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How to beat the January slump and win a promotion

Posted: 26th January 2017 08:12
Let’s be honest – January’s are always miserable.

Once the festive sparkle has disappeared from the town centre and the Christmas chocolate runs out, there’s not much left to celebrate during Britain’s infamously dull winters.

But 2017 has gotten off to a spectacularly bad start.

Whether it’s the train strikes leaving your daily commute in disarray or a flurry of snow cramping your style, you’ve not had much to cheer about as you settle back into the same old work routine as always.

Nonetheless, instead of moaning about your joyless job and unsatisfying lifestyle, kick this year off right by resolving to do something about it.

Give yourself a goal to make a morale-boosting career change and go for that promotion you’ve always wanted – it’s not as impossible to achieve as it seems.

We’ve put together a few top tips that’ll help you win your dream new job.

#1: freshen up your CV

If your CV’s been sitting untouched since you first got your current job five years ago, it’s definitely in need of a quick freshen up.

We’ll admit it’s not the most exhilarating of tasks, but spending a few hours updating it to include recent achievements is a great way of showing busy bosses exactly how hard you’ve been working. Then, as soon as a suitable opportunity arises, it’s ready and waiting to be sent off.

#2: learn new skills

No one’s ever going to be rewarded for scraping by doing the bare minimum. Stay at the top of your game and you’ll be first in line when a promotion becomes available.

Show your commitment to performing at your best by getting a degree in business studies online. As well as developing your leadership skills, successfully balancing further education with a fulltime job is a great testament to your time-management capabilities.

#3: be a team player

Trudging in a few minutes before your shift and quietly plodding through the day before rushing off as soon as five o’clock comes around – when you’re bored at work it’s easy to withdraw.
But becoming a vital part of the team environment and forming productive working relationships is the quickest way of establishing yourself as a natural group leader, a quality that’s necessary if you’re aiming for a managerial role.

#4: speak to your boss

Your employer isn’t a mind reader, so unless you actively pursue opportunities and discuss your intentions they might never realise you’re looking for a career change.

Although there’s an element of truth to ‘don’t ask, don’t get’ clichés, you need to be careful about how you approach your boss about a promotion. Be clear about your goals but stay open to their suggestions and advice as well.

Don’t get bogged down by the annual January slump. If your job isn’t satisfying you, keep our top tips in mind and revolutionise your career.