As we move into the New Year, many of us reflect on the past year and set intentions for the year ahead. Among the most common resolutions are goals related to personal growth, career development, and self-improvement. While these aspirations are important, they often require more than just a change in habits; they demand a deep commitment to nurturing both our professional skills and our sense of self-worth. The start of a new year offers a powerful opportunity to take intentional steps towards advancing in our careers while also fostering a healthy relationship with ourselves.
How can you use the New Year spirit as a launchpad for career development, self-worth enhancement, and overall growth? This two-part blog will share some tips to help you push ahead in your career search.
1. Assess Your Current Situation
Before you can chart a course toward career development and increasing your self-worth, it’s essential to take stock of where you are right now. Reflection is the first step in any growth process. This involves asking yourself some key questions:
- Where do I stand in my career right now?
- What have been my major achievements, and where could I improve?
- Do I feel valued in my current role, and how can I enhance my contributions?
Reflection allows you to recognize both your strengths and areas where you may need growth. If you’ve been feeling stuck in your career or uncertain about your value, this process of honest self-assessment can help uncover gaps in your skills or areas where your confidence may need a boost. This is not about being critical of yourself; rather, it’s an opportunity to approach your career with curiosity and a desire to grow.
2. Set Clear, Actionable Goals for Career Enhancement
Once you’ve assessed where you are, it’s time to define where you want to go. Setting clear, actionable goals is critical to advancing your career. Whether you’re aiming for a promotion, considering a career switch, or looking to enhance specific skills, having clear goals can provide you with a roadmap for success.
When setting goals for career development, consider the SMART framework:
- Specific: What exactly do you want to achieve? Instead of saying “I want to get promoted,” say, “I want to be promoted to a senior manager position within the next year by taking on more leadership responsibilities.”
- Measurable: How will you measure your progress? Determine clear milestones to track your development.
- Achievable: Ensure that your goal is realistic given your current resources and timeframe.
- Relevant: Align your goals with your broader career aspirations and values.
- Time-bound: Set a clear deadline for your goals to create urgency and focus.
By breaking down your career goals into smaller, more manageable actions, you can create a step-by-step plan to achieve them throughout the year. This helps to prevent overwhelm and gives you a sense of accomplishment as you check off each milestone.
By intentionally focusing on strengthening your inner dialogue and self-esteem, you’ll begin to see the external effects in your career as well. You’ll speak up for your value, ask for the opportunities you deserve, and have the resilience to overcome challenges that come your way.
Don’t wait for the “perfect” moment to act. Start now, even if it’s just a small step. The process of moving forward—whether that means applying for new positions, seeking new projects, or advocating for yourself—builds confidence and reinforces your sense of worth.
The New Year presents a fresh start and a chance to refocus on your personal and professional development. By prioritizing your career growth and boosting your self-worth, you create a solid foundation for success. Remember, career advancement doesn’t happen overnight, and increasing self-worth is an ongoing journey. However, by setting clear goals, committing to continuous learning, and cultivating a healthy sense of self, you’ll not only achieve your professional objectives but also foster a deeper sense of fulfillment in all areas of life.
As you move forward into the New Year, take the time to invest in yourself and your future. With CFIR career coaching you have a chance to build focus, determination, and a healthy self-worth, whereby you can make this year the one where you truly thrive both professionally and personally.
Erin Leslie, career coach at CFIR and founder of EQFootprints is a Career Strategist and Leadership coach who will enable any professional or team to achieve their career aspirations through personal development, training and coaching.
Erin practices one-on-one and team coaching with clients and mentees across all industries. Certified in EQ-i 2.0 assessments, Erin specializes in emotional intelligence practices and tools to support a stronger emotional quotient in the workplace. Her emotional intelligence acumen harvested through 25 years as a business career woman in tech; combined with a tailored coaching style she has the intuitive ability to uncover personal or environmental barriers and help identify new goals for your business audience. Helping professionals, teams and newcomers with all aspects of business negotiation, personal branding, networking and business culture is not only a vocation, it is her passion.
