Carrying out a career audit is very important to reaching your career goals and professional expectations.

Being happy with your job or career is one thing. However, knowing what development, learning and career move you should make next can only be achieved by carrying out a career audit. Analyzing your career achievements can set up your optimism for reaching new heights or defining new career paths to go.

As the year comes to an end and you find yourself on the edge of a new one, you have reached a point where you need to know what is next for you and your career. Did you know that analyzing your career achievements can boost your optimism for reaching new heights and defining new career paths for you? Here are some career audit questions you should consider asking yourself.

As you ask yourself these career audit questions, it is important that you answer these questions as sincerely as you possibly can. Get your notepad out and let’s get started:

• Are you happy with your career, current job and the company you work for?
• What are your achievements over the past year?
• What are the shortcomings that have held you back?
• What are your strengths as a career professional?
• What is the state of your mental and physical health?
• What areas do you need to improve your mental and physical health?
• Did you achieve the goals you set for yourself over the last 12 months?
• Do you have new goals?
• Are you relevant or has your job role become redundant?
• What new skills or training will you be interested in taking?
• Is your job profile/CV up-to-date?
• Are you satisfied with your present compensation package and benefits?
• What are your next career SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound) goals?
• How do you plan to achieve your SMART goals?
• What other non-career related passion would you commit to?

Final Thoughts on Career Audit

Career audit questions may seem inexhaustible but the important thing here is to know where you were, where you are and where you need to go with your career? Once you are done analysing your career and defining your ‘what’s next,’ you may need to reach out to a career advisor or get a committed accountability partner. The role of the career advisor is to help you reach and surpass your goals.

Many professionals are reluctant to set career goals for themselves as they get entangled in the web of New Year resolutions. However, you are better off setting goals and constantly working towards them than just getting consumed in the routine of working without a short-term or long-term plan. If you are stuck doing the latter, you might as well just swimming in the sea without any proper direction. The best time to carry out your career audit is now. If you have any questions, kindly share them with us in the comment section below.