A career review is your chance to head in the right direction. It gives you a moment to look back over the last few years and mark down the milestones, and make goals for the upcoming couple years. It also gives you the chance to point out where things haven’t quite worked out, and approach them constructively without getting yourself down.
As such, it’s the most useful career tool available, and you should think about carrying one out every now and then to evaluate your own progress. Here are some other top reasons to give one a go.
You’re Not the Same Person Anymore
It’s true. You’re not who you were a year ago, or 10 years ago – you’re probably not even quite the same person you were 6 months ago! We’re always changing, and what we want from life changes with us, and a self applied career review will help you see that.
Think of it as a form of control over the way your career moves, especially in a working world that can so often take that away from you. Going with the flow is fine up until a point, but it should never be the sole guiding force of your actions. Know who you are and what you want, and redefine this on a regular basis.
You’ll Notice Any Gaps in Your Qualifications
And you’ll notice them in good time, which then gives you plenty of time to make a plan to cover them. It always feels great to have another qualification under your belt, and it’s always better to ‘over train’ than not be trained at all. A career review gives you the time to go over the possibilities.
In a worst case scenario, if you’re going for a promotion at work or the boss is doing a bit of a reshuffle, this at least gives you the forewarning to be prepared. Someone who has been through continuing education for nurses on top of having working experience is going to be a prime candidate for that top position over someone who’s only got the experience. You’ve filled the gap, and now your career can be pushed even further.
You Can Plan for the Near Future
What do you want to do next? A career review is where you make that decision. Where have you come from? And what do you want your career to look like in 3 to 5 years from now? This is your moment to set a goal, write up the relevant objectives to reach it, and formulate a flexible plan.
It’s much harder to do this on the fly without any prior thought or any research into your options! When you have the chance to weigh up the risks and the benefits, as well as consider the undertaking, you’ll feel much healthier about your career choices.
A career review is easy. It’s the results of one that might leave you reeling! But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try.
