Barry Whelan, CEO Excel Recruitment

New Year, New Career? 10 tips on how to reach your career goals in 2019

Here at Excel Recruitment we always see a sharp spike of people ‘looking at their options’ in January and this year is no different. New Year is always a great time to take stock and reflect on your goals for the year ahead, particularly your career goals . Whether you’re actively looking for a move or just want to reach your full potenial in your current job, CEO of Excel Recruitment Barry Whelan serves up 10 tips to help you make the most of your career in 2019.

January is a great time to assess your career and take steps to accentuate it. With an economy full of opportunity, why not focus the next few months on making 2019 your most successful career year ever?

Boost your essential job skills
There is probably a reason you were recruited to your current position; perhaps it is your management skills or selling ability. No matter what is the case, make an effort to ramp up the skills that make you good at what you do. You can take courses, attend seminars, or pursue a professional qualification to advance your existing talents.

Volunteer more often
Stepping up in your job really does set you apart from the pack. If you have shied away from volunteering in the past, make the coming year one in which you offer to take on more responsibility. It’s a great way to expand your horizons and send management the message that you are not afraid to offer to help and try new things.

Develop a skill that no one else at your company has
Why not make yourself a key player within your company? This will set the stage for a promotion – or at least give you job security. You may not be the only person at your company who is a good merchandiser or strong negotiator. However, if you work on developing a skill that no one else at your company seems to have, you will make yourself indispensable.

Get more feedback
Feedback can be tough; you don’t only get to hear the positive, but obviously also the negative. Nevertheless, it is hard to assess your own performance when you are deep in deadlines and tasks. If you want to take your career to an exciting new level in the coming year, you need to make a point of pursuing ongoing feedback from both your manager and peers. Figure out where you are excelling and where there is clear room for improvement. The more insight you get from those around you, the better positioned you will be to take action.

Take criticism graciously
While on the note of feedback, it is also not easy to be on the receiving end of criticism, even if it is constructive and helpful. Accepting that criticism courteously is a good way to set yourself apart from colleagues who are known to get defensive or ignore the feedback. Most of us are not perfect employees, but if you learn from your shortcomings and improve upon them tremendously, you’ll get close.

Work on your soft skills
Boosting your job-specific skills is important, but don’t forget about those general skills that apply to any given role, such as time management and organistion. The more you improve your soft skills, the more valuable an employee you will be, so think about the areas you are lacking in and try to do better.

Be a team player
Don’t underestimate the importance of being a strong team player. If you jump in when your colleagues need help or agree to collaborate on a project you would rather be running solo, you will show your manager that you’re agreeable and adaptable. These are qualities that could land you a step up the ladder.

Embrace risks
If you don’t take some risks, you’ll miss out on key opportunities to wow your boss and add real value to your company. Don’t stay quiet when a great idea comes to mind, and don’t hesitate to dive into a new project or initiative you feel will be a game-changer. Even if you don’t end up succeeding, there is a good chance your company will acknowledge your effort and courage.

Network

The people you know can be just as helpful, if not more so, than the things you know, when it comes to furthering your career. That is why it is always a good idea to expand your network. You can do so by attending conferences and industry events or asking your existing contacts for introductions. But don’t just network outside your company; get to know people from different departments and teams internally as well.

And…Don’t forget the mistakes of the past
Maybe you messed up a major project last year or tanked in a presentation you worked hard on. Rather than carry the burden of those mistakes with you into the new year, take some time to assess what went wrong and map out a plan to avoid a repeat during your next opportunity. Learning from previous mistakes without letting them hold you back not only shows tremendous growth, but courage as well.

JYSK opening in Ireland

Danish retailer JYSK planning to open up to 15 Irish stores

Danish homeware retailer and Ikea rival JYSK is set to make its Irish debut soon and has scouted 20 locations across the Republic as potential future locations for its planned Irish rollout.

The Nordic retailer announced today it will set up a head office in Dublin followed by the first official Irish store opening in April. The retailer’s first store Irish store will be located in Naas, Co. Kildare and the brand will start selling online and offer home delivery to Irish customers from 15 April. The retail brand, which sells homewares products like mattresses and living room furniture, will open two further locations in Drogheda and Navan during the month of May. A fourth branch in Portlaoise is scheduled to open by the end of summer. In total, JYSK – which is pronounced “yusk” – aims to open 15 stores across the Republic.

The new branches are set to feature a refreshed store concept launched by the brand last year, which includes a newly designed storefront and refreshed interiors. While there are no details currently on further planned locations. Ireland country manager Roni Tuominen told Fora the retailer is looking at locations that can deliver the highest footfall: “We are aiming to be close to the customer. Our target is to be where the customers are.”

JYSK will be joining Scandinavian rivals already well-established in the Irish market, Ikea and Søstrene Grene, which also sell affordable homewares products. Tuominen said “We’re working in 51 countries, so of course these companies are well-known for us. I think for the customers, competition is good and actually creates value,” he said. Jennifer Johnston, who is sales and marketing manager of JYSK Ireland, told Fora the retailer differentiates itself by rolling out new products on a more regular basis to cater for changing design trends. “One thing that we are very strong on is Scandinavian designed products. We are very good at launching new products regularly,” she said.

The 40-year-old brand, which is pronounced “yusk”, operates some 2,700 stores across 51 countries. It employs over 23,000 people around the world and reported sales of €3.5 billion last year.