How can you take advantage of an improving economy in your career?

This was a question posted to me by Wallace Immen at the Globe & Mail toward the end of last year and one of my suggestions was used in a recent article. Here are my 5 recommended resolutions for your personal brand in 2010.

1. Who can you be developing and mentoring? As 2010 see's companies coming out of the recession and starting to expand they will be looking to promote from within as much as possible – as much for morale purposes as anything. If you have been able to identify your replacement, or at least a shortlist, your boss feels a lot better about promoting you and it's a lot easier.

2. What is the one thing you want to be known for in 2010, your personal brand? Then develop a communication plan to ensure that you identify the key themes related to that brand and then determine how you are going to communicate it to the people that need to know. What are the best ways to reach those people? Think about how you are going to raise your profile internally so that you are top of mind for your expertise.

3. Expand your network and maintain your current one. Who are the people that are going to make you successful in 2010? Are they in your network at the moment, if not what can you be doing to add them in, who do you know that knows them? Ask for an introduction. If they are, what do you know about them, how can you help them and do you have a plan for keeping in touch with them on a regular basis?

4. What were the projects or actions that energized you in 2009? What can you do to ensure that you get more of that in 2010? Conversely – what drained and demoralized you in 2009? How do you stop doing as much of that in 2010?

5. As companies start to spend a little on professional development identify the one course or conference that you would love to go to and that would enhance your career the most. Ask to go. Offer to report back for others in the company on your learning's and take aways – increase the investment for the company and raises your profile in the organization.

Wishing all readers of Just My Toonies Worth the best personal brand year you have ever had.

Read the full Globe & Mail article by Wallace Immen here…….

What are going to be your resolutions? Take a moment to add your toonies worth.