Many of us view the New Year as the perfect chance to make a fresh start. In fact, almost half (45.6 per cent) of the nation’s professionals admit that they have already made New Year’s resolutions for 2018. What’s more, three quarters of those (77.2 per cent) reveal they have made career or work-based resolutions. That’s according to the latest data from CV-Library.
The survey of 1,200 sought to explore what workers want to achieve from their career in 2018. From the data it’s clear that UK professionals are feeling confident about their ability to achieve their goals, with 91.5 per cent stating that they believe they will stick to their resolutions.
Workers were asked to share the changes that they wanted to implement to their working life this year, the top ten include:
Look for a new job – 69 per cent
Exercise before or after work – 31.4 per cent
Change career paths – 24.3 per cent
Take a packed lunch every day to save money – 18 per cent
Get promoted by the end of the year – 14.5 per cent
Leave work on time – 14 per cent
Make a career out of their hobby – 13.6 per cent
Go back to education – 11.3 per cent
Take a lunch break everyday – 8.5 per cent
Be more social with their colleagues outside of work – 6.2 per cent
The data also explored the effect these resolutions can have on morale, with the majority (82.8 per cent) of professionals stating that having career-based resolutions makes them feel more motivated at work. What’s more, one in four (28.7 per cent) workers have shared their goals with their colleagues, and of those that have, 82.7 per cent said their colleagues are supporting them in achieving their aims.
Lee Biggins, founder and managing director of CV-Library, comments, ‘It’s positive to see that so many of the nation’s professionals are setting themselves up for a great start to 2018. With many looking for a new start in January it’s unsurprising to see that looking for a new job tops the list of New Year’s resolutions. It’s also encouraging to see that such a high percentage of workers are confident they will be able to achieve their aims this year.
‘January is the perfect time to set yourself career goals, as you return to work after the festive season and ready for the year ahead. These resolutions can be the motivation you need to take the next exciting step in your career, so if you haven’t thought about yours yet, there is still plenty of time to set yourself resolutions for 2018!’
CV-Library also shared their top five tips for setting and achieving your career goals in 2018:
1. Set achievable goals – Whilst it might be nice to get a new job, go for a run every day before work, take on a new training course and get promoted all before the end of the year, this is not a feasible goal. Whilst you may be able to achieve this, setting your goal posts too high could put unnecessary pressure in yourself.
2. Find a job you love – Take time and care in your job search, to ensure you’re finding the best company and role for you. We spend so much of our time at work it’s important to find a job you enjoy!
3. Discover the next steps – Once you’ve set your goals, it could be time to arrange a meeting with your manager to discuss what you need to do to achieve these.
4. Stay organised – Getting yourself organised can really help you to stay on track. This could mean small changes like making your lunch the night before so it’s ready to go in the morning, or getting up an hour earlier to fit in time to go to the gym.
5. Master the art of work-life balance – Whether looking for a new job, or in your existing role, it’s important to work somewhere that encourages a good work-life balance. Aim to arrive and leave on time, avoid work emails and calls outside of office hours, and take your lunch break every day. These steps can really make your working day much more enjoyable!
Further reading on your career
