10 Professional Resolutions for the New Year

Career Plans You Can Borrow from the Pros
by Caroline M.L. Potter, Yahoo! HotJobs


The end of the year typically prompts people to reflect on what they've accomplished in the last 12 months -- and what they might do better in the coming 12 months. Have the lessons of a tumultuous 2008 informed how you will approach 2009? Have you even thought that far ahead yet?

If you're not sure about your goals, consider borrowing one of these 10 resolutions from professionals who have already decided what they will focus on in the new year.

In 2009, I resolve to ...

1. Focus on passion, not the passing of days.
Holistic health counselor Trish Balbert shares, "I am going back to school for my Ph.D. in clinical psychology. It will be at least six years before I finish, and a lot of people have balked at that. They comment that it's such a long time, but my feeling is six years are going to pass one way or another. What do I want to have at the end of them? Would I rather spend them doing something I only mostly like or sort of like? Or would I rather spend them doing something that I really like that's going to get me doing something I really love?"

2. Take better advantage of your talents.
Just as the cobbler's children often have no shoes, advertising executive Jim Ellis's agency, Ellis + Potter Advertising, has been so busy providing marketing solutions for clients that they've neglected their own marketing. Ellis says, "In 2009, we resolve to ramp up our website and use its inherent strengths and benefits as more of a new business building tool to create opportunities."

3. Ignore the hype.
Tired of all the bad news? Tune it out! Jennifer DeSpagna, director of Timber Lake West Camp, says, "Well, I don't know if you would call this a resolution, but as my boss put it, 'We are choosing not to participate in this recession!' That is where I'll be coming from in 2009!"

4. Let someone else sweat the small stuff.
Lisa Steadman, also known as "The Relationship Journalist" and founder of Breakupchronicles.com, is ready to grow her business in 2009 -- with a little help. "I resolve to spend more time working ON my business and less time working IN my business. I've already hired a virtual assistant who does amazing work, and I am in the process of interviewing a part-time office assistant that my husband and I can share between our businesses."

5. Raise my profile.
Maya Kalman, president of Swank Productions, a Manhattan-based event-planning agency, shares, "My resolution is to do more publicity and public relations this year. I'm going to focus on doing more press -- because press equals exposure, which equals money!" She adds, "I'm also focusing on staying positive to move the company in the right direction, despite the current economy."

6. Spend money to make more money.
Brooklyn photographer Michael Harlan Turkell, who specializes in the culinary arts, reveals, "I've realized you have to spend money to make money. I had to turn down a lot of jobs this year because I didn't have a commercial space, but I realize how much more productive I could have been with an actual space."

As a freelancer, however, cash flow is always a concern, so Turkell is also on a quest to find a CPA who can help him spend wisely over the course of the year. "Right now, it's about not knowing what to spend and I'm investigating how a quarterly schedule might work best for a freelancer."

7. Recharge to continue to charge ahead.
Daisy Swan, a career coach and strategist and president of Daisy Swan & Associates, promises, "This past year taught me that taking time to regroup and recharge is essential to being able to give my gifts and effectively wear all of the hats that I wear every day! I vow to take time each week (and I do now) to meditate, connect with a larger, greater picture of my life to get centered and present. I know that tuning into the intuition and energy that I am informed by will aid me in making important decisions in the new year that is guaranteed to be loaded with new adventures."

8. Commit to getting commitments.
National workplace columnist and career advisor Liz Ryan admits her resolution took her by surprise. "It's become evident that this year more than ever before, lots and lots of people are scared witless at the prospect of launching a job search. I wish I had seen that sooner. A job-search advisor like me needs not only to share tips, methods, and moral support, but to hold a job seeker to a set of commitments to overcome that 'Oh, goodness, no! Anything but more job-search activity!' inertia."

9. Find the 'hire' power.
Michelle Madhok, founder of Shefinds.com, a popular online shopping blog, is not going to suffer poor performers and will take more time in trying to separate the wheat from the chaff. She says, "This year I will hire slow and fire fast. I will not settle for average employees!"

10. Avoid taking business matters personally.
Career coach Hallie Crawford, author of "Flying Solo: Career Transition Tips for Singles," was inspired by a key line from "The Godfather" film for her resolution. She says, "My resolution is to: Remember it's business, not personal. My peers', clients' or co-workers' decisions are not always about me as a person!"

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10 Do's and Don'ts for a Stealthy Job Search

Networking Tips That Won't Blow Your Cover
by Caroline M.L. Potter, Yahoo! HotJobs


If you've got a job, you probably want to hold on to it until you find another one, even if it's less than ideal. But remember, in most states, employment is at-will, meaning you can be fired for almost any reason (so long as it is not discriminatory) -- including looking for a new position.

So how can a job seeker tap the full power of her network without blowing her cover with her boss? Use these tips from national workplace columnist and career advisor Liz Ryan (asklizryan.com) to keep your job search under wraps.

Do...

1. Tell your people -- in person.

Ryan believes your network is your best resource for finding new opportunities, but she cautions: "Because even our most well-meaning friends can inadvertently spill the beans in unfortunate ways, it's best to share this news in person, while you're looking in someone's eyes." This will allow you to stress how important discretion is.

2. Mix and mingle.

Start going to face-to-face networking events to expand your network. To keep things discrete, Ryan advises, "Don't announce, 'I'm job-hunting!' Instead, tell other attendees, 'I work for XYZ company doing A, B, and C. Of course, like everyone else, I've got my eyes open right now!'"

3. Build your profile to raise your profile.

Network from the comfort of your own home by expanding your LinkedIn profile (or creating one if you don't already have one). She says, "Build your LinkedIn profile and your LinkedIn network by inviting friends and colleagues -- all but the people you work with right now -- to join your network."

4. Tap your resources when doing research.

When thinking about where you want to work next, Ryan says look first to your network. "Begin to research employers and reach out to them through trusted friends and colleagues who either work there now, used to work there, or know people who can make introductions to the employer for you."

5. Expand your network and knowledge online.

Another way to build your network is to participate in online discussion groups. Ryan reveals, "Look for groups devoted to job-search and career topics, such as the 'Ask Liz Ryan' Yahoo! Group, to grow your knowledge base and contacts."

Don't...

1. Broadcast your intentions.

Ryan strongly advises job seekers to avoid any means of broadcast communications. "If you use a LinkedIn broadcast message or a group email to tell friends you're job hunting, there's an excellent chance that someone will not read it carefully and inadvertently tip your hand to the wrong people." She also reminds folks with a vested interest in secrecy not to list their job-hunting status on any social-networking sites.

2. Find out how you'll fare at a job fair.

Job fairs are attracting record numbers of attendees. If you are among them, there's a strong possibility you could run into someone who knows both you and your current employer, creating an awkward situation that could cost you your job. Therefore, says Ryan, "Avoid attending job fairs as a method to meet prospective employers."

3. Count on coworkers.

Keep your search a secret from even your most trusted colleagues. Ryan says, "Asking
current coworkers for help or advice with your job search puts them in a bad situation, torn between loyalty to you and their paycheck. Don't ask them to do that."

4. Blindly respond to blind ads.

Employers often use blind advertisements to attempt to find a replacement for a current employee who does not yet know he is about to be fired. Responding to one, then, puts you in jeopardy of applying to the very company for which you work (perhaps even for your very job!). Even if it isn't the same position or a lateral one, Ryan says, "Don't send your resume to any blind job ads in which the employer is not clearly identified."

5. Give out references at your current company.

It's hard to get a job without references. In fact, solid references are often what seals the deal. However, you shouldn't use your current team members or supervisors as references. Ryan notes, "You'll use these folks as reference-givers down the road, but while you're still working at XYZ Corp, it's not ethical or appropriate to ask XYZ-affiliated people to recommend you for a different job."

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