Spring has sprung! With new beginnings and good things blossoming, it’s a fantastic time to spring clean your career. Instead of decluttering your office and dusting off your résumé, why not take stock from the inside out? Here’s how:
1. Re-evaluate your mentor relationship. If you currently have a mentor, how can you tweak this relationship for your biggest advantage? Perhaps meet more often, or meet face to face once a quarter instead of only via the phone or email chats. Create ways for your mentor to better support you in your endeavors. Your career, as you probably already know, isn’t only about getting to the next job or climbing the next rung; it’s also about solidifying the skills and relationships already in your vernacular.
2. Retool your vocabulary. Is the word “try” in your vocabulary? If so, it’s time to toss the word altogether. Have you ever invited someone to a birthday celebration, and he or she said they would, “try to attend”? You know the drill. Did they ever really show up? Exactly. The word is not necessary, and it’s also an excuse. Do you intend to accomplish something or not? Will you attend a meeting or not? Will you create a new goal and “try” to reach it, or will you set a a smaller milestone in order to simply reach it?
3. Rethink your thoughts. Have you ever noticed that reaching a lofty goal, getting promoted or doing the heavy work — like not only looking for a job in another state, but landing it, relocating and enrolling your kids in their new schools — all started with a simple vision? Then, of course, you believed in that vision, took steps to achieve it and knew no matter what — regardless of time, effort and energy involved — it was going to happen? It all starts with a vision, so this spring is the ideal time to create new visions.
Whether it’s a matter of creating a vision board, writing down your goal in a place you’ll refer to on a daily basis or physically drawing your vision in a journal, begin with positive thoughts about where you see your career going. The vision doesn’t have to be concrete, such as landing a new job or earning a specific amount pay. In fact, it can be anything you want it to be. Maybe the vision is successfully running a department meeting and stepping up to the plate to take new responsibilities.
4. Renew your commitment. Time is certainly flying as the first quarter came and went with a blink of an eye. As you examine your goals for 2015, how are you doing? Take stock with your own personal report card, but instead of checking off the boxes with concrete things, add flair. How are you nurturing your professional relationships? How’s your professional brand progressing?
Renew your commitment to your goals and, consequently, yourself. Do you need to slightly alter anything, like establishing two coffee meetings or one event per month to network? Don’t worry if you’ve been hibernating all winter. This is the perfect time to look at warmer temperatures with a renewed spirit to get out there and be more interactive.
5. Upgrade your image and outside activities. OK, this one is twofold and actually has to do with the exterior. How does your work wear fit into who you are? Do you need to take things up a notch with a power suit? Power pen? Power bag? Power anything?
In turn, how is your confidence? Outside pursuits and enjoyment leak into the workday, so try out for a role in a local theater production or take that improv class — something you’ve been scared to do for a long time, which is all the more reason to dig in. Or maybe you went to a Toastmasters event and now want to commit to attending more frequently.
Whatever the outside endeavors, if they’re making you happy and you’re making connections, chances are that spring in your step will carry over to your work and in your job search. Pursue outside endeavors with manageable time commitments to ramp up your sense of self — not to mention your smile.
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5 Ways to Spring Clean Your Career originally appeared on usnews.com