The New Year is a great time to get a fresh start, and what better way than with a new job?

Take a long hard look at your career goals, and with a little maintenance, you can set yourself up to take advantage of whatever comes your way in 2016.

Define What You Want

If you’re having trouble getting leads and interviews, don’t get caught up in your last or current job title. A job search should be an opportunity to make a course correction on your career path. Think about it: You may not have imagined yourself working for your last or current company, so why limit your search based on your job history.

Take a step back an inventory your skills. Then, determine which of those skills you want to emphasize for your search. Also, think about what kind of working environment you prefer to be in. For example, do you want to work for a small company or a large one?

Once you’ve defined what you are looking for, it will be a lot easier to focus your efforts.

Perform maintenance on your digital profile

Whether you are currently employers or are spending your days pounding the pavement in search of a new job, it can be easy to forget about tidying up you digital presence.

Surveys of employers show they are very likely to look you up on social media and the larger Internet. Unless your name is Joe Smith, this means cleaning up your digital profile is a must. Remove any inappropriate or coarse material from all of your social media profiles. While it might feel inauthentic to censor your profiles, your job search has to take a higher priority right now.

Give special attention to your LinkedIn profile. A well-written summary and past employment section can help you stand apart from professionals who have an incomplete profile. Make sure your photo is a professional one, not just one from the office Christmas party you cropped your co-workers out of.

Grow your offline network

In addition to spending online, make sure you also get out there and grow your offline network. Attending workshops, taking classes, doing volunteer work and joining a professional organization are all good ways to grow your professional network and make strong connections with face-to-face interactions.

Keep working toward your goal

For the New Year, resolve to dedicate time each day toward your job search. That might mean applying for jobs, building skills, growing your network or acting on any of the other tips given above. It’s an old cliché to say that finding a job is a job, but clichés generally stick around because they are true.

Keep things in perspective

A job search can be a grind and losing faith can be a serious drag on your efforts. Be sure to take time off from your search and do activities you enjoy. Coming back to the search with recharged batteries can be just what you need to get over a job search slump.

At Cornerstone, we are constantly working to provide our candidates with their next opportunity. If you are interested in seeing what our company can offer, click here to contact us today.