Career Resolutions

Christmas with all its hustle and bustle is over. This weekend we will celebrate the end of one year and the beginning of another. What a great time to make those resolutions! This blog will be devoted to career resolutions. If you are looking to start a new career, implement some of the following strategies in to your job search to increase your chances of success:

• Develop a positive attitude
• Assess your personal characteristics and your skills
• Let your enthusiasm show during every interview
• Make a good impression with your resume, cover letter, and interviewing skills
• Learn about the company you are applying to and be ready to discuss that knowledge during the interview
• Dress for success during the interview
• Choose references carefully
• Keep up with the latest technology
• Utilize online employment sites by posting your resume
• Joined LinkedIn and create a professional profile
• Join online job boards and participate
• Network with everyone you know and everyone you meet
• Join a professional association and attend meetings regularly

Treat your job search like a job. Put the necessary time into your search.

Enjoy the Season

The holiday season is upon us again. It seems to come around faster and faster each year. That should be a clue that perhaps our lives are too busy. Do yourself and your loved ones a favor by taking some time to take time.

• Remember to take time to be with family and friends and enjoy their companionship.
• Listen to carols and enjoy the decorations.
• Instead of thinking of all you have to do for the holidays as a chore, enjoy the beauty of the season and the fun holiday activities are meant to bring.
• Visit a shut-in or someone who is lonely.
• Bake some cookies or make fudge.
• Entertain dressed in your best attire.
• Attend to your spiritual side.
• Spread love and cheer wherever you go.

Balancing work, play, spirituality, and physical well-being is the best way to enjoy the holiday season and life in general.

Tis the season. Slow down and enjoy.

December--Take Care

December descended cold and snowy in PA, which calls for extra caution when driving and working and playing outdoors. It can actually be a reminder to show a little extra caution in the workplace, too.

Take care to use safety in the workplace, especially with the evenings becoming darker earlier and with holiday decorations being displayed (all those extra cords and items in the way).

Take care to use extra patience since people are under more pressure and stress at this time of the year. Kind words often work wonders in volatile situations.

Take care to not take on too much, especially with all the extra time extended to holiday preparations.

Take care of old negative business--mend relationships, forgive grudges, forget about unattained goals, and forgive yourself for personal failings.

December is a great time to wrap up loose ends from the year and get ready to begin anew when January comes.

Be Grateful

Being grateful ranks high on the list of what you can do to attract good things into your life, and Thanksgiving is the perfect time to be grateful. One of the many things I'm grateful for is that I turned in the last chapter of my new book on time. It feels good to have accomplished the feat! The book deadlines also kept me too busy to blog.

Don't forget to think about all areas of your life when giving thanks--physical, mental, spiritual, health and well-being, talents, peace of mind, and so forth. You get the picture. Take some time in the next few weeks to get centered and open yourself to all of God's blessings.

Push Yourself

As president of Pennwriters, Inc., a 400+ member writing group, I write a column for our Penn Writer newsletter. Our October theme made me think of some positive words to pass along to everyone.

• Define your goals clearly and write them down
• Identify your supportive forces (friends, family, books, classes, etc.)
• Reward yourself for victories
• Develop an action plan and set deadlines
• Take action
• If you do not get the results you want, change your tactics
• Reach out to your support system
• Think and speak positively

When you take positive steps in the right direction, you are headed for success.

Happy Fall, All

Autumn begins this week and with it Fall Fix-Up season, making it a good time to fix-up things in our lives such as these:

• Personal relationships
• Workplace relationships
• Time management
• Organization of home and office
• Careers
• Eating and exercise habits
• Social habits
• Online presence

You can find tips for time management, organization, workplace relationships, and career help in my former blog posts and on my website.

Where Does the Time Go?

Since returning from my Disney World vacation, I have been totally focused on writing my new book, Seeking a Job After 50. I turned in the first two chapters yesterday and am diligently working on Chapter 3.

All this work brings to mind time management and organizational skills. My website, www.carolsilvis.com, has a list of time management and organization tips if you need a little help in these areas.

With fall coming, it's a good time to take stock of where our time goes and how we can make the most of it. Soon we will be facing another holiday season and all the time crunches that come with it.

Do yourself a favor and take time to enjoy life.