Jump Starting Your Career for the New Year

New year, new you -- you've heard it a thousand times before. But what does this platitude really mean? For many Americans, it means starry-eyed self-improvement goals that quickly fall prey to the comfort of old habits and tired routine. This doesn't have to be you. If you're looking for a new job this year, jumpstart your job search by working the following strategies into your employment plan.

Get on Some New Job Search Sites

Believe it or not, there's a world beyond CareerBuilder and Monster. Have you ever heard of Idealist, the job board for people who want to make a difference in the world? How about AngelList, where you can anonymously browse more than 5,000 startup positions? If you haven't, get yourself acquainted with some websites and mailing lists

Reacquaint Yourself with You

When was the last time you truly evaluated your employment goals? If you're just applying to the same type of position as your last job, stop. A new position or even a completely new field might be the perfect fit for you. Take a personality test or set up a meeting with an employment counselor to learn more about the options available to you. Many colleges and universities provide this service to alumni for free or a minimal cost.

Get Organized A full-time job search can get messy. Keep yourself organized by getting into the habit of making to-do lists and documenting every application, email, and lead -- even the rejections. By always having a neat list of your activities and goals at hand, you'll be able to devote more time to chasing new leads and track trends. Are certain types of companies rejecting your application or not responding at all? Your records can give you the big-picture insight necessary to see why this is and help you build a better application strategy.

Hold Yourself Accountable

If your plan is to apply to ten jobs every week, apply to ten jobs every week. Don't make excuses. When you start trying to justify minor failures, it becomes easier to justify missing bigger opportunities. This is why thousands of new year's resolutions fail. When you don't hold yourself accountable, you cheat yourself.

Be a Friend

Your professional network is the best tool you have in your job search arsenal. These are the people who know how you work and can make the difference between getting into a great company or spending the next six months scouring job boards. Invest in your relationships with them. Take a former colleague to lunch; wish your old boss a happy birthday. When you make yourself a constant presence in others' lives and help them reach their goals, they'll be more inclined to help you with your own goals. Never underestimate your network's value.

Contact Labor Finders today for more tips on how to jumpstart your job search.