When the new year is on the horizon, most professionals reflect on their career goals. In an attempt to make their dreams a reality, many pros commit to a few resolutions.  

However, not all job seekers know which resolutions will guide them toward success. If you aren’t sure, here are a few new year’s resolutions that can make you a stronger candidate.  

Boost Your Brand on Social Media  

Social media can be an excellent tool for job seekers, but only when used the right way. Commit to cleaning up your public profiles, removing any content that may not appeal to hiring managers. If you want to keep content that isn’t going to help you during a job search, make that account private and limit who has access to that information.  

For your public profiles, also spend a little time on your professional brand. Update your LinkedIn profile to ensure it’s up-to-date and reflects your goals. Create posts that showcase your expertise and engage with others in a way that reflects well on you as a professional.  

Commit to Networking  

Networking is another crucial tool for candidates. However, many job seekers fail to nurture the relationships that can genuinely help them reach their goals.  

In 2021, commit to networking. Block out 10 minutes each weekday and use that time to connect with existing members of your network on social media. Additionally, spend 10 minutes during the weekend looking for new connections that could provide you with value. That’s only one hour a week, but it could make all of the difference.  

Practice Interview Questions  

Many job seekers end up cramming right before an interview. While that approach can work, it’s often easier to hone your interview answers if you practice responses regularly.  

Choose an interview question of the week. Then, work on creating a great response over that period. Try a few options out. Get feedback from a trusted colleague, mentor, friend, or family member. Then, once you have a great reply, write it down and keep it in a document or file with other answers.  

By using that approach, you’ll get comfortable with many questions. Plus, you’ll create a study sheet that you can use before every interview to refresh your memory.  

Learn a New Skill  

Enhancing your skills is always a smart move. Before the end of 2020, research emerging trends in your field and identify an increasingly in-demand capability. Once you select one, create an action plan for acquiring it.  

Exactly what your plan will look like will vary depending on the skill you choose. In some cases, you may be able to turn to free online resources. In others, you might need to sign up for classes. Spend a little time figuring that out. Then, use that to craft your learning roadmap.  

Track Your Accomplishments  

When you update your resume or prepare for an interview, you usually want to focus on relevant achievements. The issue is, it can be hard to remember exactly what you accomplished, particularly when it comes to quantifying the information.  

Commit to tracking your accomplishments moving forward. Create a document where you can craft a running list of what you achieve. That way, you can simply refer to it when you need that information.  

All of the resolutions above can be great for job seekers, as well as professionals in general. 

Advance Your Pharmaceutical Career in 2021! 

Alpha Consulting can help you find a position with a top employer that best matches your skills.  Contact a recruiter today or browse our online job portal.