Since moving to Storey’s Gate, the Aldrich & Co team has learned so much about how the recruitment consultancy works best. In this article, we outline four resolutions that you can apply to your own career.
And, importantly, by giving you clear steps on how to achieve your resolutions, these are goals you can actually keep!
Aim to GROW
Yes, GROW, or Goals, Reality, Obstacles, and Will. The GROW Method is great for anyone who needs some direction on how they can continue to move along their chosen career path if they have lost their way.
Perhaps a promotion is the best way forward, or specialising in a particular area will help you get your dream job. Maybe shifting industries is the only way to spruce up your career. Whatever your choice may be, the GROW Method gives you a step-by-step solution to getting there.
Take a course of study
In our experience, the hiring heads at our client firms love finding candidates who prioritise continuous learning. If you’re looking to move into a particular role, don’t just wait for your line manager to give you the tasks and projects that will help you get there. Taking a course, especially if it’s certified, can help you move up the ladder much faster.
Think about the skills that will noticeably increase your value. Data analytics and knowledge of AI tools are particularly sought after skills right now, but you don’t need to limit yourself to tech if your interests lie elsewhere. Project management skills will always endure, so if you’re unsure where to get started, a certification course like PRINCE2 could give you the direction you need.
Work on your personal brand
We advocate always keeping your CV up to date, and preferably on a quarterly basis. We also know that people often neglect to do so, especially when they have taken on a challenging role.
This year, aim to do things differently: Log every major milestone or project you completed successfully in a document that you keep in the same folder as your CV. When the time comes to look for a new position, you will be glad to have this log of projects you can easily pull from!
Don’t stop at your CV, either. Keep adding to your professional visibility with quantifiable goals: Publish industry insights on LinkedIn or in a respected industry publication. If you’re not yet at this stage, plan to join an association or attend two conferences a year; these can be great ways to get to know people who could move the needle in your career.
Improve your work-life balance
Demanding roles can take a toll on our lives outside work, and yet it is so important to maintain a balance between our work and our lives outside. Happiness is subjective and difficult to measure, so we recommend committing to what you can quantify: Two Saturdays a month visiting relatives, or a date night every week, or even something as simple as focusing on your morning and evening routine can lay the groundwork for a happy and healthy balance between your work and everything else that matters.
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Our last piece of advice: Don’t take on too much! Choosing two resolutions that you can really stick to is far better than trying to do all four at once.
What will you put on your list of resolutions? If we have inspired you to make a positive change to your career, follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram. We are a specialist recruitment consultancy for London’s finance and banking industries, and we are always looking for superb candidates for our City-based clients.