Changing how you work because your annual performance review didn’t go well can be a good place to start. Maybe you failed because you didn’t try hard enough. If you want to launch your career next year, here are some things to do.
Practice Leading
Big firms are easy to slip through. Next year, show your bosses that you can manage big projects to boost your career. Many new year’s plans are likely. Get one. Do this again and again. Leadership potential will likely be rewarded.
Acknowledge Your Success
While humility is admirable, downplaying your professional accomplishments is counterproductive. To help your boss decide whether to promote you, brag about your accomplishments in the coming year. However, you shouldn’t constantly brag. If your sales team loves your marketing brochure, tell your boss how great you are.
Master Presentation Skills
Presenting well to a small or large group requires strategy and practice. If you’ve given mediocre presentations, make next year’s the best. To engage your audience, practice eye contact and graphic design. Improve your presentation skills to stand out.
Stand Up When Needed
Nobody wants to be known for rejecting difficult requests. Saying “yes” to unreasonable requests will hurt your career. Next year, resist unreasonable requests. If you have a full schedule for the rest of the week and are asked to take on a big new project, be honest and politely decline or request a substitute. It’s natural to want to be a hero, but taking on too much can disappoint and stress you and others.
Increase Manager Communication.
If you and your boss don’t talk often, it’s hard to understand each other and assess your performance. Next year, ask superiors for feedback more often. Send emails or schedule regular meetings to find out how your boss feels about your work. You can avoid career setbacks by reading your manager’s thoughts on you and your work.
Everyone wants to succeed at work. If this year wasn’t what you wanted, look forward to next year. There’s always hope that the coming year will bring that promotion or raise.
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