Happy New Year! What an amazing time of year for change. If you are (or have been) looking for a new position, career change, etc., now is the perfect time to get started. The beginning of the year is not only a good time to reset your mind-frame, it’s also the time most companies choose to renew their budgets, which gives hiring managers the funds to fill new positions and restructure their teams. So jump on that train while the tank is full! Here are 5 awesome ways to jump start your job search in the new year.

Define Your Career Goals

Along with personal goals and resolutions, take some time at the start of the new year to define your career goals. What is the end game? Where do you want to be in your career this time next year? Be specific about what you want and create a practical plan on how to get there. The best way to achieve your goals is to create a realistic plan. Start with a list of what it will take to achieve these goals (degree? certification? experience?); from there you can build a road map for the year. Add tasks to your list that need to be conquered and a realistic timeline for when you plan to have each one finished. The more specific and detailed you are in this process, the more likely you are to complete tasks and achieve your goals.

Refresh Your Resume

Most people keep the same running resume for most of their adult life, adding jobs as they go. This can cause your resume to become long, boring and outdated. Before you start sending out resumes, take some time to give it a little refresh. You may want to read over it and eliminate any information that is irrelevant to the position you want or maybe just tidy up the paragraphs to be shorter and more precise. It is always a good idea to have an extra set of eyes look over it too. An outside perspective may help you by helping with phrasing or catching misspelled words.

Hit the Job Boards

Many hiring managers take the last part of the year to restructure their team. This may mean that they have new positions available, and with a renewed budget, they will be able to start filling those positions. The beginning of the year is a popular time to hire so be diligent about checking the job boards on a regular basis. It is likely that new positions will be popping up all over the place in the first few months of the year.

Build Your Network

If you are entering a new field, just getting out of school or simply searching for a new job, having a network of people in your career field will help move along the process. Instead of starting at square one, you could possibly skip a few squares by asking someone in your network if they know who’s hiring or if they can get you a meeting. It never hurts to have professional friends. You can build your network by joining groups on social media, going to networking events or simply being active in connecting with people in your daily life. School professors, friends, co-workers; they are all apart of your network.

Follow Up, Follow Up, Follow UP

Did you go to an interview? Send a thank you note to the hiring manager. Did you send in your resume online? Call the office and ask if they received it. Following up on your actions shows that you are genuinely interested and excited about the position. You don’t have to hound them. Give some space for the hiring manager to reach out to you, but little touches after making contact will ensure you are talked about and considered.

Searching for a job can sometimes be intimidating and discouraging. Following these 5 steps will help keep you focused on the overall goal and give you an extra edge starting out this year.