Careers resolutions for 2024

The new year is a great time to consider what you want to achieve, improve and learn, to make the most of your career opportunities. We explore some of the best career resolutions to consider in this new year.

A good place to start is to try mapping out the gaps in your skills set and look for opportunities through work or external courses to fill any areas of knowledge that you may be looking to improve. This is relevant whether or not you are looking to make a job move.

‘Careers resolutions tend to be highly individualised,’ says Hannah Szymanski, market director, finance and accounting, at Robert Half. ‘However my advice for anyone looking at boosting their prospects this year is to consider more than just the financial incentives a new role offers. 

‘There is a lot that should inform a decision to move into a new role, including the training and progression on offer and the additional benefits packages.’

Attitude

It is also worth trying to adopt a positive attitude and listen to what opportunities are out there and stay open-minded to different companies and locations. This will keep your search broad and you will be presented with more opportunities, some that may be worth changing location or industry for.

Many trainees find exciting new career paths in organisations, sectors and locations that they had not necessarily been considering at the outset of their job hunt.

‘Looking to the year ahead, it is important for trainees to map out where they want to be in five to 10-years’ time and therefore the steps they can take over the next 12 months to facilitate this vision,’ says Lorraine Twist, director at Hays specialising in accountancy and finance. ‘It is beneficial to set mid-term career goals, to keep on track and constantly move in the right direction. 

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‘One of the key ingredients for success, and thus a crucial career resolution for 2024, is adopting and maintaining a positive attitude. For instance, rather than thinking about what you are owed by an employer, focus on what you can offer to enhance an organisation.

‘Figure out what you can bring to the table and allow this to shine through both in your current role and when applying for new opportunities. Approach opportunities as well as setbacks with professionalism and optimism and you are sure to go far, in 2024 and beyond. 

‘When contemplating where you want to venture on your career journey in the year ahead, take a holistic approach rather than focusing solely on the job at hand. Assess what you value most such as achieving a work-life balance, prioritising your wellbeing or securing a tailored benefits package.

‘You can then use this to paint a bigger picture to help determine how your workplace will fit into what you deem important in the upcoming 12 months.’

Organisation

Alternative career resolutions include improving your organisation.

Being organised allows you to be efficient, productive and focused. It is well worth investing time in getting better organised, as it will prove beneficial in the long term. Develop a workable system that is simple and stick to it.

It is also worth getting involved in at least one professional association to meet people outside your own firm. Also, look to set up periodic meetings with fellow professionals in your area to learn about what they do and how. This will acquaint you with more people in your industry and help them get to know you, so that you can receive career assistance when you need it.

Author: Alex Miller, writer

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This article was first published in Student Accountant in January 2024 | Get the SA app now