What better time than the start of a new year to look at ways to refresh your career?  In this latest careers advice article WBS Careers Manager, Lisa Carr, offers six strategies to do just that.

How are you feeling about the work year ahead? Energised and reinvigorated after the Christmas break? Or do you feel a nagging sense that you should be doing something more exciting with your career?

Here are six ways in which you can take control of your own career development in 2017

1.Review Your Career Goals

How far is your current job supporting your long-term career goals? Do you even know what those goals are? When was the last time you reviewed them?

Most of us spend our careers reacting to organisational requirements and ad hoc job opportunities. We may need a conscious effort to get back on track or to re-evaluate whether our original goals have now changed.

Start by reflecting on what you want from your career now, including your values, motivations and ideal work environment. Review your skills and personal strengths and consider what career paths best use these. Try the free online WBS Career Management course to structure your thinking or set up a free consultation with one of the careers team at WBS.

Find a way: Get back on track when it comes to your long term career goals
2.Grow Your Job

You may have a target job in mind but lack a crucial element of experience. Maybe you would like more challenge at work.

First, identify an activity you would love to take on which best uses your strengths or which would fill a gap in your CV. Look at which projects are happening in your organisation and which staff are leading on this work. Set up an informal chat with those involved to find out more.

Think about how you could get involved and where your experience could be useful– for example joining a project team. helping out with peak workloads or providing a fresh perspective.

Talk to your manager to express an interest, explaining how it can help your performance in your existing job and ask for help in brokering opportunities. 

Up, up and away: There are different ways to get up the career ladder
3.Upskill

Your careers review will have uncovered some skills or knowledge you would love to develop further. Do your research to find out how people typically develop that expertise.

A formal qualification such as an MBA, DBA or Executive Short Course may be an option. Courses may be available internally, through a Business School, professional body or other training provider. Equally, the skill could be developed through growing your role, work shadowing or mentoring.

Think about what support you will need from your organisation in terms of time off work, adjusting your work responsibilities or help with fees. You may need to put together a business case.

4.Expand Your Network

Growing your professional network can give you fresh insights and open up new career avenues.

Start by reviewing the network you already have. Are there any key individuals with whom you would like to re-engage? Suggest a quick coffee or a call to seek their advice on a work issue or to catch up with what is happening in their sector.

Could you get more involved in professional groups? Think about joining a subcommittee or helping to organise an event. This will raise your profile and help you build new relationships with other organisations.

Take every opportunity to network within your industry but don’t limit yourself to this. Consider joining regional Warwick networks or local business networks to widen your horizons. You never know where your next job could come from.

5.Volunteer

Volunteering outside work is a fabulous way of building skills and networks which can reinvigorate your current role and open doors to new careers.

Unpaid work can enable you to dip your toe into really interesting work areas and provides a safe way of exploring a potential career change.

You can browse volunteering opportunities at sites such as do-it, timebank and NCVO.

There are opportunities to volunteer at WBS, including mentoring. If you would like a higher level role or cannot find suitable vacancies online, consider applying to target organisations directly to negotiate how they could best use your skills.

Leap of faith: Take a risk is WBS Careers Manager Lisa Carr's last tip
6.Take a Risk

Sometimes you have to take a leap of faith to force yourself outside your comfort zone.

You may spot an intriguing opportunity internally, for example covering a colleague’s maternity leave or taking a short-term contract. Maybe the role isn’t exactly in line with your planned career path. But if it will build new skills and networks – think about going for it.

Consider taking a sideways move to another department or a competitor. This broadens your experience and can give you an edge when you apply for more senior roles. Perhaps you could take on occasional freelance work or start a part time business.

What have you got to lose? Your original career will still be there should you decide to return to it, this time with more experience which will only enhance your employability.