Good riddance, 2020.

The pandemic erased the jobs of millions of Americans and docked the incomes of millions more.

But now is a time for forward thinking.

A man wearing a business suit floats in the sky while hanging onto balloons.

Here’s more onhow bridge jobs can help you reach your career goals.

(The bar is pretty low.

We can only go up from here, right?)

Revisit Your Career Goals for 2020

Dig up your New Years resolutions from last year.

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You may have had some grandiose goal of landing your dream job or scoring a hefty raise.

Chances are you did not tick all those boxes.

But as you sift through that list, look for any goals that can be salvaged.

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Then carry those goals over to 2021.

Some tweaking may be required.

Our team has compiled alist of creative waysyou can fatten your bank account this week.

This is a long list, so dont get overwhelmed.

Go ahead and start now, but be sure to bookmark this post so you could easily return later.

Well keep it updated as offers changes or expire.

If nothing else, let this exercise provide a little comic relief.

(How naive we were last New Year!)

You may not land the director position right off the bat.

But youcouldgun for that junior graphic artist opening then work your way up.

Or, maybe you were in the hospitality industry and are still recovering from a layoff.

You may not find the same job immediately.

Did you know?

It does that by matching skills and credentials mentioned in the job listing with your resume.

The format you choose for your resume is just as important.

In certain cases, the standard chronological list of employment may not be the best choice.

Jazz Up Your LinkedIn Profile

LinkedIn can be a powerful, free tool for job seekers.

Because that time can really pay off.

You canspruce up your LinkedIn profile in as little as 30 minutes.

(Dont be afraid to ask directly!)

And thats just scratching the surface.

Prepare for Virtual Job Recruitment

Virtual recruitment is the new normal.

Even before the pandemic, online job fairs and interviews were steadily gaining popularity.

Hiring managers and recruiters may be working out the technical kinks themselves and are more likely to be forgiving.

Having strong remote-interviewing skills can be an easy way to set yourself apart.

Its good to make your mock interview experience as close to the real thing as possible.

During the pandemic, that likely means a video call.

You will likely be asked about your time out of work directly and possibly even in an accusatory manner.

Get Comfortable Negotiating

Your 2021 career goals arent likely to happen without a bit of legwork.

For most folks, negotiating can stir up some uncomfortable feelings.

Those feelings are the first (and probably biggest) roadblock to getting what you want.

Once youve committed yourself to having those difficult conversations, do your homework.

If your negotiation is income-related, research salary ranges for your position.

Peg yourself on that scale based on your location, skills and experience.

Use these numbers to create a game plan.

and to keep your composure.

Stay calm, respectful and flexible and youll be ticking off those goals in no time.

Use these five steps to get the raise you deserve.Get what youre worth by negotiating your starting salary.

Curse: a seemingly never-ending grind and critical means of income from which there is no escape.

Sounds a little dramatic, sure.

But the pandemic has really underscored this dichotomy.

As millions of jobs have vanished, gig work especially app-based services has become a safety net.

The work is fairly straightforward, entry-level and can be started in days.

Left uncheck, though, the gig you planned to do on Saturday evenings can slowly creep into Sundays.

To avoid this scenario, set attainable financial or career goals, meet those goals and then get out.

In other words,your side gig needs an exit plan.

Adam Hardy is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder.

He covers the gig economy, remote work and other unique ways to make money.

Read his latest articles here, or say hi on Twitter@hardyjournalism.

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