Career Resolutions for the New Year



Career Resolutions

Kick start your career in the new year!  Review your progress, draw up a plan, and set specific goals you will commit to fulfilling in 2012!  Here are a few things you can get started on for the new year:

1. Reflect on the past and examine how you can set reachable goals that will lead you to success.

2. Keep yourself competitive by enhancing your skills and knowledge on your profession and industry.

3. Update your resume with details relevant to your career goals and achievements.

4. Meet some new people in the new year - opportunities may just be around the corner through your new connections.

5. Proactively take action to reach your goals, even if it starts with baby steps.

Wishing you all the best in your career prospects for 2012!

Image Courtesy:  Microsoft Office Images

LinkedIn Adds New Feature: Volunteer Experience & Causes

Professional networking site LinkedIn recently launched the new feature “Volunteer Experience & Causes” for members to add to their profile.  In this new feature, LinkedIn members can add their volunteer positions, causes they care about, and the charitable organizations they support. 

LinkedIn surveyed nearly 2,000 professionals and found over 40% stated that when they are evaluating candidates, they would consider volunteer work equally as valuable as paid work experience.  20% of the hiring managers surveyed agree they have made a hiring decision based on a candidate’s volunteer work experience.

Including your volunteer work and community involvement on your LinkedIn profile (and your resume) is a great strategy to show potential employers a broader perspective of your various skills and interests.  It’s especially valuable for job seekers - whether you have organized fundraising events in the past or are currently volunteering in your community, including these experiences will make you a more attractive candidate to employers!

To add the “Volunteer Experience & Causes” field to your LinkedIn Profile:

1.       After logging in, click “Profile – Edit Profile” at the top of LinkedIn.

2.       Click on “Add Sections” and select “Volunteer Experience & Causes.”

3.       Click the “Add to Profile” button and then fill out the applicable fields.

Here is a screenshot of the new “Volunteer Experience & Causes” field:

Read more about the impact volunteering has on your career from The LinkedIn Blog:

• Why Volunteering is Good for Your Career

 Source and Images Courtesy:  LinkedIn.com