The festive season often distracts us from the little career frustrations that have built up over the year. Between parties, decorations, and gift shopping, it’s easy to put aside the moments of Monday morning dread or those times you’ve felt stuck or unfulfilled at work. But before the year draws to a close, taking a little time to reflect on your career goals and refresh your job-hunting strategy can make all the difference. You’ll step into 2026 ready to spot and seize the right opportunities when they appear. Here are the things you can start on now between the festive fun:
Networking
This is the best task on your new and improved festive to-do list – you can even enjoy your usual mince pies and mulled wine at the same time! Attend as many networking events as you fancy but try to ensure that at least a few of them are in line with your career aspirations. Networking doesn’t just include mixing with professionals in your line of work, speak to friends and family about your work too; you might be surprised at the contacts they have!
Update your CV
Now we’ve given you the go-ahead to enjoy as many networking events as your calendar will allow, it’s time to do some real work. Add your most recent role and responsibilities to your CV. Even if you’re not looking for a new role anytime soon, this will allow you to see where your current skills lie and think strategically about how you can pick up new skills to fill in the gaps over the coming year.
Review your LinkedIn profile
Your LinkedIn profile is your online CV which is visible to recruiters, potential employers, and professional contacts around the world. Once you’ve perfected your paper version, make sure your digital one reflects the same quality. A well-crafted profile can do much of the networking and job-hunting work for you, even while you’re offline. Update your skills, request fresh endorsements, and refresh your headline and summary to make your profile stand out to new opportunities.
Broaden your horizons
Are you sure you want to remain in your current discipline? Sometimes looking outside your usual field can be beneficial. Have a look online at job descriptions for roles you might not have considered before. This will put your job hunt and career goals into perspective, and either reassure you that you’re on the right track or show you that a change of direction could be for the best.
These small efforts will put you ahead of the rest when January arrives. If you have any questions or would like us to support you in your next career move, contact us on: [email protected]