Thinking of changing your career path? You might want to consider doing a career audit.
A career audit can be done by professionals at any stage or age but is becoming increasingly common among people changing careers at 30, 40.
To understand what an audit can do for you and your career, try asking yourself these thought-provoking questions -
Where am I now in my career?
Where do I want to be?
How am I going to get there?
Let's take a deeper look at how you can do a career audit yourself.
Where Am I Now In My Career?
Sometimes you feel like you want to switch careers but have no clear career direction.
To help you assess where you are in your career right now, think about who you are and what you are good at. Figure out your interests, abilities, commitments, and career goals.
Think about aspects of your work you’re good at, and enjoy the most. If not, what is it that you’d like to change? What aspect of your job do you enjoy the least?
The answers to these questions may help you to identify what you value in your current role and what you would like to have in the future.
What do you like about your current job that you’ll like to continue with? On the flip side, what bits are you happy to ditch?
Where Do I Want To Be?
When you’re trying to figure out where you want to be and how your future career should look like, make a list of -
Things you would like to have in a future job.
Things you’d definitely not want to have in a future job.
For example,
I would like to work in a role within a creative environment that is close to home.
I would like to work in a position where my talent for leadership is recognized and rewarded.
Think of all the top values that are a priority for your future role. For inspiration, take a look at our list of the top 35 values that people consider important to them in their careers.
Top 35 Values That Are Important To People In Their Careers
Sense of Achievement
Adventurous
Status
Recognition
Opportunity to learn
Opportunity to make decisions
Opportunity to lead
Opportunity for promotion
Trust
Job security
Kindness
Gratitude
Creativity at work
Helping people/society
Partnership
Ability to perform different roles
Rewarding career
Self-esteem
Happiness
Compassion at workplace
Humility
Dignity
Empowerment
Growth
Innovation at workplace
Commitment
Flexible working
Competitive Salary
Working close to home
Good work/life balance
Scan through this list and go with your gut feeling. Which ones jump out as most important to you?
Make a list of the top ten values and categorize them into -
Very Important
Important
Quite important
Of some importance
Not important
By the end of this, you’d possibly have a better idea of where you want to be in your career.
How Am I Going To Get There?
You know where you are in your career, and where you want to be.
Now, how are you going to get there?
This is the stage where you have to assess how skilled you are at managing yourself, setting and goals, and breaking them down into practical, manageable steps.
Ask yourself -
Am I confident in promoting myself?
Can I clearly articulate my strengths?
Can I create new opportunities for myself?
Am I willing to take risks and try out new things?
Do I have people whom I can depend upon for advice, support, and encouragement?
Do I have a mentor or coach who can guide me through this process?
This is also the best time to research people who have successfully changed their career paths. Identify few people who can help you achieve your career goals. Don’t hesitate to reach out and ask for help. You can’t do this alone, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with seeking help!
Read how I reinvented my career at 42.
A career audit can help you focus on all the things you want in your career and steer clear of things that are slowing you down from changing your career path. If you ever feel you’re stuck in a career rut, take an initiative and assess what it is you really want.
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