2017: a new beginning. A time to stand out as a skilled productive employee. A time to attain greater fulfillment in your chosen occupation. It doesn’t happen, however, with a list of resolutions. Real success begins with real goals. Where do real career goals begin? With tough questions. Past Goals

• Did you attain them?
• If you didn’t reach them, what hindered you?
• What could you have done differently to gain momentum?
• Some situations are out of your control, but would a different response have worked more in your favor?
• Bottom-line: What did you learn?

  Foundational Pillars

• Are your developing key skills, both soft and hard?
• Are you networking, building relationships?
• Do you place a priority on continued learning?When is the last time you took a class, earned certification, or attended a seminar?

  Current Position

• Are you using your specific gifts, talents, skills?
• Is there room for growth?
• Do you “come alive” at work or leave exhausted?
• Would a different position within the company or at a new one fit you better?
• Does your position fit your values, your life goals? (Which merits the questions – have you identified your values and do you have life goals?)

  Of course, digging deep and asking hard questions is only the first step. It’s time for honest answers. After all, you only hurt yourself with anything less. Use your answers to establish a clear picture of your career vision and values and what career choices will best support that vision and those values. Consider:

• Your top skills – both hard and soft
• The work responsibilities that bring you the most fulfillment
• The single change in your current position that would create the most positive difference in your overall career fulfillment.

  Sort out your questions and answers Write down your “big picture” career goal. Challenge yourself, but be realistic. Break it down   into doable steps. For each step, create a timetable and make a list of actions required. For example, you might need to:

• Make amends with a coworker or change your attitude toward a supervisor.
• Expand a skill - or learn a new one that complements it - through certification.
• Take better care of yourself off the job – sleeping, eating, and exercise habits.
• Make a list of what needs to be “cast aside” in order to move forward.

  Set up a “support system” to ensure success

• Plan a self-appointed “reward system” for each milestone achieved.
• Build your personal brand, connecting with others who will encourage your career journey.
• Seek a mentor; someone familiar with both you as a person and your industry – someone who will give honest feedback and hold you accountable.
• Keep a journal of your accomplishments and update your resume accordingly. When that promotion or an opportunity in new territory becomes available, you will be ready.
• Work with a staffing agency who cares about your journey, who will help you identify goals and create a plan to achieve them.

  Sure, it’s true that setting, enacting, and achieving career goals will not be easy. Yep, you guessed it;  it requires dedicated commitment. MPS Technical is here to help. We invest time and care into each candidate, matching your skills, personality, and experience with the best position to fit your dreams and objectives. In fact, we are your one-stop career center. Contact us today and discover why more than 90% of our candidates say they have a positive experience with MPS Technical.