A “Must Do” New Year’s Resolution For The Career Savvy

New Year’s Resolutions often seem made to be broken.

How many times have you resolved on December 31^st to lose 10 pounds by June and make it to the gym at least 3 times a week?  Then, by week 2, you start trading off gym sessions for Starbucks Frappacinos…

According to survey results recently published in The Journal of Clinical Psychology at the University of Scranton, almost half (45%) of all Americans usually make New Year’s resolutions, while only 8% are successful achieving their goals (Source: http://www.statisticbrain.com/new-years-resolution-statistics/)

For 2013, here’s a resolution you should make and keep, even if your personal self-improvement / enjoy-life-more goals fall by the wayside.  Resolve to make 2013 your year of networking.

Even if you are not technically inclined, or the thought of reaching out to others paralyzes you with fear and makes you break out in a cold sweat, on line social media offers you tremendous possibilities:

-To quickly (and painlessly) create, build and manage your personal brand.  (Did you know, recruiters and HR professionals extensively use social media to vet candidates and gain insights into the real “person” behind the resume?)

– To make yourself more accessible —

• Find and re-connect with valuable contacts from your past.
• Connect with friends of friends of friends you don’t know personally, but who might be helpful
• Make yourself researchable/findable by search professionals and companies who are looking for talent with your professional profile.

Ivy Exec also offers a mentorship program than connects people with seasoned professionals who volunteer for the Ivy Exec Mentor Network.  This is an easy way to expand your network of contacts, while gaining career insights and targeted guidance in one on one mentoring sessions.  This program is available to Ivy Exec All Access members.  You can click here to browse our mentor search page and experience firsthand, networking made easy.

Even if you are ensconced in a “bullet proof” position, a well developed network represents “career insurance” for the future, because you just never know…  And, if you are already in the midst of a career transition, or one is looming, an established network of contacts is a bridge to the world of the gainfully employed.

Open your mind to the possibility of increasing your accessibility to others and strengthening your personal brand, and make networking one of your top 2013 priorities.  This is a resolution you won’t regret making and pursuing.