Career Resolutions for a Successful Start to 2010

The Economic Downturn of 2009 affected hundreds of thousands of Canadians within the workforce. “Layoffs”, “reduced work weeks” and “pay decreases” are phrases that we have heard far too often throughout 2009.

The New Year is finally here and with a new year comes new aspirations, optimism and new growth in many areas of both personal and workplace life. 2010 is set to be a growth year for positions in many industries throughout the Greater Toronto Area and now is a great time to evaluate current career options and become proactive on the job front.

Our Top 5 Career Tips for a Successful 2010 Include:

1. Create Professional Profiles on Social Networking Sites: Social Networking exploded during 2009. Facebook alone has over 60 million active users worldwide. Many Recruiters are now using social networking sites such as Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook to recruit, network and to also do background checks on current candidates they may be interviewing. Social networking sites are a great way to follow and track company profiles. Following companies that you want to work for might increase your chances of being visible and being one of the first candidates to see their current openings.

2. Set Realistic Goals for 2010: Write down a one year plan which should include goals, how these goals will be achieved and how often successes and progress will be tracked (should be every 2-3 months). Setting goals will not only keep your focus but will also increase self esteem and confidence as goals are achieved.

3. Develop a “Plan B”: Always keep the idea that “anything can happen” in the back of your mind. Throughout the duration of 2009 we heard of thousands of layoffs, companies downsizing, etc. With uncertain predictions for 2010 it’s a good idea to be prepared. Get your resume up-to-date and have family members or friends review the document for accuracy, ramp up your networking, practice your elevator speech, research common interview questions, and apply to companies that you would like to work for even if they aren’t hiring.

4. Focus on Developing your Professional Network: Most career changes are as a result of networking. It’s a proven statistic that approximately 80% of jobs are found through who you know. Keep in touch with old friends and family members as you never know who might be able to help you down the road in your job search. Joining associations within your field will also allow you to develop relationships and gain contacts within your line of expertise.

5. Develop a Proactive Approach for Development: This might mean spending less time on personal activities such as shopping and hanging out with friends and spending more time on developing new skills, acquiring knowledge by participating in assignments (personal or professional), volunteering and reading industry related books and news articles.

To view 100's of current openings on TorontoJobs.ca please visit: http://www.torontojobs.ca/en/jobs/search.php?search=job

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