The Most Powerful Career Tips for 2023

Just 12 short months ago we were looking at 2023 like a newborn. It was shining like the sun, full of potential and promises for a better year. Now that 2023 is almost full grown, what can you accomplish with the time that’s left? Before the year ends, it’s imperative to reflect on the skills you’ve gained, and what you learned about yourself so far. I equate this planning exercise to a process called “progressive elaboration”, something I learned as a project manager. The term progressive elaboration is simply the process of refining your scope as you gain more information.

Looking back at your actions and accomplishments this year, what is now more clear than it was 12 months ago?

• Were you able to accomplish goals you planned to achieve this year?
• Did you discover things about yourself that you didn’t know before?
• Were you able to enhance your skills or gain a certification?
• Did you uncover new interests that are now influencing your career path?

Whether your answers are “yes” or “no” to the questions above, I’m sure you learned a lot.

Taking time to reflect is a healthy way to learn from your experiences. Using your hindsight and lessons learned can be a valuable tool for effective planning. While you may not have accomplished what you wanted, still, you have information that can help refine your plan. Commit to taking an optimistic view of your journey because it’s really about the growth that comes out of the chaos. So, if we adopt a growth mindset, then the opportunity still exists to explore and expand your horizons.

PRO TIP: Focus on what went well AND what you learned, then create an enhanced plan to finish 2023 strong!

Consider using one of the career tips below to adjust your strategy.

TOP 5 CAREER TIPS

Here are the top 5 career tips based on LinkedIn’s analytics for my content, including comments from colleagues who shared their wisdom and experiences with me.

1.Renew Your Career Outlook. Your career outlook is how you think about your career and your ability to achieve your goals, whether it’s a role change or a promotion. In every situation you have to shift your perspective — basically “leveling up” to meet the new demands of your career goals.

Read: How a Career Makeover Can Inspire Your Performance

2. Create a Master Resume. A master resume contains all the jobs you have done with skills, projects, assignments, gigs, volunteer roles, and significant accomplishments. Sometimes we forget about projects we have done or discount work because it may not be in the current industry. Remember, skills are transferable and may aid in creating a shorter path to your career goal.

Read: How to Reverse Engineer Your Ultimate Job in 5 Steps

3. Embark on a Collaborative Project with Peers. Engaging in a collaborative project with colleagues can be exciting and a new opportunity to supercharge your skills and visibility. But, before you take any action: Assess if you are on track for the goals you’ve set and how the project can help propel your career goals.

Read: 5 Questions to Supercharge Your Side Projects

4. Think about Your Skills Holistically, Not Just the Ones You Use on the Job. Exploring your passions in a practical way can give you variety but can also help rule out roles or tasks you don’t like with low risk. Look for ways you can explore new areas of interests and challenge yourself to get out of your comfort zone.

Read: One Easy Way to Explore Your Passion AND Develop Skills

5. Use Your Job Like Your Learning Lab. It takes a creative mind to reframe and reinvent situations so that one can gain the upper hand. In your learning lab (current job), why not use the opportunity to develop skills that will positively benefit you in the future? You should never have a “job” again because the job should be your lab. In your lab, you can explore concepts, make connections, use company resources to develop your skills, build relationships, and create experiences.

Read: Career Playbook: Why You Should Never Have a Job Again

BONUS

6. Pay attention to things within your control that can derail your plan.

If you are tired of feeling like a victim due to situations in your career that you can’t control, then there is a way to help you gain a new perspective. I know that managing your career is a priority because you are reading this article. Take it a step further and be objective about how you are approaching the things that ARE within your control.

Read: 5 Things That Can Derail Your Career Progress

Save Your Future Self — Think About What’s Next

Now that we have gone through tips that can help you finish the year strong, what else can you do to set your future self up for success?

While you are planning, think about how you can push past your comfort zone to add a view of the future — the next 2–3 years. How are you thinking about your career trajectory and the proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI)? This view will broaden your outlook for the skills you will need to thrive in a rapidly changing world.

• Are you using AI tools on the job or for leisure? (If not, why not)?
• Have you started to assess how AI may impact your current role?
• What growth opportunities exist in your industry because of AI?

Everyone is at a different position when it comes to AI, but now is the time to start exploring how you can prepare for what is to come in your industry. Check out these free AI courses from LinkedIn until December 2023.

While there is still time in the year to make the impact you desire for your current performance, it’s also an opportunity to start preparing your future self. It requires a proactive approach and a determined attitude to look beyond today for what’s on the horizon

Remember, you define what success means to you, so stay positive, stay focused, and stay committed.

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~Stacey

Stacey Young Rivers, Ph.D.?is a talent development executive with expertise in developing strategies to close skills gaps and build talent pipelines, she is also a mom,?author, and?researcher?who loves sharing insights about the career journey.?

Check out her forthcoming book “Career Bluprint: 21 Learning “Soul-lutions to Achieving Your Career Goals”?and?sign up to get more insights.