Despite what we’re reading on myriad blogs this week, New Year’s resolutions aren’t bad – especially for job seekers , recent graduates and college students dealing with our new economic reality.

The trouble with resolutions isn’t the resolutions, but lack of preparedness required to make them a reality. Until we know what we’re doing wrong – and what needs to change to get it right – resolutions are just “happy talk”. The turn of a calendar page doesnothing to change that.

Losing weight for instance, requires far more effort than saying “I’m going to eat less.” To accomplish our goal, we need a plan, a benchmark, an effective support group – and most important – we have to understand why we’re failing in the first place!
Same concept applies to our job search and early-stage career development. We must look at what we have been doing wrong – before we can change enough to succeed.

With that in mind, here are the 5 R’s for conquering career obstacles in 2013:

1. Refresh
This is the best part of the New Year’s resolution process – and the easiest to adapt. What a new calendar DOES do well: it allows afresh start. We feel enabled. You’re ready to leave your baggage behind…
For about 3 days.
Then… everything goes back to the way it was on December 13, and August 27 – and back toJanuary 4 of 2012 when this same process occurred – and our motivation ended.
A sincere refresh – is an attitude. A passion. An “I’m not letting anything get in the way!” revelation independent of the day of the week,the mood we’re in or external issues that standbetween us and our goals.
January 1 gives us this opportunity to refresh –with no strings attached. Ultimately, however, it’s up to us to maintain that attitude until we’ve accomplished something real.

2. Realize
Reality is a far more difficult process. Objectively viewing our situation requires us totake a good hard look at what we’ve done so far – and determine what has (and has not) helped us accomplish our goals. After all, thereare people out there – perhaps less qualified –getting job offers and moving their career development forward. Why aren’t we?
To help move this realization process along, answer these questions:
*. If my career collateral (resume and cover letter) is perfect – why am I not getting interviews ?
*. When I do get interviews, why am I not a Top 3 candidate… why do I so rarely get a call-back?
*. If my online presence is so amazing, why have no influencers noticed?
*. If I am so good at networking, why am I receiving so few introductions from those in my sphere of influence?
For most of us… once we answer these questions… we have our benchmark. This is where we start.
This is our reality.

3. Reinvent
Now we start moving forward… past the happytalk and sometimes harsh realities – into action.
Why? Because for most of us, here are the answers to questions asked above:
*. Compared to our competition, our resumes are not good enough
*. It is highly likely we are not skilled at interviewing – yet
*. If no one has noticed us online – we haven’t done enough to make ourselves noticeable, and;
*. If we aren’t receiving introductions from our networks… we aren’t yet engaging
Time to reinvent! Get professional resume help(yes, help is affordable – or, Google “free resume help”). Work with someone to greatly improve your interview skills (if you don’t knowsomeone – join a career-related Twitter chat tofind a mentor and schedule informational interviews). Commit to both social and face-to-face networking two hours each day (anything less could be considered a waste of your time).Finally, commit to engaging: stop merely “liking”, “following” and “+1ing” – and actually TALK to people.
That’s the differentiator that gets you noticed!
You’ll reinvent because you are NOT yet as good as you think – or at least as good as yourjob seeking competition. Adjust your approach – and watch good things happen!

4. Reciprocate
Ah… the simplest ‘R’ of them all: reciprocation.When we as job seekers and young careerists begin to present first-class career collateral, show progress with our interview skills and network effectively with passion – it’s amazing how many people are willing to help!
Now, return the favor. Help others around you.Share what you’ve learned. Follow the advice stated by many others: “give more than you take”.
When you hit this point in your resolution process… you know you’re really doing something right.

5. Results
We hear this all the time: “I’ve applied for 200 jobs online and haven’t gotten a single response!” Our reply, as you can imagine, usually invokes the definition of insanity often attributed to Einstein and Twain (“doing the same thing over and over, expecting different results”). At the very least, we say: “Don’t tell us about the work you’ve done… tell us what you’ve done that works.”

So we’ve saved the best ‘R’ – results – for last. Why? Because no matter what your goals may be, working hard and getting nowhere is the biggest single obstacle we’ll stare down.
Our advice: focus on those items that generatereal results. What exactly did you do to improve your resume? What did you learn from the interview that did result in a call-back? What process did you follow to builda relationship online? What did you do to “win”today that you can do again tomorrow?

Define your desired results by setting tangible goals (i.e. a new resume completed by January15; 10 new high-quality contacts via social media a week; 2 interviews per month, etc.). Build a support network to help you achieve them. Execute. And always focus on results.

For 2013, don’t scream out resolutions like “I’m going to lose weight”, “I’ll finally quit smoking”and “I’m going to find a job!” Far too often, the outcome of such happy talk is failure.
To institute real change, we have to be ready – mentally ready. Utilize these 5 ‘R’s – and make 2013 an amazing year for your career & also if i may add, visit Yolpe.com Today – Originally posted on YouTern by Mark Babbitt
YouTern enables emerging talent to leap from the classroom to the real word – through high-quality, mentor-based internships. Working primarily with start-ups, small business and change-oriented non-profits, YouTern helps those focused on career development and employability gain both “who you know” and “what you know” experience and mentorship – directly from today’s dynamic business leaders.YouTern CEO Mark Babbitt is a serial entrepreneur andmentor – and a passionate supporter of Gen Ytalent. He has been quoted in Forbes, Mashable, ReadWriteWeb, and Under30CEO.comregarding internships, emerging talent and the current job market – and was recently honored to be named to GenJuice’s “Top 100 Most Desirable Mentors” list.
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http://yolpe.com/wp/blog/the-5-rs-for-conquering-career-obstacles-in-2013/

a lot of workers are so frAustrated in their work today, that i dont ever feel like being them.A good start for 2013 should be revamping your career so that you dont go through depressed at your work, where you spend about half a day.
...my two cents though....

....

2013
...getting there
...getting close..
......almost there
........almost there!!

A bit of advice from my experience as a person studying to be an engineer who finally got an engineering related job:

1. Stay positive. This can be difficult especially when you constantly receive rejection. if you can maintain a positive attitude you will keep trying.
2. Look anywhere and everywhere. That means if you have to look overseas then do so. Leave no stone unturned and if necessary take your talents elsewhere.
3. Keep abreast of the industry you want to apply to. This will help the relevant knowledge of your profession stay fresh in your mind.
4. While you are looking for your dream job, take whatever temporary job you can find to help finance your future. It may not use the knowledge you learned in school but it will give you work experience and some money to build on.

Very educating, more grease to you elbows. OP please check your mail.Thank you.

moreeni: Very educating, more grease to you elbows. OP please check your mail.Thank you.

saw your mail and replied you.i will keep in touch. thankz

hienyimba:

saw your mail and replied you.i will keep in touch. thankz

Thank you very much.

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This your article is inspirational.. In life we all come across obstacles in especially when we are trying to achieve our goal. But when someone people come in contact with obstacles they give up, i wish everyone could read this article so they could know how told handle their obstacles... Thanks very much

krestup: This your article is inspirational.. In life we all come across obstacles in especially when we are trying to achieve our goal. But when someone people come in contact with obstacles they give up, i wish everyone could read this article so they could know how told handle their obstacles... Thanks very much

ok..