Well it’s that time of the year again and we are all making our New Year’s Resolutions. Some of us plan on working out more, some plan on spending more time doing charity and a lot of us are planning on taking that next step in our careers.

This might mean finally garnering the courage to ask your boss for that long overdue promotion or for most people it means testing the waters in the job market. The reality of the current job market is that you will be rewarded more handsomely for switching companies. On average when switching organizations, the typical raise ranges between 10 – 20%, compare that to the 3 – 5% you would get if you stay at your job. That is why today on average a person changes jobs every 2.5 years.

So, the big questions are, what do I need to know and do, so that I can advance my career to the next level in 2018. The first step is to look at the trends and explore what industries are seeing growth and what industries will be impacted by outside forces. Look at new governmental policies and see what industries they may influence both in a positive and negative manner. Here are some current trends we identified at Five Star Resume:

The Financial Services industry stands to gain a lot from the new tax plan. This field may use that money to hire more and do so with increased pay. This can apply to all areas of banking including front, middle and back office positions.

Technology has its hands in every industry. There is no industry that operates free of Technology and as we progress in this space, Artificial Intelligence (AI) will continue to dominate the conversation. Look at positions that include Data Science, Cloud Computing, Software Engineering and Application Development.

Stay away from careers that are becoming obsolete through automation. Keep an eye on industries in which technology may overtake jobs.

At some point Industrial’s will bounce back. The infrastructure of the country is in bad need of a makeover, and this has been a political talking point for a while now. Hopefully, this is the year for it to happen, so keep an eye out for jobs in Project Management, Construction and Engineering.

The most important thing to remember is to not make any career decisions haphazardly. These decisions should be well thought out and should equally consider your passions and what route will offer you the most opportunity to grow and find success.

Think about your strategy and execute it to the best of your ability. Plan on how to get your documents in order (Resume, Cover Letter), ensure you are showcasing the best version of yourself on social media channels (LinkedIn, Facebook) and finally think of ways in which you can ace that next interview.

If you need a little guidance or help getting to where you need to go, we are there for you and have a collective 60+ years of Human Resources, Career Counseling and Recruiting experience. To date we have proudly worked with over 1500 clients from all walks of life and we are grateful that we have learned so much too.

Here is to a great 2018!

Cheers,

John Greenblatt, Founder, Five Star Resume