according to my preferences, even if I do everything right. I will not blame my boss, my co-workers, my family, my friends, or anybody else (even if it was their fault.) There will be setbacks, but my aim will be to accept them with good grace and learn from them, rather than whining about them or seeking revenge.
It's my life and my career and I'm responsible. Period. The end.
2. I will remember that the half-life of technology is short.
No matter what my technical competence may be, I will be alert to the inevitability of change. What is valuable to the marketplace today can and will be replaced in the future. I understand that I must be a learning machine and I will always be on the lookout for new knowledge. I won't leap blindly towards the "next new thing," but I'll keep scanning the environment for valid trends.
I acknowledge that my current employer has a vested interest in my current competencies and skills, because that's the basis for my having this job. My current employer may/may not be invested in my technical growth. If they are, so much the better. If not, it's on me. I will not waste time and energy complaining about their backwardness. I will either find a new job that fits better with my development objectives or I will pursue training on my own.
I understand that there is a cost to postponing skills development. I resolve not to be that 47-year old Cobol programmer in the next department who got laid off last summer with no prospects. In addition to saving for retirement and that Porsche I hope to have, I'll put a few bucks aside regularly for my own education and I will invest in myself.
3. I will understand that the current employment climate is temporary.
Despite the gloom and doom in our economy, I will remember that the prospects for IT workers are still excellent. If I'm looking for a new job, I won't freak out about the lack of response from potential employers. I will accept that the gung-ho, 1999 employment marketplace (when anyone with a smattering of technical capability could dredge up a couple of offers in a week) isn't coming back any time soon. I'll be patient and persistent in my job search, because I know that steady effort eventually produces results.
If I have a job, I won't panic about the possibility of losing it. I'll pay attention to what is going on around me, so that I'm not caught unawares, but I won't spend most of my time worrying. Instead, I'll prepare by researching companies in my industry (and other industries too) and creating a financial plan to tide me over. If I do perceive that a layoff is coming, I'll gear up for a search by revising my resume, contacting my network and making inquiries. I'll do this discreetly, just in case I'm mistaken about the vibe.
When the recovery starts - and it should, no later than the end of the 2nd quarter - I'll be prepared for what I want to do next. I'll realistically gauge my value to the marketplace and have a plan for my next career move - whether it's staying where I am, moving within my current company or making a change.
4. I will celebrate my successes briefly and move along.
I will neither talk incessantly about my past triumphs nor shrug them off as though they were nothing. I won't exaggerate my efforts or the hurdles I faced. I will give credit to those who helped make them possible and thank them for their assistance whenever I can.
I will be proud of my accomplishments, but recognize that they are fleeting. I will debrief myself and identify lessons learned - both positive and negative. I'll document my accomplishments so that I can refer to them when it comes time for my next review. I'll also ask for feedback from others to improve my future performance.
5. I will invest in my network.
I will pay more attention to my personal network. First, I'll recognize that I have one and it's composed of my current and former co-workers, bosses, and instructors, as well as my friends, relatives, neighbors, acquaintances (from professional groups, church/mosque/synagogue/etc.)
I'll go out of my way to stay in touch regularly. I'll keep all contact information up to date so that I can find people when I need them. Or when they need me.
I'll look for formal and informal opportunities to spend time with people in my network. My strategy will be to help others whenever I can, because it's bound to benefit me in the future. However, I won't be obsessed with keeping score. You can never be too rich or have too large a network.
I resolve to go out of my way to give a hand to somebody who's new to technology or to my company. I'll resist the impulse to lecture about what I know or "the way things are around here." I will remember that I can benefit from a fresh perspective myself. It's a privilege to serve in a mentoring capacity and I will take that responsibility seriously.
6. I will do something for my career every week.
I promise myself that I will spend at least 15 minutes a week doing something to advance my career. Every week. I will plan for this time and I won't let anything interfere with it. That means making sure to read that article, register for that course or make that phone call … even if something comes up, I won't let it slide.
I recognize that resolutions are easy to make, but even easier to break. I'll help myself keep them by telling other people about them - so that I'll be embarrassed if I punk out. I'll look for a career buddy to help keep me focused. If I know that I need even more support, I'll consider investing in some personal coaching to help me achieve my goals.
It takes 30 repetitions before an action becomes a habit. I'll schedule this as a repeating appointment in my PDA at least through July. And I'll do it today.
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Good luck with your resolutions. Feel free to write to jamie@jobcircle.com if you need some encouragement. Next month, Fundamentals of Networking, the personal kind, that is.
Enjoy this article? Read more of JobCircle.com's Career Coach articles.
Jamie Fabian spent more than 15 years as a human resources executive before changing careers to become a senior project manager for a growing IT consulting company. Now in management consulting for a large Pharma company, Jamie would like to be seen as a hybrid of Tom Peters, Tom Jackson, and Tom Wolfe, but spends too much time working, driving carpool and watching mindless TV to write more than this column. You can contact Jamie with questions and comments at jamie@jobcircle.com.
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