Happy New You (I mean happy new year . . . )

Happy New Year!!! If you're reading this, well, I'm a little surprised but delighted nonetheless. I want to talk a little about new starts, one of the greatest excuses (reasons) for creating (and hopefully sticking to) resolutions. But remember something: you can create resolutions anytime. You don't have to squeeze them all in during the first month of the year, but it is a good time to see where you are. Too often we rely on our resumes to help us see where we need to go (other than your annual performance review). But you can tweak you resume for a lot of reasons. Just because you don't want another job doesn't mean you should put off making your resume the best reflection of who you are.
    So January (that would be now) might be a really good time to take a look at how you might present yourself to the world if you were to look around for a new opportunity. Even if you're not in the job market examining your resume as if you are might reveal certain things about yourself and how you are fitting into your organization. Plus, and you've probably heard this before, it's always a good idea to have an updated resume on hand not just for the world outside but for any openings that might come up at your own company.
    As you're looking over your resume ask yourself some questions like:

• Is this piece of paper doing a good job of representing my best self?
• Are my talents and skills highlighted in the best possible way?
• Does my resume reflect a team player?
• Do I adequately use action verbs and descriptive language that wouldn't keep a reader guessing?
• Does my resume reflect the personality of someone whose awards and recognition is more important than the company's overall success?
• Is my resume up to date? Have I included the most recent projects I've worked on?

In addition to reviewing your resume you may want to find out if there's a budget for any professional development opportunities other than the ones your supervisor has come up with. For example, you might hear about a meeting of other professionals in your particular field that could yield some really excellent tips. It might be hard to break away from your desk and you may not be into the small talk these meeting often require, but you could walk away with several new contacts as well as a different way of looking at a problem.