We’re about to head into Q4 2024.
Know what that means?
It’s time to reflect, evaluate, and update your career.
What might I mean?
Is this not THE BEST time to start reviewing the current year, getting ready for your annual evaluation, promotion discussion, and pay raise?
How about freshening up your resume and LinkedIn profile just in case?
And, let’s not forget to start capturing our accomplishments, assessing our skills, and setting targets and goals for 2025!
Can I get an “Amen” on a Tuesday!?
So, your favorite Career Drill Instructor has a Swiss-army-knife of a post to get you in order!
In checklist-like fashion…
1. Reflect on your accomplishments: Look back over the past year and document your successes and the challenges you faced. Use my Career Achievements Journal to note significant accomplishments, the skills you’ve developed, and the lessons learned along the way. This reflection not only boosts your morale but also helps you articulate your value during performance reviews and sets a factual basis for negotiation.
2. Evaluate your professional growth: Assess how your skills have evolved over the year and identify areas needing improvement. Use my FREE Leadership Skill-Building Roadmap to pinpoint specific skills you’ve enhanced and those you need to develop further. This evaluation should be aligned with your career goals and the requirements of your current role or the role you aspire to.
For extra credit, grab a copy of The Zebra Code: A Step-By-Step Guide to Mastering Career Skills That Make You a Standout Professional, which has the skill building thing all laid out for you.
To go all in on your development, join my Leadership Coaching Program.
3, Set goals for next year: Based on your current career trajectory and the outcomes of your reflection and evaluation, set your goals for the coming year. Ensure these goals are aligned with your long-term career aspirations and consider using FREE Leadership Skill-Building Roadmap and The Zebra Code to identify new skills you need to develop.
4. Develop your skill building plan: For each skill you aim to improve or acquire, outline a clear plan of action. This might include training programs, workshops, or self-study. Prioritize these skills based on their relevance to your goals and the impact they are likely to have on your performance and career advancement. Watch this FREE video for detailed instructions on exactly how to build your plan.
5. Confirm upcoming check-in and reviews on your progress: Hopefully, you’ve set up milestones and regularly-scheduled reviews of your progress throughout the year. Now is a great time to confirm them for the rest of the year and start planning for 2025. These check-ins should be quarterly at a minimum. Ideally, you’d have monthly or weekly checkpoints depending on your level, current situation, projects, and other contributing factors. Use these check-ins to adjust your goals and strategies as needed, ensuring you remain on track and responsive to any changes in your role or the broader professional landscape.
Coming October 18th and November 8th in my Leadership Coaching Program, you can learn how these factors influence your ability to negotiate higher pay and performance reviews.
6. Seek Feedback: Engage with your supervisors, peers, staff, and coaches and mentors to get feedback on your performance. This feedback is invaluable as it provides external perspectives on your work, which can be critical for uncovering blind spots in your self-assessments. Use your self-assessment or internal performance tracking tools as vehicles to have these discussions.
7. Update Your Resume and LinkedIn Profile: Reflect your newly acquired skills and notable achievements in your resume and LinkedIn profile. Keeping these documents updated is crucial not only for potential job opportunities but also for your professional visibility and networking. You’re welcome to watch my NEW, FREE Professional Resume Writing Webinar and LinkedIn videos on my YouTube Channel. Check 7 Must-Know Tips to Get You Noticed on LinkedIn and LinkedIn Tips for Job Seekers That Attract Recruiters | An Inside Look.
By taking these steps, you ensure that you’re not only closing the year with a strong sense of accomplishment but also positioning yourself for future success.
Remember, the end of the year is an excellent opportunity for introspection and planning, and with the right strategies, you can set the tone for a fulfilling and productive new year!
MORE ON EMPLOYEE’S YEAR-END PLAYBOOK FRIDAY!
If you liked those 7 points I just mentioned, why not check out my Leadership Coaching Program if you’re not already a member?
We’re meeting this Friday, September 20th, for the full monty on this.
That means I’ll be teaching all this goodness live via Zoom with the members.
They’ll get the usual awesome live instruction, replay, and challenge and workbook to make sure it all gets done!
Membership is required.
ZEBRA CODE STUFF!
With The Zebra Code: A Step-By-Step Guide to Mastering Career Skills That Make You a Standout Professional now in full swing, I’ve been doing lots of educational lessons, podcasts, and shows regarding how you can use the book to create a stellar career.
I’m plopping them up on the FREE Zebra Code Book Club page so you can see them in one spot.
As long as you have a book to read, you can join the free book club and get ~$1,000 in complimentary leadership lessons!
And, in case I don’t say it enough, thanks for your attention. It’s my favorite thing you give me.
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👉WHO IS THIS DUDE?
Andrew LaCivita, a globally-renowned career and leadership coach, is the founder of the milewalk Academy®. During the course of his distinguished career, he has impacted over 350 companies, more than 100,000 individuals, and spanned nearly 200 countries, helping them unlock their full potential. He is an award-winning author who gained international recognition with his groundbreaking books, Interview Intervention: Communication That Gets You Hired, The Hiring Prophecies: Psychology behind Recruiting Successful Employees, and The Zebra Code: A Step-By-Step Guide to Mastering Career Skills That Make You a Standout Professional. These seminal works, along with his celebrated vlog, Tips for Work and Life®, consistently earn top spots on reputable, worldwide lists which rank the best career advice books and blogs. Andrew remains actively engaged across various social media platforms and shares his expertise through his weekly Live Office Hours on YouTube every Thursday.
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