If ‘professional development through learning new skills’ is your top professional goal this year, you’re not alone, as it’s the No 1 professional goal in Brazil and the US, as well, a study by business social network LinkedIn reveals.
LinkedIn surveyed more than 7,100 professionals around the world and found that 61pc of people in Brazil said their professional goal for 2013 is professional development through learning new skills, whereas 48pc of people in the US share the same objective.
Nicole Williams, LinkedIn’s career expert, said professionals should keep in mind the skills they accrued in 2012 and continue to build on them.
“Don’t rest on your laurels,” she said. “Keep striving to differentiate yourself from the competition.”
The No 1 professional goal varied in other countries. In France, most people (55pc) said their main professional goal this year is to network more/build more professional relationships.
Williams said networking more often is probably one of the savviest goals a professional can make.
“Knowing someone is the easiest way to get your foot in the door,” she said. “When done properly, cultivating new business contacts can open up not only new job opportunities, but also help you land new client accounts and even strategic partnerships.”
Getting a new job/career is the focus of 42pc of people in United Arab Emirates, getting promoted or moving into a leadership role is the priority for 39pc of professionals in Singapore, and starting a business has been chosen as the professional resolution by 37pc of survey respondents in Indonesia.
Professionals in Indonesia (36pc) also most often cited getting a raise as a professional new year’s resolution, whereas in India, 34pc of professionals want to be more confident and engaged in client, customer and/or team meetings.
Eleven per cent of survey respondents in the US are thinking about being done with work, choosing retire/prepare for retirement this year as their professional goal for 2013.
