Everyone says “New Year, New Me,” but what does that mean for your career?

You spent all year either working your nine-to-five, freelancing and taking on side hustles, job searching, working from home, or something in between. Now with New Year's just around the corner, it's time to reflect on what you want in terms of your career goals. Whether you want to make a major career change or just want to continue making strong career development strides, making a New Year's resolution centered around career goals that you will actually keep can't hurt.  

Don't know where to start or need some career development inspiration? Take our quiz to determine what type of New Year's career resolution you should make. Whatever it may be, we have the career advice to help you get started on the road to New Year's success. 

Quiz: What should your New Year's career resolution be? 

Write your answers down (a, b, c , or d), then find the results at the bottom and more tips on what career goal to work toward.

1. TGIF! The work week is over, what's your first thought?

a.) THANK GOD. 

b.) Sunday Funday = prepping for the week. 

c.) Can't wait for the party tonight, lots of people to meet. 

d.) I really dropped the ball on __ this week. Need to improve on that. 

2. What's your commute pump-up jam?

a.) Working for the Weekend by Loverboy  

b.) Takin' Care of Business by Bachman-Turner Overdrive 

c.) Working Day and Night by Michael Jackson 

d.) Bang the Drum All Day by Todd Rundgren 

3. Which of these excites you most?

a.) Traveling to a new city  

b.) Getting praise at work 

c.) Making a new friend 

d.) Learning a new skill 

4. What's the first thing you do after work?

a.) Take a DEEP breath. It's been a long day. 

b.) When I'm done with work? I'm always working. 

c.) Go out for drinks with friends. 

d.) Listen to an informative podcast while making dinner. 

5. You're asked to do something at work that's out of your comfort zone. How do you feel?

a.) I begrudgingly accept. 

b.) I'm pumped to show more people what I am capable of. 

c.) I'm looking forward to working with new people. 

d.) I'm excited to learn something new! 

6. How do your teammates fit into your life?

a.) They're just co-workers. 

b.) They keep me on my toes. 

c.) They're a great addition to my social network. 

d.) I'm constantly learning from them. 

If you answered mostly "a": Find a new job 

You're feeling stuck at work and are looking for a new opportunity at a different company or even a different industry. Not sure where to start? Download our free guide to jumpstart your job search.

If you answered mostly "b": Get a promotion 

You love the company you work for, but feel like you can do more. It's time to show your boss that you deserve a promotion for all the hard work and job successes you've accomplished so far. Here's how to get that promotion.

If you answered mostly "c": Build your professional network

You love talking to new people and always find yourself in the center of the party. Use those social butterfly skills to help enhance your professional network by going to work events, getting drinks with co-workers, or even something as simple as introducing yourself to other professionals over LinkedIn. Not sure what your networking style is? Use this quiz to find out. 

If you answered mostly "d": Learn a new skill 

You're great at what you do, but that doesn't mean you should stop learning! Maybe it's enhancing the skills you already have, learning new skill sets, or both. Take some courses, listen to podcasts about your industry, and continue to grow as an employee. Here are some online resources to help you out. 

Is one of your resolutions to upgrade your resume and jumpstart your job search? If it is, let us at TopResume helpThis article was updated in December 2020. 

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