An A-Z Guide To Propel Your Career Forward In 2023

The end of the year brings much reflection and re-evaluation, with many people considering big career moves in the New Year. Whether you’re staying put, taking on a new role or moving organisations, it’s important you’re set up for success as you look to tackle a new chapter in your career. 

We’ve put together an A-Z guide to help you as you consider 2023 and the moves you’ll make to drive success in your career. If you’re looking for career clarity in the New Year, my Career Clarity eBook is the perfect starting point. Download it here.

A: Advocate for support – you may not have been made redundant or have experienced a restructure yet but it’s important to know what will happen if or when that time comes around. Ask your management about outplacement support and, if it’s not available, press for it to be provided. 

B: Don’t burn bridges – organisations love boomerang employees because they can transition back into the team with ease, but returning to an organisation becomes increasingly difficult if you’ve left bad blood in your wake. 

C: Take note of candidate care – applying for a job? Look closely at how the organisation is caring for you before you even hit the interview stage and take advantage of the opportunity to build relationships. 

D: Determine your style – your style is your personal brand and your reputation can hinge on the way others perceive this style. 

E: Improve your EQ (emotional intelligence) – did you know that emotional intelligence is often more important than IQ? Some research suggests that EQ is responsible for 58% of your job performance and that 90% of top performers have high EQ. 

F: Give honest feedback – when you’re asked for feedback, keep honesty front of mind. No one can fix the things that might be going wrong in an organisation unless they know about it. 

G: Go the extra mile – while it’s important to have firm boundaries in place so that you’re not setting unrealistic expectations, many employers have grown used to their staff doing the bare minimum, regardless of their level of seniority. Working hard, over-delivering and being a delight to work with will help you build a great reputation in a new role. 

H: Use hybrid work to find balance – many organisations are offering hybrid as a new standard of working. Know what works for you and take advantage of the arrangement if it’s available to you. 

I: Consider internal roles – whether it’s a chance to take on a leadership role, work with a new team, or simply expand your own skills, internal roles can offer great opportunities without complete upheaval. 

J: Take advantage of the tight job market – candidates have more power than before, putting them in a position to ask for better remuneration and shape the career they want. Make sure you get to the heart of what you want from your career and leverage the tight market to work in your favour.

K: Uncover your key values – knowing the values you hold as most important will help you to make the right move, no matter what your career has in store for you next. 

L: Look for the seven steps of successful onboarding – Shared values, structure, style, skills, strategy, staff and systems. Find out more about this in my Career Success eBook. 

M: Take care of your mental health – times of career change (particularly redundancy and unemployment) can bring new emotions that can be tricky to navigate. Ensure you have a strong support network around you and seek professional support throughout tough times. 

N: Decide how you will navigate remuneration – the tight job market means employees are looking for higher remuneration, but is it a good move to demand more? 

O: Look for structured onboarding – through a structured onboarding program, you can get a firm idea of what success looks like in a specific role, while being supported as you work towards that success. 

P: Be prepared to present yourself – the job search can be tough, so make sure your resume and LinkedIn profile are up to date so you can put your best foot forward, even if you’re not looking for a job right now. 

Q: Ask questions – why are things done the way they’re done? Is there a better way of working? Throw your hat in the ring as someone who thinks outside of the box and drives your organisation forward. 

R: Thrive through redundancy – outplacement support is more than just ticking a box! It can help you to navigate the upheaval that comes with such a tricky time, move to a new role quickly, receive valuable coaching and stay focused on a new goal. 

S: Get the most out of stay interviews – if you’re taking part in a stay interview, rest easy knowing you’ve been identified as one of the organisation’s best and brightest. Be honest, keep an open mind and know the limitations of the interview process. 

T: Build trust in a new role – in the early days of your new role, trust matters above everything else. Get it right the first time, so that offboarding and outplacement doesn’t come around sooner than you’d like. 

U: Understand the difference between orientation/induction and onboarding – orientation and induction are usually short and a bit of an ‘information dump’, usually serving the employer more than they serve the employee. Onboarding provides empowerment for employees through a significant time and effort investment. 

V: Know how to handle VUCA – all the chaos in the world right now adds up to VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous). Don’t jump ship just because things aren’t perfect, but if you do decide to leave, finish strong, tying up loose ends and solidifying relationships. 

W: Celebrate your wins – you can shape the next chapter of your career by understanding your recent achievements and building on them. 

X: EXamine your employer’s values – knowing your own values is a good place to start. Understand the values of your employer so you know where you are aligned and if the role you’re in (or the one you’re looking to pursue) is going to be a good fit for you. 

Y: Look after you – you are the number one person in your life! Make sure you prioritise your goals, your health and your happiness. It will show in the work you do. 

Z: Get enough Zzz – adequate sleep each night means you can show up to work, the best version of yourself.