What's Next?

There are a couple of natural, built-in times each year for resume writers to re-evaluate themselves. And re-evaluation of yourself and your professional life/business are essential. The first is New Year's. Just as our clients make New Year's resolutions, so should resume writers. You already know how important goal-setting is to your personal and professional development, so I won't harp on it.

The second is the Fourth of July holiday. Coming mid-year, this is an ideal opportunity to you to evaluate your progress thus far ... and to take another look at those New Year's resolutions.

The third is the Labor Day holiday. Summer is ending, and you get that last chance to re-evaluate your progress and chart a plan to meet your goals for the year. That's what I'm doing this weekend, and I came across a great list of questions from branding expert William Arruda in the Reach Personal Branding newsletter. (Sign up for your free subscription on their website.)

Here are the three questions he advises you answer:

• What's my next move for my career?
• Which of my greatest strengths is most differentiating for me, and how can I integrate that strength into everything I do every day?
• What one energy-zapping activity can I stop doing when I return to work?

All great questions -- and ones that I advise that you take just a few moments to consider.