It’s a new year and that means a new beginning; a time to write resolutions for the year 2012. Assuming we survive the scheduled apocalypse, keeping our resolutions for the whole year is often very challenging, and few of us have ever kept all or even some of our new year’s resolutions.
Resolutions often stem from an area of our lives wherein we are dissatisfied. Gym memberships and online dating profiles certainly spike January 1st, since some of the first places people focus on improving in the new year are their bodies and relationships. Improving your body takes discipline, and after that first week the snooze button on your 6:00 a.m. workout alarm gets hit more than once. Improving your relationship status might take courage if you decide to break up (and a dedicated group of friends to keep you from drunk texting your ex the following weekend).
Each year we focus on our bodies and relationships because we believe we can do better, but how many people are satisfied where they spend most of their day – at their job?
I don’t pretend to be an expert on health and fitness, and certainly not on relationships, so you guys are on your own there. However, I think that an area many people want to improve, but are either afraid or don’t know how to change, is their work life. Here are a few thoughts on this topic that may help you get that promotion or even change careers this year:
What Makes You Happy? Spend some time thinking about what would make you happier at work. It might not just be money – it could be more time off, flexible hours, more responsibility, relocation to a new city, a cubicle closer to the windows so you can watch the squirrels play, whatever it might be for you! When you go to negotiate, come to the table with a plan of action; it’s much easier for your boss to say yes to a reasonable plan you propose than to a generic, “I’m unhappy here and you need to fix it or I’m leaving.”
No Ultimatums! This one is a pet peeve of mine. I think that ultimatums are a sign of immaturity and an unnecessarily aggressive way to get what you want. Ultimatums are generally very selfish and do not result in a win-win situation for all parties. If you say, “I want a raise or I’m going to a competing firm,” be prepared to follow through on your threat, and read your non-compete before you go around making statements of that sort, or you could end up fired and searching for a job 50 miles away.
Ask! If you don’t ask for what you want, you almost certainly won’t get it. Your boss probably doesn’t even know that you are unhappy; people usually assume that no news is good news. Tell people what you want – share your goals with your co-workers and supervisors. If you share your interests, you may find there are other areas within your company where you could be promoted horizontally instead of looking for a new job at a different company, or even in a different industry.
Know What You Do Best. Be confident in your skills and abilities. Figure out what you do better than everyone else and compile specific and measurable evidence to support your claim. This could include getting testimonials from satisfied customers you have helped, reports that show improved sales or revenues in a certain month due to an initiative you suggested, peer reviews from co-workers that state how you put in extra hours or helped them on a project. Don’t be afraid to talk yourself up, but don’t lie.
Don’t Gossip. If there is some area of your job you don’t like, keep it to yourself unless you think you can change it. Constructive feedback is generally welcomed and encouraged my managers, so if your cause for complaint is a process you believe you can improve by suggesting a change, by all means share that view. However, if your problem is with a disagreeable co-worker, suck it up or find specific and relevant evidence that proves they are in serious violation of a company policy. Unless they are stealing or harassing you and/or other co-workers, you might have to settle for killing them with kindness. Try not to burn any bridges, even if you are considering leaving – you never know when you might meet again or if they will be able to influence your future in some way later on. It’s a secret dream for all of us to have some grand speech on our last day and storm out escorted by security, but after that initial rush of satisfaction, have we actually accomplished anything?
Be Humble. Restarting a career may mean starting at the bottom. Be prepared for a temporary reduction in pay or responsibility. If you have spent some time really thinking about what you want and have decided that a career change is right for you, stick it out for a few months. Once you get over the initial hurdle of learning a new industry and building up some credibility, it should get much better. Before making a drastic change in your career and lifestyle, be sure you have some financial security to supplement the change in income and a strong network of advocates. Supportive friends and family will get you through those tough days when you question your sanity.
What are your New Year’s Resolutions? If you want to improve your career or work life, consider some of these tips and you will have the confidence and know-how to make that change this year!
The Real World: College 