Each January, many of us vow to lose weight. As New Year's resolutions go, slimming down is a no-brainer.

But what about another perennial favourite on the to-do list - finding a new job?

While it's easy to look into a mirror and see the need to drop 10 pounds, starting a job search requires deeper reflection and preparation, say two career management and transition experts.

Pam Corbett, a senior consultant with Calgary-based Cenera, says it's paramount that we understand our values and beliefs, interests and passions, and the skills and marketability we possess.

Pam Corbett says the New Year can be a good time for career decisions.

Christie Ulmer, Vancouver-based VP of business development for DBM, adds that people must clearly recognize their ideal job and the kind of culture in which they work best.

Both experts agree that making these assessments helps people choose the correct career decision and avoid a time-consuming and often aimless shotgun approach to finding a new job. In fact, some people often find they're best off staying right where they are. To better understand the process, Corbett offers two scenarios: Consider the example of a professional who is well paid, has good benefits and enjoys his colleagues. The employee started the job when he was young and newly married, and since then has progressed through various positions.

"But on a daily basis, the job is boring and not what he is passionately interested in," Corbett says.

However, the job does give him the time and money to enjoy a balanced lifestyle, to pursue things he values such as family time and outdoor recreation.

It may also allow his wife to work part-time and take care of the children, something the family believes is important, Corbett says.

Therefore, when he assesses the overall picture, he may stay in the job - or perhaps seek other positions within the company - because it provides a lifestyle he considers valuable.

"After making that assessment, the person may also have a different level of satisfaction about his job, which may allow him to appreciate it more," she adds.

A second scenario may unfold where another individual doesn't want to spend a large percentage of his or her daily life in an unfulfilling job.

"They feel that if they can't be a satisfied person they can't be a husband, father, contributing member of society, and all those other things," Corbett says. "In order to create a higher level of satisfaction they're willing to take a calculated risk."

That risk may involve seeking help from a coach, doing external research, networking and determining their value in the outside workplace.

DBM's Ulmer warns that employees who start an external job search, while continuing in their current jobs, face a tough task.

"I strongly caution people that it is one of the most difficult positions to be in because you need to keep your head in the game," Ulmer says.

"You need to be sure that you are being professional and keeping up your momentum in your current job. Otherwise, you could create your own demise."

Her second caveat is a simple one: "Prepare, prepare, prepare.”

Know what your values and interests are, and how they would intersect with the perfect job.

"Most of us could not describe what our ideal job is," she explains. "We need to understand what we want (in order to act) when that job presents itself."

Thirdly, she urges clients to understand the work environment in which they excel. The No. 1 reason people leave a company voluntarily or involuntarily, aside from events such as a massive downsizing, is the 'fit,' Ulmer explains.

"I have seen gifted people who have lost their job and they were just the wrong fit. Then they get into the right organization and they just blossom."

Other advice she offers includes:

* Know the location, salary, benefits, vacation time, etc., that you expect in a new job. "These things are important, but clearly it's what we do every day that is going to give you job satisfaction."

* Remember that 80 per cent of jobs are found through networking and only 20 per cent in the formal market such as newspapers, headhunters, postings and the Internet.

* Work with your inner circle to get outside referrals. Realize, much like the notion of six degrees of separation, that solid job leads often develop from contacts well outside your immediate circle.

* Your resume should be your followup document (i.e. you've already made contact with the organization through your networking). Tailor the resume to the company and its needs.

* Prepare for behavioural-type questions in the interview.

Corbett acknowledges that while many people perennially make New Year's resolutions to find a new job, most go by the wayside - just like those promises to get fit or quit smoking.

Yet January and February can often be good months to make a career decision, she says. Organizations typically set their budgets in the fall and know their hiring needs heading into the New Year. Concurrently, existing employees may not like a company's strategic plan for 2005 and may be looking for new employment.

Ulmer adds that the British Columbia job market, and Vancouver in particular, is buoyant.

"For people looking for a change in the workplace, it's a very good time because the opportunity is there," she says.

It's certainly food for thought as we move into a new year brimming with good intentions.

Web watch:
www.cenera.ca
www.dbmcanada.com

(Mike Dempster can be reached at miked@businessedge.ca)