How to Plan Your Next Move Before the New Year Starts

January is not the fresh start people think it is.

By the time most professionals sit down to "figure out what's next," hiring managers are already deep in Q1 planning. Headcount decisions were made in November. Interview slates are filling up. The people who started positioning themselves in December are already in conversations.

If you want to move in Q1, the work starts now.

Here's how to use the next few weeks strategically.

Get honest about what you actually want

This sounds obvious. It's not.

Most people start their search with a vague sense of "something different" or "more money" or "better culture." That's not a plan. That's a wish.

Before you update your resume or reach out to anyone, answer these questions: What kind of work energizes you versus drains you? What problems do you want to solve? What does the next role need to give you that this one doesn't?

You don't need perfect clarity. But you need enough direction to stop chasing everything and start targeting something.

Audit your story

Your resume and LinkedIn are not a list of jobs. They're a narrative.

Read them like a hiring manager would. Does the through-line make sense? Can someone look at your profile and immediately understand what you do, who you do it for, and why you're good at it?

If your answer is "well, it depends on the role," your positioning is too vague. The strongest candidates are easy to understand. They make it simple for someone to say, "I know exactly who this person is and why they'd be valuable here."

Identify your short list

You don't need to apply to fifty companies. You need five to ten that actually make sense.

Think about where your skills translate, where your network has traction, and where you'd genuinely want to work. Then go deeper. Who do you know at those companies? Who do you know who knows someone? What's happening in their business right now that would make them want someone like you?

A focused list beats a scattered spray every time.

Reactivate your network before you need it

The worst time to reach out to someone is when you need something. The second worst time is January, when everyone else is doing the same thing.

December is actually a good window. People are reflective. They're wrapping up projects. They have more time for coffee or a quick call than they will in six weeks.

Don't make it transactional. Reconnect with people you genuinely want to talk to. Share what you're thinking about. Ask what they're seeing in the market. The opportunities come from the conversations, not from asking for favors.

Decide what "ready" looks like

Some people spend months "getting ready" to search. They tweak their resume endlessly. They wait until they feel more confident. They tell themselves they'll start in earnest after the holidays, after that project wraps, after things settle down.

Things don't settle down. There is no perfect time.

Decide now what ready actually looks like for you. Maybe it's ten targeted outreach messages. Maybe it's three informational conversations. Maybe it's one application to a role you actually want.

Set a number. Hit it before January 1.

The people who move fast in Q1 started in Q4

The new year doesn't create momentum. It reveals who already built it.

If you want 2026 to be different, don't wait for January to give you permission. Start now. Even a few focused hours this month can change what's possible in the next three.