We’re in the last three months of the year! Can you believe how quickly 2020 has flown by? This years’ events have led many of us on a reflective journey, without doubt, this has included our careers and what this year may mean for our future career plans, or lack thereof, or maybe, what this year means for the next decisions we make concerning our careers. Our co-founder Martha wrote this reflective post on LinkedIn about how we can turn tragic events into gifts, drawing from her own career journey, read it here (ideally before you finish the rest of this email 🙂 ). Have you found yourself almost obsessively pondering about where you are in your career? Reflecting on the skills and knowledge you have accumulated and wondering how you can leverage them for this moment and the future? If so, This post is for you. We highlight two questions you should ask yourself when conducting a career audit, to hopefully help you manage your career in the right direction.

1. Is your skill-set still relevant? – The conversation about the Future of Work has been happening for many years now. To witness so many changes that had been theorized and predicted to happen in the future materialize within a span of months such as mass remote working has been…. quite something. Now, many people find themselves thinking about what this period means for their future careers. Professionals in some of the industries that have been hit the hardest by this pandemic such as hospitality and tourism, have to critically reevaluate how their skill-set can be utilized in new industries, or even, pursue different career paths entirely. Others may find themselves in situations where their skills are no longer relevant in the new world. Answering this question honestly allows you to analyze your strengths, weaknesses and take the necessary steps needed to propel your career to the next level such as taking online courses, or working with a career coach to remap your career journey, volunteering to up-skill among others.

2. What new things have you learned about yourself in the last six months? – Many of us discover new things about ourselves when going through a life-changing experience, and this is one that is being collectively lived by many around the world, so really, we’re also learning a lot about each other, and this can be an opportunity to explore new interests, opportunities, networks, etc. So what are things you have learned about yourself that you didn’t know before? What new interests have you developed and how can you pivot them (if interested) into your career? Has being quarantined made you realize you need to reassess your purpose? If this is the case, the next phase should be to figure out what resources, tools, and possibly professional help, you need to realign your career goals to your new discovered interests and/or needs. Self-awareness is a continuous journey, and we outlined in this blog three ways you can develop it for career success.

For further reading, please check out this post we wrote containing five reflection questions you should ask yourself if you’re wondering about your career direction. If you found this useful, please forward it to your friend or network. Check out more content on our Career Happiness Center.  As always, feel free to reach out to us at happycareers@edgeperformance.co.ke if you’re looking to address your most pressing career challenges.