Getting it Right in 2020!

Is it too late for me to say "Happy New Year" and "All The Best" for 2020? I hope not....

Like most of you, I returned to work on Monday just gone and felt fully refreshed and geared up to start the New Year well. More than ever, there is an emphasis on "New Year, New You" and making positive change for the year ahead. Everywhere you look, be it Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, there are motivational quotes, some quirky hash-tags, and everyone seems to get on the bandwagon, which is absolutely fantastic! However, how do we make it sustainable? We have to be realistic.... Rome wasn't built in a day was it.

We are all evolving every single day, by the people we meet, the situations that we come across, the positives, the negatives, they all have an effect and help shape who we are and what we become. If you look back at the last decade, and view the person you were in 2010 to the person you are now, you will have changed, physically (for sure!!), mentally, and emotionally. I look back at the 23 year old I was back then, and I definitely have changed in all three of those departments, and it is all down to experiences. For example, food, booze, stressful job and lack of sleep on the physical side :).

If you are still reading this article, (thank you, you are kind!!!) I would like to go onto how we can bring this positive thinking and motivation into the job search, for those of you who have entered 2020 with a new job in mind. Whether that be you dislike your current boss, you have reached a glass ceiling, you are overworked and underpaid? Maybe you require more of a work-life balance and flexibility? Or you might be one of the lucky ones that loves absolutely everything about your job and the people you work with, but life is too short and you just fancy changing things up a little? Whatever your reason is to look into the job market, there will be a solution out there for you, as long as your approach is right.

My advice when it comes to goal setting for a job search is to visualise your end goal and work backwards. So for example, where would you like to be in the next 5 years? What role would you like to be in? How far away are you from that goal? Does that role suit your current setup, or would things need to change? How would that effect your lifestyle? your family? etc What salary would you expect to be on in 5 years time? Does that go hand in hand with the lifestyle you want to lead? Do you foresee yourself working less in 5 years time? Are your children going to be going to school? Or are they flying the nest to university? All these life experiences will have an effect on your choices when it comes to your career etc. I have just tired myself out typing all these questions, so imagine how exhausting it would be thinking about all of these things, and making sure you make the right decision without doubt creeping in.

So first things first, I would advise you put pen to paper, and start to brainstorm where you would like to be in the next 5 years, think of the things you will need to do to get there, think of potential things that you see as part of your life plan happening in those 5 years and how they may have an effect, then you will start to paint a picture of what things could look like, how achievable they are and what you would need to do to achieve them.

When it comes to careers everyone's drivers are different, some people are happy commuting a long way, some want more local, some want less stress and a low pressure 9 to 5, others want the challenging roles and the financial rewards that come with them. Some people aren't motivated by money at all and want to just challenge themselves on a daily basis so they intrinsically feel they are achieving. So, my second piece of advice is to understand what drives you and what motivates you, especially when you pick up that phone to a recruitment agency it is important that you at least know what your personal drivers are and what your end goal is, otherwise you won't get the best out of the recruitment company that you choose to use. Also, if the recruiter you choose, isn't asking those deeper questions, I advise you find another one.

My third piece of advice would be to market map, you need to understand what businesses are around you, what roles are within those businesses, what have other individuals at your level or above you done to get their roles in their respective businesses. This is not you comparing yourself to others, as for me that is a BIG no-no, this is you just doing your research and due diligence, so you know what is available to you once you start to search for relevant roles in your field. LinkedIn is the perfect platform to perform this research, and again, if you have a proactive recruiter in your network, I would expect them to be market mapping with you as well, and suggesting potential businesses that would find your experience beneficial.

Next up is NETWORKING, this is key to your success and to your motivation. How many quotes have you seen on social media in the last two weeks that say something along the lines of "surround yourself with positive energy". Well, I would like to put the emphasis on the phrase "positive energy" in this quote. At networking events, everyone has a purpose for being there, I mean you will find the odd person hanging round the refreshments table not offering much chat and blatantly attended for the free coffee / croissants, or if it's an evening event, the free champers and canapes, but the majority will be there to engage with new people, to pick up new ideas, to bounce off others positive experiences, and to get their name out there and to share what they are about and this will all be down to the goals they have set themselves. When starting your job search, I would strongly advise to set yourself a target to go to at least one networking event, make at least one new connection, and you never know where it may lead. For some of you, it will take a leap of faith, and a jump out of your comfort zone, and I have felt like this in the past, but in hindsight, the connections I have been introduced to at such events and what they bring to my professional life now, I can safely say the pros outweigh the cons.

Last but not least, and I have touched on it throughout the article, you need a strong support network around you. Job searching can be tough, especially in today's market. You need family, friends and a good recruiter all involved where possible. The choice of recruiter is absolutely key, they need to be as invested in your search as much as you are. You need to trust their advice and you need to be prepared to be as honest as possible so they can help you reach your goals efficiently and effectively. Some people are lucky enough to attend one interview and secure their dream role but others are not. I am a strong believer in things happen for reasons so don't be too hard on yourself if you don't secure the first role that you interview for, and take the positives from it, and your time will come. When that time arrives, you will know if it feels right and hopefully you will never look back, until we get to 2030 when we all become nostalgic again, but this time when you look back you will have no regrets!

For those of you that have reached this part of the article, if you need any advice with your job search please don't hesitate to contact me on LinkedIn and drop me a message, and feel free to follow my company page; One Legacy Recruitment.

Best of luck for 2020!!