It’s 2025, and like many other Americans, you made your New Year’s resolution as the ball dropped on New Year’s Eve. You decided that this year will be the year you find a new job. But how do you accomplish this goal? According to The Ohio State University’s Fisher College of Business, 91% of New Year’s resolutions fail. Why? Because, making a resolution or a goal is only a small part of the process; you must implement a plan to turn your goal into reality.
Accomplishing a goal is like planning and taking a trip. It’s not enough to say, “I want to go to…” If you don’t make arrangements to get to your destination, you will never arrive. It’s great that you made finding a job your goal, but you will fail if you don’t develop a plan to make it tangible and reachable. Let’s look at the steps for realizing your new job goal.
Step 1: Clarify the job that you are seeking
When you go on vacation, you must pick a destination and a place to stay. If you hate snow, you aren’t going to book a trip to Aspen, Colorado in January just because it is the first place you came across on the internet or because there is a discount you can’t pass up. Along the same line, don’t apply to every job that remotely matches your desired position, regardless of how tempting. Instead, determine the kind of position that matches your experience, your interests, your career path and your skills and focus on pursuing the jobs that meet your criteria. In the long run, you will see better results with less effort.
Step 2: Break your new job goal into smaller goals
If you are going on a road trip, do you jump in your car and start driving without directions, without packing clothes and supplies, and with no money? Probably not. Most likely you look up directions on your phone, you arrange stops along the way, you pack your suitcases, and you decide how much money you wish to spend. Finding a new position works in the same way. Make small obtainable daily, weekly, and monthly goals that will lead you down the right path. Use a calendar to record your daily goals. Set alerts to remind you of your upcoming tasks to stay on track.
Items that should be considered include revising your resume, updating LinkedIn and other social media accounts, researching and targeting companies, applying to job postings, interviewing for positions, asking for referrals from friends and business associates, and registering with employment services that specialize in your field of interest. Also, depending on your industry or skill, you may need to update certifications, licenses, or computer software knowledge to increase your marketability.
Step 3: Avoid traffic jams or distractions
When you take a long road trip, inevitably you will run into a horrendous traffic jam that adds hours to your drive. When attempting to accomplish your daily goals, there are a lot of traffic jams that can hinder you. These traffic jams are the day-to-day distractions that you must avoid at all costs. Sure, it’s a lot more fun to play Candy Crush, read Instagram posts, or check out the latest videos on TikTok, but these diversions will hold you back. The best way to stay focused is to allot a timeframe to accomplish your objectives.
If you are unemployed, it is best to commit four or more hours each day to finding a new job. Dedicating blocks of time in your schedule will help you avoid getting sidetracked with other tasks. Save your fun activities as a reward for completing your daily goals. If you are employed, you will have less time for a job search, but you can still designate time in your schedule, even if it is just a few hours per week.
Step 4: Reassess your direction
Even the best organized trip can result in some unexpected delays or detours. Think of the movie, National Lampoon’s Vacation. Clark Griswold meticulously arranged every aspect of the family trip to Wally World. Despite his efforts, he had to overcome getting lost, being robbed, crashing his car, killing a dog, Aunt Edna dying, and holding up an amusement park to give his family a vacation to remember. When looking for a new job, you are sure to encounter your own hurdles. Don’t be afraid to take a new direction if your current one isn’t working. If necessary, be ready to reassess and revise your daily goals to get back on track.
Accomplishing your goal requires focus, motivation, and effort along with a good plan of action, but the end result of finding the right job will be a worthwhile payoff. In closing, to keep you moving in the right direction, here is a quote from motivational author, Paul J. Meyer.
“Crystallize your goals. Make a plan for achieving them and set yourself a deadline. Then, with supreme confidence, determination and disregard for obstacles and other people’s criticisms, carry out your plan.”
When you are ready to embark on your journey, fast track your job search by enlisting the help of an experienced recruiter from Area Temps. At Area Temps, we’ll help you get your foot in the door of the leading companies in Northeast Ohio. We’ll go out of our way to match you with a job that best suits your skills and career goals. Contact us today and you could be on the job tomorrow.
