A new year has begun; most of the time, this signals new beginnings and changes for most people. As a professional or business person, it’s crafty to make some changes that can jumpstart your career.

The fact is that the more energy, resources, skills, knowledge, imparted in work can’t be overlooked. Any work’s results are reflected by how much is put in. 

Embracing particular strategies as early as this January can help ensure 2022 as the year you supercharge your career.

Set goals to have a clear strategy for the year. Net photo.

Business personnel Ritah Imbabazi commends setting goals to have a sense of direction, break down possible steps to achieve them, and be able to discover numerous opportunities. 

She adds that for some careers to shine, they require career coaches as these assist in making right choices and train you with the knowledge and skills you may need to be better at certain career and life decisions.

The businesswoman stresses that career coaches can help you in preparing for future challenges and how to defeat them, overcoming stress, management, and problem-solving in the workplace.

"Your coach will provide you with the answers to assess your current employment status, assess your strengths and weaknesses, differentiate aspects, recognise potential skill gaps, boost your career networks, establish realistic goals, build self-confidence, and infuse motivation to take action. However, it is important to note that a career coach is not a counsellor or therapist,” she says.

Imbabazi carries on that with the New Year, challenge yourself with a job that pushes you to be a better person; for instance, try taking up a job because it’s your passion and not for the money.

She says this step is worth trying since in most cases, people tend to make money a priority when working jobs even when they’re not interested in them, a thing she says to kill morale, thus affecting the company’s productivity.

In her article ‘22 Ways To Ensure 2022 Is The Year You Supercharge Your Career’ Amy Blaschka notes to embrace the power trifecta: clarity, consistency and discipline.

By focusing on clarity, consistency, and discipline, you’ll improve your communication, enhance your thought leadership, and bolster your personal brand.

Tell your career story

Everyone has a unique story, but not everyone leverages its power. Properly crafted, your career story helps to differentiate you from your competitors, highlight your value, and draw others to you, according to Blaschka.

She recommends providing a common thread that weaves together your personal and professional experiences, as well as your transferable skills, making it easy for others to connect the dots. Knowing and being able to articulate your career story clearly is transformative; use it wisely.

For those planning to search for jobs, Bonita Eliza, a business manager at a local branding firm says to never underestimate the power of networking. 

Social media can be of great help, for instance, Linked In. You can search by various factors including company or job title, and then reach out to professionals at those companies to connect with them. But only send your application letter if asked to do so, she says.

For Twitter, you can research your target companies and follow any handles they have that are devoted to employing so you can see when jobs are posted. You can also connect with recruiters or relevant hiring managers through liking, retweeting, or engaging with their posts, the manager adds 

Eliza highlights that networking with fellow employees can also help you mature in your current role and offer information that can help you be promoted. However, being more successful calls for consistency, which is why it is necessary to network often.

She stresses that whether it’s searching for a new job or requiring a job promotion, you ought to leave your comfort zone and bring something unique. Most new roles will require some level of learning, as you need to prove that you’re fit for that position.

According to Forbes, revamping your career also necessitates developing presentation skills as they are part of working. 

Focus on techniques using the three Ps of presenting, that is; prepare, practice, and PowerPoint. Take a class on preparing for presentations. Join Toastmasters to enhance your public speaking skills and practice using PowerPoint or other presentation software. Giving yourself a leg up will help you reach your career goals faster, improve your chances of landing the job you want, and help you develop the skills you need to be successful.