17 New Years Resolutions for Job Seekers in 2017

17 New Years Resolutions for Job Seekers in 201717 New Years Resolutions for Job Seekers in 2017Theres something about the promise of a shiny new year that inspires hope even in the fruchtwein Grinch-esque of us. A new year is the clean slate that provides the impetus that many of us need, whether its finding flexible work, resolving personal issues, finally losing those 15 pounds, and so on. So job seekers, if youre looking for flexible work, these 17 New Years resolutions for job seekers in 2017 should give you some serious motivation17 New Years Resolutions for Job Seekers in 20171. Update your resume.Believe it or not, resume styles do trend over time. So if youre stuck using a resume format from five years ago (or older), it could be easy for a potential employer to spot- and incorrectly assume that youre not as current as you could be.Study up on current resume styles or consider hiring a resume writer to help you breathe new life into your resume and hopefully get hired.2. Lea rn how to use LinkedIn- finally.Of all the social media sites out there, LinkedIn still remains the big daddy of them all. If youre looking for work, you absolutely, positively must have an updated LinkedIn profile.Make sure to fill in all areas, including previous work experience, skills, the schrift of job youre looking for, and a professional-looking photo of yourself.But dont stop there. LinkedIn offers a section in which you can blog about things that matter to you. Use that area to show off your skills and expertise as you provide insight and commentary on matters that relate to your area of interest- and impress a potential employer.3. Create a covet-worthy cover letter.If writing isnt your thing, it might be apparent in your cover letter. But a cover letter is not just a page in which to regurgitate your resume.On the contrary, your cover letter is prime real estate in which to show a hiring manager who you are as a person, and why youre a perfect fit for the position. Ideal ly, you should have a few versions of your cover letter, and use the templates accordingly to craft one that is personalized for the specific position youre applying for.If you need help, ask friends or family to peruse your cover letter, or hire a tafelgeschirr that specializes in cover letters.4. Get your home bro ready.Sure, you want a flexible job, but if you think that youll be able to work from your bed, think again. If you want to platzset yourself up for flexible job search success, you need to set the stage- literally. Look throughout your home to find a space that will serve as your home office digs.But if you dont have an extra bedroom to serve as your office space, dont despair. You can make any area work, such as a converted closet, attic, garage, even a nook off of your living room. The point is to make the space for your home office- and your home office only.5. Invest in quality equipment.When you get hired for a flexible job, you might get lucky and have the company you work for give you all of the equipment that youll need. Most remote companies have a BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) policy, though, which means that youll be using your own office equipment.If your computer conks out on you, or if you have super slow Internet, youll struggle to work remotely. So as you job search, take the time to invest in the best equipment that your budget can afford. Youll thank yourself later as you are able to work more professionally.6. Believe that its really possible.Lets say that you have held office positions all of your life, and this is your first foray into the world of flexible work. If you have some naysayers in your life, you might believe that its not possible to be able to have control over your schedule, work at home doing what you love, and get paid for it, too.Thing is, if you dont believe its possible, it wont be. So get into a positive mindset and join the millions of people who comprise the flexible workforce, and know that if you want to work from home, you absolutely can7. Get social (professionally) on social media.For you, social media might just be a fun way to pass the time, but if thats all youre using it for, then youre missing a golden opportunity Social media channels are a great way to build your network, create new contacts, showcase your skills, and yes, potentially get hired.And its also important to keep in mind that the vast majority of hiring managers will peruse your profiles online, so its best to make sure that your accounts are as clean (and professional) as possible- and private. Remove any possibly embarrassing photos, incendiary posts, and anything else that could potentially be misconstrued by an employer.Then, set about to create new profiles that are professional and public and showcase you- and your skill set- in the best light possible.8. Live your brand.You might think that only companies can be a brand, but thats not the case. Every person can be a brand, and its important to know what yours is. Maybe its a combination of your work experience and your humanitarian efforts.Whatever it might be, its important to know who you are, what you stand for as it relates to your brand. After all, employers want to hire people who already have a following, and if youre boasting a hefty following on Instagram, youll be much more attractive and marketable to them than someone who isnt even on social media.9. Take risks.For some, job searching is ho hum. For others, its a chance to reinvent themselves and try new things. Lets say you want to work at a company but they havent posted any positions that match your qualifications. Dont despair or wait months for a job description to pop up.Reach out to the company, introduce yourself to the hiring manager, and ask if you can send in a job application. Sometimes the risk (and the thrill of trying something new) can be as equally as exciting as the reward.10. Figure out your flex.There are so many types of workplace flexibility out t here, it can be hard to know which one you want. But if you dont have an idea of what would work best for you, then youll only extend your job search and wind up feeling frustrated.So take the time to figure out which type of flex (e.g., full-time telecommuting, flexible schedule job, part-time work, freelance gigs, compressed workweek, job sharing, and so on) would fit in with your lifestyle, and then pursue jobs that offer that type of flexibility.11. Get your family on board.If youve only held office jobs up until now, your family might not quite grasp the idea of what working from home entails. They might think that youre available at any time to run errands, chat on the phone, etc.As you work on your job search, schedule a family meeting so that you can get everyone on board (and in sync) with what working remotely really looks like. That means you wont be available, even though you might be working just a few feet away from them. If you respect your flexible job, so will they. 12. Consider a career change.At any point in your career, you can turn it all around and decide to delve into something different. But when you look for a flexible job, it can really inspire you to ditch the old and instead look for opportunities in a new career field.If youre stuck on what to do, look to your hobbies as a rich source of what feeds your soul, then search for jobs that have all (or most) of those qualities. Although a career change can be scary, it can be very exciting to spread your wings professionally and try something new on for size.13. Know what youre worth.Its a myth that flexible jobs dont pay as well as traditional office gigs. But if youre unsure of what the going rate is for the jobs youre applying for, you can always find out by using a salary calculator.PayScale and Salary.com both offer salary calculators that can help you pinpoint what youll probably be making, which can in turn help you during salary negotiations.14. Find a mentor.It can be easy to lo se your way during a job search, especially one that is taking a long time. Having a mentor who can coach you along the way can help keep up your momentum and offer you advice on what you should (and shouldnt) do during an interview. And having a mentor can come in handy particularly if youre considering a new career field.15. Spruce up your skills.You might find that after looking through job descriptions of positions youd love to apply for that your skills are, well, a little lacking. Use the time during your job search to score those necessary skills in order to send in your job application.By taking the steps to further your knowledge, youll create momentum in your job search that will help motivate you to find a position that youll love. Which leads us to16. Head back to school.If youve been stuck in entry-level jobs for a while now but long for something better, it might be time to hit the books again. Investing in your education is always a good thing, and can help you find b etter paying positions that will make both you- and your wallet- a whole lot happier.17. Dedicate time every day to your search.Whether its a few hours or even just 10minutes, devote some time every day to your job search. Youll feel like youre making progress and that can push you forward to search on days when you just feel droopy.But if youre planning to dedicate a lot of time to your search, make sure to take frequent breaks so that you dont burn out. That way, you can always give the best of yourself to your flexible job search.These 17 New Years resolutions for job seekers in 2017 should serve as a springboard for you to design your search to help you find the best flexible job possibleFind a Flexible JobReaders, what do you think of these New Years resolutions for job seekers? What are your plans for job searching in 2017? Let us know in the comments below