{"id":7787,"date":"2021-05-16T14:43:43","date_gmt":"2021-05-16T21:43:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/?p=7787"},"modified":"2024-04-21T23:15:43","modified_gmt":"2024-04-22T06:15:43","slug":"10-professional-goals-that-you-should-aim-for-in-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/10-professional-goals-that-you-should-aim-for-in-2021\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Professional Goals That You Should Aim For in 2021"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>With most employees slowly returning to the office as the world recovers from the pandemic, it\u2019s the perfect opportunity to reset your professional goals for 2021. The pandemic forced most people to put their career development on hold, as it&#8217;s harder to impress employers and meet professional goals <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/remote-working-tips-how-to-become-friends-with-your-co-workers\/\">working remotely<\/a>. We\u2019re giving you ten professional goals that everyone should be aiming to achieve in 2021. These are goals you can work towards whether you\u2019re in the office or working from home.<\/p><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_50 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\" role=\"button\"><label for=\"item-69ed39ebb070f\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><span style=\"display: flex;align-items: center;width: 35px;height: 30px;justify-content: center;direction:ltr;\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/label><input  type=\"checkbox\" id=\"item-69ed39ebb070f\"><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/10-professional-goals-that-you-should-aim-for-in-2021\/#Top_10_Professional_Goals_for_2021\" title=\"Top 10 Professional Goals for 2021\">Top 10 Professional Goals for 2021<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/10-professional-goals-that-you-should-aim-for-in-2021\/#1_Overhaul_Your_Online_Image\" title=\"1. Overhaul Your Online Image\">1. Overhaul Your Online Image<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/10-professional-goals-that-you-should-aim-for-in-2021\/#2_Be_Innovative\" title=\"2. Be Innovative\u00a0\">2. Be Innovative\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/10-professional-goals-that-you-should-aim-for-in-2021\/#3_Develop_a_New_Skill\" title=\"3. Develop a New Skill\">3. Develop a New Skill<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/10-professional-goals-that-you-should-aim-for-in-2021\/#4_Look_for_a_Side_Hustle\" title=\"4. Look for a Side Hustle\">4. Look for a Side Hustle<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/10-professional-goals-that-you-should-aim-for-in-2021\/#5_Work_on_Your_Focus\" title=\"5. Work on Your Focus\">5. Work on Your Focus<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/10-professional-goals-that-you-should-aim-for-in-2021\/#6_Step_Outside_Your_Comfort_Zone\" title=\"6. Step Outside Your Comfort Zone\">6. Step Outside Your Comfort Zone<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/10-professional-goals-that-you-should-aim-for-in-2021\/#7_Embrace_Remote_Working\" title=\"7. Embrace Remote Working\">7. Embrace Remote Working<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/10-professional-goals-that-you-should-aim-for-in-2021\/#8_Focus_on_Your_Health\" title=\"8. Focus on Your Health\">8. Focus on Your Health<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/10-professional-goals-that-you-should-aim-for-in-2021\/#9_Engage_with_Others\" title=\"9. Engage with Others\">9. Engage with Others<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/10-professional-goals-that-you-should-aim-for-in-2021\/#10_Get_a_Promotion\" title=\"10. Get a Promotion\">10. Get a Promotion<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/10-professional-goals-that-you-should-aim-for-in-2021\/#About_the_Author\" title=\"About the Author\">About the Author<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Top_10_Professional_Goals_for_2021\"><\/span>Top 10 Professional Goals for 2021<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Overhaul_Your_Online_Image\"><\/span><strong>1. Overhaul Your Online Image<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>It\u2019s time to clean up your online presence. Take the time to make your LinkedIn and other social media profiles as professional as possible. You never know who might be looking at your profiles \u2013 whether it\u2019s a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/companies\">potential employer<\/a> or a client. It\u2019s\u00a0recommended that you should have a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.entrepreneur.com\/article\/287869\">high-quality professional headshot<\/a> and a website with your own domain name to use as a portfolio.<\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Be_Innovative\"><\/span><strong>2. Be Innovative\u00a0<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>Become a thought leader within your industry. Put yourself out there. Start writing articles, opinion pieces, and submit your work to journals or industry magazines. Choose a niche that you want to make your own and become the go-to expert in your field.<\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_Develop_a_New_Skill\"><\/span><strong>3. Develop a New Skill<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>Boost your CV by learning a new skill. Every new skill makes you more employable and attractive to potential employers. There are dozens of transferable skills that work for any industry, including coding and <a href=\"https:\/\/devoptwebservices.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">website development from DevOpt Web Development Services<\/a>. Choose one skill and section off a part of your week to work on it.<\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_Look_for_a_Side_Hustle\"><\/span><strong>4. Look for a Side Hustle<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>Professional goals don\u2019t always have to include your current company (or industry!).\u00a0You can look into starting a side hustle, either freelance or with a business. A side hustle can help you bring in extra money, with the potential of becoming your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/vancouver-jobs\">full-time job<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"5_Work_on_Your_Focus\"><\/span><strong>5. Work on Your Focus<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>Cut out distractions and focus on your work. Keeping focused will help you hit your daily goals and avoid burnout. You can take small steps, like turning off your phone notifications, to improve your focus.<\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"6_Step_Outside_Your_Comfort_Zone\"><\/span><strong>6. Step Outside Your Comfort Zone<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>For 2021, get out of your comfort zone and try something new. Go to a networking event and push yourself to meet new people. You can\u2019t grow professionally without taking a few risks.<\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"7_Embrace_Remote_Working\"><\/span><strong>7. Embrace Remote Working<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>If the pandemic has taught us anything, it\u2019s the benefits of remote working. You might find that you get more done at home or that it\u2019s easier to focus in order to meet major deadlines. Embrace the flexibility of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/how-to-stay-happy-working-from-home\/\">remote working<\/a> to meet your professional goals.<\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"8_Focus_on_Your_Health\"><\/span><strong>8. Focus on Your Health<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>With all the focus on developing your career, it\u2019s easy to let other things fall to the side. Your health \u2013 both mental and physical \u2013 is equally important. Take time to check in with yourself. Incorporate self-care into your routine and take steps to prevent burnout.<\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"9_Engage_with_Others\"><\/span><strong>9. Engage with Others<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>Whether you\u2019re working from home or in an office, you want to focus on connecting and interacting with others. Take the time to interact with as many people in your organization as possible, either by catching up over coffee or with a Zoom meeting.<\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"10_Get_a_Promotion\"><\/span><strong>10. Get a Promotion<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>One major professional goal you should set for 2021 is to get a promotion. While this is a long-term goal, you want to work on it throughout the year by showing your potential as an employee and your ability to undertake leadership positions.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"About_the_Author\"><\/span><strong><em>About the Author<\/em><\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">BCjobs.ca<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is Western Canada\u2019s largest job board, with majority of the jobs coming from Vancouver. For nearly 20 years, BC Jobs has connected job candidates with companies looking to add talent to their team. Here at BCJobs, we understand that looking for a job is difficult. To support our candidates, we recently launched a podcast to help you stand out during your job application. Listen to weekly episodes on our <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/podcast.bcjobs.ca\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">podcast<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to hear what recruiters are thinking and what companies look for when considering their next hire.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>With most employees slowly returning to the office as the world recovers from the pandemic, it\u2019s the perfect opportunity to reset your professional goals for 2021. The pandemic forced most people to put their career development on hold, as it&#8217;s harder to impress employers and meet professional goals working remotely. We\u2019re giving you ten professional [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":109,"featured_media":7806,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[11,152],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7787"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/109"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7787"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7787\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9552,"href":"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7787\/revisions\/9552"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7806"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7787"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7787"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7787"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}