It's the start of a new year - and lots of people are thinking that maybe 2017 will be the year of the new career.

If this sounds like you, you’ll want to start planning for your new job search now. Don't just start scattering resumes across every job board in sight before taking care of a few essential items, described below. Prepare, update and skill market yourself! Happy job hunting!

1. Get your resume ready

Clean up your one-page document with symmetrical formatting, aligned tabs, consistent fonts, (Times New Roman 12 pt. font to be exact) and spacing. Update your objective to reflect a new career path or new found mission in your next career. Each job listed on your resume should be limited to 3 bullet points accurately describing the type of work you were responsible for completing as well as any accomplishments earned. Employers are seeking motivated employees that will bring value to their team, so make sure you are representing yourself and your accomplishments accurately and in a way that will expand upon your work ethic.

2. Get on LinkedIn

Set up a LinkedIn profile to market yourself to the professional world. Doing so will open up more opportunities as well as allow you to receive notifications when a new career that matches your skills opens up. Warning, don’t use your Facebook profile picture as your professional LinkedIn image. Instead, opt for a more professional image to represent yourself. Dress business casual and ask a family member or friend to snap a photo of your headshot. Kick-start networking by joining alumni groups, following companies on your top 10 company list, and adding connections. Remember, LinkedIn is not Facebook, so limit adding connections- and only add those that correlate to your end goal.

3. Work on your pitch

First impressions are critical! This is your opportunity to sell yourself within the first 30 seconds of meeting a potential employer. Summarize who you are, what you do, and why you’d be the perfect fit.

• Clearly introduce yourself
• Identify your target job or industry
• Add in your desired location or flexibility to travel
• Throw in a few skills or professional achievements that set you apart from your competition
• Tailor pitch to the company you are pursuing- understand their needs, know their niche and how you would successfully add value to the employer

4. Review common interview questions

“Where do you see yourself in 5 years?” “What are your short-term and long-term professional goals?” “What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?” Review a list of the most common interview questions in this brochure. Print and keep in your car as a refresher!

5. Check in with your TPI Recruiter

If you’ve applied with TPI Staffing within the last 1-2 years, chances are we currently have your most updated resume on file. On the flip side, if you have already submitted an application but haven’t updated or sent in a new resume in the last 5 years, it’s time to do so. Send your most updated resume in Word Format to jobs@tpistaffing.com and a TPI Representative will update your profile with us. Periodically check our job board for new job opportunities. You can even filter the search by location and radius, job industry and more!