Dream big – the year has just begun and the possibilities are wide open!

Before the urgencies of the New Year close in take a well-earned time out to think about what you want from your career over the next twelve months. Pausing to reconsider your direction can prevent the same old routines from claiming your priorities. You know the ones – “no time”, “too stressed”, and “don’t know where to start”. Intervene now before a default setting creeps in to claim your intentions and rule your actions.

So what would you like to change in your career before January 2015 stealthily makes its way across the calendar?
Here are seven suggestions that can revitalize your work year…. starting now –

1. Change the way you are perceived at work. Rebuild your reputation by strengthening what you are best at, and improve on lesser areas. For example, really amp up your proven ability to get things done on time, or even ahead of time, and eliminate the slippage in attention to detail that sometimes results.

2. Develop more leadership strengths. Be alert to opportunities to take charge or co-charge of a small project or initiative where you are involved in planning, resourcing and delegating. Work closely with a team either directly or cross-functionally to improve your management and communication style.

3. Become a trusted right hand to your boss. Assess where you could save them time by offering to take on pre-work or extra tasks that will lighten their workload. Offer to assist with a new hire or in times of departmental shortages. Create a report or meeting summary that will improve efficiencies.

4. Act as a key member of the team. Provide support to others and conduct yourself at the highest levels of integrity. Become a ‘go to’ person and a stable, positive influence on the team – consistently, day in and day out.

5. Get closer to the business. Be knowledgeable about how your company works and insightful about your customers and their buying patterns. Stay up to date on your industry, your competitors and global influences.

6. Upgrade your skills & credentials. Make this the year you take a clear step toward increasing your value. Find a course, attend a conference, or attach a new set of credentials after your name. If you do enter the marketplace for a new job, or come up for promotion, this alone could be a deciding factor.

7. Pay attention to what you need from your career. If you are not happy where you are, gather the courage to start looking elsewhere. Spending more time doing more of what you don’t enjoy will not bring you fulfillment – even if your salary increased. Focus on career and personal satisfaction first and the money, as they say, will follow. By building in priorities like these you can get more from the job you have and even begin to look ahead to the work you really want. Together these seven steps can build the accomplishment base of your resume and expand your references. Choose to focus on even a few and you will boost your confidence and energize your thinking around your career actions this year.

Much success in 2014, Lynne