New year, new job?

Experts advise that if you want to do something functionally different, stay in the same industry and perhaps the same company. File PHOTO  

In Summary

Tips. Jump-start your job hunt before inertia relegates it to the trash heap of dead New Year’s resolutions

Do you remember, about 365 days ago, when you raised a champagne flute and pledged to find a new job in the coming year? Well, here you are, still hunched over the same desk, still itching for a change.
So 2016 it is. For real this time.
Now the hard part. What might you want to do next?

Embrace what comes easy.
Take a hard look at your resume and pick out the five things that were really easy for you to do and that you enjoyed doing, because playing to those natural talents will help you distinguish yourself. If you’re not sure what those natural talents are, think about the compliments you get that you brush away, or what calms you down during a stressful day at work.

Pinpoint your unhappiness.
Drilling down to the source of your malaise helps determine what needs to change. If there is a pattern of not getting along with bosses, should you be careful not to work with micromanagers? If you feel like you’re not helping people, are there opportunities within your field where you can?
Those who struggle with self-reflection might find it helpful to explore those questions with a counselor or friend

What’s the end game?
Rather than ask what you want to do, ask yourself how you want to feel every morning when you wake up. Do you want to feel calm or energized? Like you’re part of a team or independent? What is the ideal end game? Recasting the question widens the scope of possibilities, though it requires you to shed the “shoulds” and “can’ts” that often keep people stuck.
Change one variable at a time.
“De-risk” yourself to a potential employer by mapping out how your skills are applicable to the job you want. Career switchers should pick just one variable to change with each move they make: If you want to do something functionally different, stay in the same industry and perhaps the same company. If you want to change industries, apply to jobs functionally similar to your current one.

Investigate the market.
Before you dust off your resume and start shooting it at online job postings, have conversations with people familiar with your desired position to learn where the jobs are and what you should be doing as a candidate to boost your chances. Ask your inner circle if they have contacts, use alumni networks and attend meetings of professional associations. Finding contacts via LinkedIn is helpful if you are targeting a specific company. But do not limit yourself to one organization as you might miss opportunities to learn about others.

Clarify your message.
The fact that you are unhappy and will do anything to get out of your hated job is neither useful nor attractive, so you should formulate specific answers to basic questions early on. What are you looking to do? Why should someone hire you? Why are you leaving your current job? Rehearse what you would say if you were asked those questions by a potential employer, making sure you’re not too vague. The message will likely shift and sharpen as you gather information.

Recast your resume.
In the section at the top of your resume that explains what you wish to accomplish, use the keywords from your personality tests to give a lens through which employers can perceive the rest of your experience. Framing your resume around your strengths and passions lets hiring managers see beyond your list of previous job duties, which is especially important if you don’t have direct experience in your desired career.

Hire a boss.
Look for a boss who will be a sponsor and advocate for you when it’s time for you to move up the ranks. Weigh that potential not by what they promise to do, but what they have done in the past. What is the person who held the role before you doing now? And the person before them? Did they move up or out? If there is a pattern of “out,” it could be a problem.

Grin and bear it.
Even though job hopping has become the norm, the conventional wisdom holds true: It’s better to stay in your job until you have lined up the next one. Partly that’s because people perceive you differently when you’re employed, but “more importantly, you perceive yourself differently/” Not having anywhere to be dings your confidence.
Carving out time for the gym, hobbies and friends helps you shift your focus from the work drudgery and sometimes, workers drop the job search when they find those outside activities meet their needs.