Welcome to 2019 – now the real work begins

The best part of bidding farewell to 2018, is that it is in fact the ideal excuse. People use such lines as;

• ‘You know what they say, new year, new start – I will do it then.’
• ‘Time to wind down, it is nearly the Christmas break.’
• ‘It is quiet everywhere this time of year so relax.’
• ‘I am so ready to break up now from work, I need a break!’

But it is now the beginning of 2019, a brand-new year and such excuses do not work anymore. Although new years means we are each getting one year older, it also is the time for a fresh start. A blessing in disguise! Some people dream of being able to start afresh and now we all have that exact opportunity.

Your career deserves your attention this year, whether it be learning new skills, gaining more qualifications, or just making sure that you are putting in every effort and all the confidence you have. A lot of you will be at different stages in your careers so, we here at cranberry panda have a challenge for each of you! From the below category that suits you best, choose a ‘must’. We at cranberry panda live by this rule, that a ‘must’ is something you have to do. You must take ownership of that responsibility and you MUST follow through with it.

Challenge 1 – Looking for your entry level job into the Ecommerce industry

I MUST:

• Send my brand-new CV to a recruitment agency, ensuring I explain exactly what I am looking for
• Not rush into applying for lots of jobs – be picky (a good quality job is better than working in lots of mediocre jobs)
• Do my research on the brands I want to work with and ‘stand out’ from the crowd
• Consider long fixed term contracts with brands I want on my CV to get me into the industry
• Not give up on my career goals and consistently remind myself of where I want to be 3 years from now

Challenge 2 – In a junior position and looking to take on more responsibility at work

I MUST:

• Prove to my manager why I deserve more responsibility and why I can handle taking it on
• Be prepared and do my research into what areas I want to work in
• Be supportive of my colleagues and demonstrate good leadership skills
• Not get distracted from my goals and ensure I am sticking to my good intentions
• Remain professional if denied extra responsibility and constantly prove I am capable

Challenge 3 – In a junior position looking to move jobs for a step up

I MUST:

• Practice daily my ‘must haves’ for my career and ensure I am not losing focus in my current role
• To remain calm and collected when applying for new jobs and not stray from my goals
• Make a list of what I am aiming for in my next role, so my job search is accurate
• Be prepared for interviews and utilise my recruiter’s knowledge as much as possible
• Not lose hope if my job search is initially unsuccessful – good things will happen at the right time
• Never doubt my ability and maintain my confidence in what I can bring to my next role

Challenge 4 – In a management position looking to change industries

I MUST:

• Make a list of my goals and what I need from my next role (make the move a beneficial one)
• Maintain good management at my current role and ensure I am passing on knowledge to my team
• Think outside the box in how I can contribute to a different industry with my skillset
• Be picky with the recruitment agencies I use and ensure I am not straying from my career goals

Challenge 5 – Director / CEO of a brand looking to improve company culture

I MUST:

• Maintain contact with my management teams throughout the brand and listen to their feedback
• Meet the teams at the multiple branches / head offices and make the time to speak to everyone
• Ask for anonymous feedback company wide from every employee to learn about improvement areas
• Step up the number of meetings with my teams and not be an ‘invisible’ face in the company
• Take an active interest in new hires for the company no matter what the seniority

Whether you are an assistant in your company or the CEO, we all have goals and intentions for 2019 that will significantly help each of our career progressions. There is method to writing down what you want to achieve, even more so if you voice that to other people.

Voicing what you want will hold you accountable, if you are lucky enough to work in a supportive work environment, then ask your colleagues to push you! Don’t let this be another year that goes by quickly and makes no impact. Make 2019 the year you made changes in your career and achieved more than what you had hoped for.

We at cranberry panda are also individual professionals with our own career goals, so we know what you are going through. If you are in any of the categories above or are in a predicament of your own, then give us a call. We are industry specialists that may have some information to help steer you in the right direction.