6 Top Tips to Excel in Your Career This 2021

The year 2020 has been an unforgettable one for our workforce – jobs were lost, businesses shut down and those who managed to remain employed saw a significant shift to working from home, virtual meetings, and zoom calls.

It makes sense then that if the job industry and the job market has shifted, your approach to your career should also. If you want to change, develop or take a step forward in your career this 2021, you are going to make a few changes in order to stand out from the crowd. Here are 6 Top tips to excel in your career this 2021.

1) Personalize your approach
Any job applicant can write the same CV template and cover letter to several different employers and wait till they are called.

That may have worked in the past, but won’t cut it in the new and developing job market. In 2021, relationship building and networking has become a necessity, to make you and your resume stand out from the crowd.

Always make a genuine effort to research each employer’s values and business ethic, engage with the hiring manager or recruiter and tailor your application so it comes across as a personal effort.

2) Leave your comfort zone
To advance in your career this 2021, consider stepping entirely out of your comfort zone and applying for jobs or opportunities sectors or industries you’ve not worked in before.

For example, as Hays points out, industries where vacancy activity is the highest are: technology, healthcare, logistics, infrastructure and professional services, would have better job opportunities available.

3) Don’t sell yourself short
If you’re not adept at sales, you may find it difficult to put forward your unique selling points and key strengths when applying for a role. But with such a competitive job market, it is essential.

From sharing your achievements to presenting yourself appropriately (even if it’s a virtual interview), the way you sell yourself could make all the difference when it comes to the final decision. So, be bold and do not sell yourself short.

4) Find the positives in a difficult year
Sure, 2020 may not have been kind to you, but it was not kind to many people.
A recruiter or hiring manager doesn’t need to hear about how your career plans ended or your struggles through the past 12 months. What they do want to hear or see is how you overcame the challenges that came with the coronavirus lockdowns, job losses, and economic downturn.

By presenting how you used the opportunity – employed or unemployed – to develop your professional career and upskill yourself, you are demonstrating both commitment and a positive “can-do” attitude.

5) Prove your soft skills
As remote working becomes a norm in our working lives, soft skills such as good communication, resilience and adaptability will become even more important.
Communication can easily be lost through technology, especially emotion and empathy. So, it’s vital that leaders are able to clearly and effectively communicate what they need to and when.

In an ever-changing working world, employers want to hire workers who are able to demonstrate the vital skills of adaptability and resilience, so when changes occur, they can easily adapt. They also need employees who are able to offer support and be empathetic.

As Hays Group points out, it would be beneficial to share examples and demonstrate these soft skills both in your CV and in an interview.

6) Keep your social media updated
Cleaning up your digital footprint might not seem necessary, but Hays Group says they continue to see countless candidates who fails to review their social media profiles before applying for update.

Now, more than ever, businesses are looking online to vet a potential hire, especially if they’re partaking in virtual meetings and interviews.

Now is the time to clean out your social media, update your LinkedIn profile and become active in industries and organizations that both interest you and are applicable to your career.