Vacuum through your network
Examine your network and contacts. Who haven’t you heard from in a while? Make contact with them and re-connect. Some people need a lot of care; they need polishing to keep the relationship on top form, while others in your network are easy-care; they need little attention. Analyse your list and decide who might be worth getting in touch with. This can be a quick email, a skype call or an evening out.
Dust down your CV
How up to date is your CV? What you have been up to all winter? Have you added any extra skills, undertaken any new projects or pieces of work? What work have you completed? What could be deleted from your CV, and what could be added?
Move onto your LinkedIn profile. Is it aligned to your CV? Is it giving the same messages? Or does this need updating too? Finally, look at who you could provide a recommendation for, and who might you ask for a recommendation from.
Clean & reflect
Look into the mirror. Look back through your diary to see what you have been doing over the last 12 months. What have you enjoyed in the last year at work? What haven’t you enjoyed? Write down bullet points – then compare them. This can tell you a lot about you, your current levels of job satisfaction and possible next career move.
Polish your development
Get some polish – take a look at what development opportunities might be open to you, such as a course, conference or networking event. Do you know what’s happening in your region, in your sector and your career market?
Keeping up to date has never been more important, but when we’re busy it’s an area that gets quickly overlooked, often until it’s too late and our skill set is tired, outdated or even redundant in the market.
Hoover through adverts
Surf the net and see what jobs are currently available. Analyse what skills and competencies are being asked for and whether you can spot any consistent themes or trends being requested by recruiters. How does your CV stack up to this list? Are there some glaring gaps? If so, think about how you can fill them. Do you need to get any other skills under your belt this summer?
Update your wardrobe
The months ahead will hopefully be a lot warmer so now’s a good time to review and re-assess your wardrobe. You don’t need to be a fashion trendsetter at work, but you do need to look the part and be current. Take some bin bags and remove everything you haven’t worn for the last 12 months. Review what’s left; what gaps are there in your working wardrobe?
Review your furniture layout
Examine other things that are currently going on in your life. Is your job role working for you or against you? How does your job fit with the rest of your life? Have you been working really long hours and so not had as much time to do other things that you enjoy? Have you got the balance that you want? Consider your priorities and whether you need to reorganise the furniture of your life.
Scrub up some expertise
Some of us love cleaning; others just hate it, while some just don’t have the time to do it, so they employ a cleaner. Consider getting some expertise in the form of a coach to help you assess where you are now and where you need to focus some attention and time in the next 6 months, before the dark nights bite again.