​Gyms fill up. Healthy recipe books fly off the shelves. Diets get started.

Motivation runs high in the window of New Year’s resolutions. It’s also no secret that this focus tends to dissipate as we move into the year.

But if the goal is a fresh start, you can harness this productive window to land a new job, get a promotion or expand your role. Unlike a lapsed diet, channeling this energy to develop your career at the beginning of the year can pay off for years to come. Here are tips to maximize your job search in the new year.

• Dream big

New year’s resolutions are a time to shamelessly dream big. So what’s your dream career? Some questions to guide your career dream include: Think back to when you were a child, what were your career aspirations? When time seems to fly, what activities are you engaged in? What activities do you both enjoy and are good at? What activities feed your soul? If you could work in any field, in any role, what would you choose?

• Set specific goals

Any personal trainer will tell you that “get in shape” or “lose weight” are bound to fail, because they have no clear end point or path to succeed. The same is true with career goals. Write down and visualize exactly what outcome you are seeking, such as gaining a leadership role, increasingly your salary or relocating to another part of the country. With a clear end in mind, work backwards and create a route to achieve what you want with a route such as a 30-60-90 day plan to make progress each step of the way.

• Lay the groundwork

New Year’s resolutions can’t get off the ground without the basics – joining a gym, setting up a workout schedule or hiring a personal trainer. In the same way, a new job search shouldn’t overlook the basics of updating your resume, contacting connections in your network and searching job boards for open positions. Make a checklist of all the legwork you need for “quick wins” to build momentum such as sending out resumes, contacting recruiters and other basic steps.

Finally, make sure you don’t just dream it – do it. You’re much more likely to achieve your goals when you write things down. Managing your career with the help of new year’s resolutions is a great way to set clear goals. Good luck, and happy new year!