New Year Career Reset for Senior Leaders
January has a particular feel for senior leaders in Australia and New Zealand. The inbox is quieter. The board calendar has not filled up yet. For a few weeks, there is room to think.
Most leaders use that room to catch up on work. Very few use it to look at their own career. Then February arrives, the year takes over, and another twelve months go by without a real decision.
A new year career reset plan does not need a retreat or a new life. It needs a few focused hours and five steps: review the year that has passed, clarify where you want to go, update your resume and LinkedIn profile, plan who you will speak with, and set a 90-day plan with dates in it.
This post walks through each step in plain terms, so you can start this week.
Why January is the right time for a career reset
From my years on the recruiter side, I noticed that many senior moves had their roots in January. Not because roles were posted then, but because that was when people decided they wanted something different.
The summer break gives distance. You can look at your role from the outside for a moment. You notice what drained you, what you are proud of and what you keep putting off.
The risk is that the thinking stays in your head. A new year career reset routine works best when it is short, written and dated, rather than a long list of good intentions. A reset only works if it ends with something written down and some actions in the diary. If you are already mid-search over the break, our guide to running an executive job search over Christmas and summer covers how to use that time well.
Step 1: review the year that has passed
Start by looking back. Block two hours, turn off notifications and answer these questions on paper.
What did I deliver this year that I am proud of?
What changed in my role, team or scope?
What did I learn, and what feedback did I receive?
What drained my energy, and what gave me energy?
What did I say I would do this year that I did not do?
Be specific. “Improved reporting” is not useful. “Rebuilt the board pack so directors had one page of key measures” is.
This review has a second purpose. The results you list here are the raw material for your resume. Most leaders struggle to recall their achievements when they need them. Capture them now, while they are fresh.
Step 2: clarify where you want to go
Next, look forward. You do not need a ten-year vision. You need a clear sense of direction for the next two or three years.
Ask yourself:
Do I want to stay in my current organisation, and if so, in what role?
Do I want a bigger role, a different type of role or a different sector?
Am I interested in board or non-executive work?
What would I need to see in a role to say yes quickly?
What would make me say no, even at a higher salary?
Many leaders find this harder than the review. It is easier to list what you have done than to say what you want. If you find yourself stuck, our piece on why career plans often do not work explains why direction matters more than a detailed plan.
Write down one sentence that captures your direction. For example: “In the next two years, I want to move from Group Financial Controller to CFO in a mid-sized business, ideally private equity backed.”
Step 3: check your market position
Before you update anything, take an honest look at how the market is likely to see you.
A pattern I see often is a leader whose resume still reflects the job they had three years ago. Their scope has grown, their results have improved, but on paper they look the same as when they last moved.
Check these points:
Does my title reflect the work I do?
Would a recruiter reading my resume see me as ready for the role I want?
Are there gaps in my experience that a panel would notice?
Is my story clear, or does my career look like a set of unrelated moves?
Our guide to doing a career audit before you apply has a fuller set of questions for this step.
Step 4: update your resume
Once you know your direction, update your resume to match it. Even if you are not planning to move, this is worth doing. Opportunities often appear with little warning, and a resume written in a rush rarely does you justice.
Focus on:
Your current role. Update the scope, team size and reporting line. Add the results from your year review.
Your opening summary. Rewrite it so it points to the role you want next, not the one you have.
Older roles. Trim them. Recent work should carry the weight.
Use present tense for your current role and past tense for earlier roles. Lead with results, and put numbers on them where you can.
Before and after: an illustrative example
Here is an illustrative example of how a January update can sharpen a resume.
Before: “Head of Finance responsible for financial reporting, budgeting and team leadership. Supports the CEO on strategic initiatives.”
After: “Lead finance for a $90m services business across Australia and New Zealand, reporting to the CEO and the audit committee. Rebuilt the budgeting process this year, cutting the cycle from ten weeks to five. Led the finance workstream on the acquisition of a New Zealand competitor, including due diligence and integration of reporting.”
The figures are illustrative only. The point is that the second version shows scale, results and board exposure. It also hints at CFO readiness, which fits the direction the leader set in Step 2.
Step 5: refresh your LinkedIn profile
Your LinkedIn profile is often the first thing a recruiter or board chair sees. It should tell the same story as your resume, but in a slightly warmer voice.
Update your headline so it reflects your level and focus. Rewrite your About section so it speaks to the people you want to reach. Check that titles and dates match your resume exactly.
If you are worried about your employer noticing, change your settings so updates are not shared with your network before you edit. Many senior leaders update their profile from time to time, so a refresh in January rarely raises eyebrows.
Step 6: plan your networking
Most senior roles move through people. A reset is a good time to decide who you want to be in touch with this year.
Make a short list across three groups:
People who know your work. Former managers, board members, peers and people who have worked for you.
People who hire at your level. Recruiters who cover your sector and level, and CEOs or chairs in your target organisations.
People who can open doors. Advisers, auditors, lawyers and others who sit close to boards and leadership teams.
Aim for regular, low-pressure contact. A coffee, a note on a relevant article, a congratulations on a new role. You are building relationships, not asking for favours.
Step 7: set a 90-day plan
The last step turns your thinking into action. A 90-day plan is short enough to stay focused and long enough to make progress.
Pick three to five actions, each with a date. For example:
Finish resume update by [date]
Rewrite LinkedIn headline and About section by [date]
Have coffee with [three names] by [date]
Raise development or role scope with my manager at the [month] review
Apply for one board or committee role by [date]
Put the dates in your diary. Review the plan at the end of each month. If something slips, move the date rather than drop the action. At the end of 90 days, look back at what changed and set the next three to five actions. Our piece on executive job search metrics explains how to track progress without getting lost in activity.
Common mistakes in a new year career reset plan
Thinking without writing. Ideas that stay in your head fade by February. Write things down.
Setting too many goals. Five clear actions beat fifteen vague ones.
Waiting for the right role to appear. Preparation comes first. If you wait for the role, you will be rushing.
Only looking at the job, not the life. Location, travel, family and energy all matter. A bigger role that does not fit your life is not a step forward.
Doing it alone. A trusted peer, mentor or coach can see blind spots you cannot.
Questions to ask yourself this January
Can I name three results from last year that I would lead with in an interview?
Can I describe my direction for the next two years in one sentence?
Does my resume point to the role I want next?
Does my LinkedIn profile match my resume?
Do I have a list of people to reconnect with this quarter?
Are my 90-day actions in the diary with dates?
If you can answer yes to all six, your reset is done. If not, pick the first gap and fix it this week.
If you want help turning your January thinking into a clear market position, see how I approach executive positioning.
If you are a senior leader starting the year with questions about your next move, book a complimentary Clarity Session and we will set out your direction and your first steps.
