More than half the people around the world will be making New Year’s resolutions heading into 2025, and “career” is right up there with health and finance among the top areas where people are seeking change. You might have been craving a slice of change yourself—a career shift or a new position, maybe—and there is no better time than the present to get started. Actually, that’s one of the Top 5 job-seeking resolutions that our ECLARO talent acquisition experts suggest putting on your list as we step into 2025…
Get Started Now…and Keep Going
A job search requires planning and dedication and that extra push from within. You’ve probably heard the saying “treat your job search like it’s your job”—and if you haven’t, well, now you have. So let’s do it. Set a plan. Set a specific amount of time each day that you’ll dedicate to landing that new career—this can include updating your LinkedIn profile, searching job boards for open positions, polishing your CV or practicing for that interview.
ECLARO recruiters emphasize the importance of knowing what you want and working diligently toward achieving it. Self-understanding gives you direction and keeps you motivated and committed. Define clear and measurable career goals moving forward, such as obtaining a specific role, transitioning to a new industry or achieving a desired salary. It can also help to speak about your plans out loud, declare them and believe in them. “Manifest it,” as they say.
Build Relationships and Cultivate Networks
We become better through fostered relationships with peers, mentors, colleagues, even vicariously via the thought leaders and educators we follow online. Truth is, no one really makes it to the top alone. We need other people—their knowledge, their experiences, their wins and mistakes—to reach new heights.
So get out there, literally and virtually. Attend events, connect with industry professionals on LinkedIn, make new connections and nurture the relationships you already have. A solid network can open doors to opportunities that you might not have found elsewhere.
Develop and Promote Your Personal Brand
You’ve no doubt heard that you need to make yourself stand out from the crowd. Now’s the time to do a self-assessment to understand and clarify your strengths, to know yourself and be able to tell the world what makes you unique. Just like your favorite products (or can’t-stop-watching-them celebrities), you need a brand. Developing a personal brand can open new doors and take you to new places. It catches attention, and thus increases online visibility, making it easier for potential recruiters, employers or clients to find you.
Put your brand out there. By consistently sharing achievements, insights and expertise on platforms like LinkedIn, you can attract more opportunities and connect with recruiters and hiring managers looking for talent like yours.
Understand Your Market
Following a trend doesn’t mean just going with the flow or looking for that “hot new career.” For job seekers, it means staying up to date on the changes within the industries and roles that interest you. What are the new skills—and the skill that the future will demand—you’ll need? What tools do you need to master? Where are learning opportunities awaiting? What are the leaders in your chosen field saying about their challenges today and tomorrow, and about the Right People they’ll need on their teams?
Stay up to date with best practices for applying to roles that interest you, keep abreast of industry news, identify new opportunities and learn from emerging innovators and successful leaders in industries and careers that you find intriguing. By staying informed, job seekers can better identify new opportunities more readily. Being aware of market changes is a competitive edge. Such knowledge can guide anyone in tweaking their resumes and presentations, in responding to hiring managers, and staying relevant in these ever-changing job markets.
Be Adaptable and Open to Change
The only constant, the philosophers say, is change. Embracing change can expose job seekers to a wider range of roles, industries and career paths than they may not initially be aware of when their job search begins. Understanding that your skills and experience may be creating new opportunities in surprising places is an important step.
The job market and the needs of employers in building their teams is also constantly evolving, so it's important to be prepared to adapt to new roles, technologies and working environments. Speaking with a talent acquisition professional can help you assess your skills, experience and interests, and possibly discover
BONUS: Learn from Past Mistakes
It doesn’t matter how much experience you have or what stage you are at now in your career—everyone has something to improve upon, mistakes to learn from, errors to correct. Accept the challenges of the past, take a moment to learn what you can from them. Working to develop an understanding of why you didn’t get that dream job in 2024 can help refocus you in 2025, find areas for improvement and energize your efforts.
Yes, it’s fine to look back, just keep moving forward.
All of us at ECLARO want 2025 to be your year! Be ready for anything, stay open to everything the new year might bring you. Remain confident, stay curious, never stop learning! The Right People are the Answer, and you are the Right People! Let’s make 2025 your ultimate career year!
