Whether you’re having a blast and enjoying your year so far, or you’re just counting down the days to the December holiday season, half the year has already flown by before you know it. To think it wasn’t that long ago that you were coming up with goals you wanted to achieve within the year.
That being said, it can be challenging to keep an eye on your progress, especially when things get hectic and priorities change. You might have even lost track of milestones amidst all the things that are going on in your life.
This is where a mid-year check-in can come in handy, where you can take this opportunity to not just assess your achievements, but also reevaluate the goals you have at this point.
Vibe check? Bet.
So how does one check on their career goals? Well, it turns out that it's not that different from gauging a person’s mood or the general gist of a situation. Start by taking stock of what you already know about your career. At this point, that means going back to the list of goals you set for yourself back at the start of the year.
The next step is to examine where your career is at right now. Are you at a crossroads and thinking of switching jobs, or even industries? Do you feel satisfied in your current position, or are you struggling to even meet its basic requirements? By asking yourself these questions, you’ll be able to create a comprehensive list that’ll help establish where you’re currently standing.
Once you’re done, put both lists side by side and compare their differences. Chances are, there might be some disparities between your initial aspirations and what you’ve actually achieved. Regardless of outcome, however, don’t beat yourself up if you’ve found that you’ve fallen short: sometimes things happen, and it shouldn’t be taken as a pure reflection of your capabilities.
At the same time, this is also a good time to re-evaluate your original milestones in relation to your current professional outlook. Are some of them outdated? If so, remove them from the list or change them to suit the current conditions, and keep working to achieve the goals that still make sense for your progression.
If you’re not quite sure on how to do so, here are some ideas that can help you get started.
Upskilling
This might be the most obvious and easiest place to start. Every industry is different but the one thing that unites them is the fact that changes are constantly happening, and this is particularly true with groundbreaking innovations such as artificial intelligence (AI).
Notably, organisations and government bodies alike are rapidly embracing AI and automation, often in favour of staff, is one example of how much things have changed globally within the last 5 years. In fact, a graduate survey in Singapore found that 53% of graduates are concerned about the adoption of artificial intelligence and its effects on their chosen career field.
But just because it’s happening now doesn’t mean that you’re too late to catch up. On the contrary, you still have time to hop on the bandwagon before it’s too late.
For one, there’s plenty of resources available for upskilling. For example, the government offers credits for their SkillsFuture program which can help offset the cost of upskilling.
Skill building isn’t limited course as well. You could also opt to participate in training seminars that your workplace offers, seek a scholarship from your organisation to study as a part-time student, and sign up for job rotation schemes that allow you to try out different roles for short periods of time.
Networking
While this might sound like something you’d do in suits and over fancy cocktails, there are plenty of benefits from doing so, especially at the start of your career.
In a way, developing your professional relationships is akin to playing a multiplayer game. From starting out as a new player, you’ll gradually meet people who help you level up and grow as you progress through levels, thanks to their resources and skills. Plus, when you find yourself having trouble with boss encounters, you can call upon your connections for assistance, while further expanding your connections with other players.
Sounds good, right? Each person that you recruit has something to bring to the table, and if you can build a strong and resilient network, the possibilities are endless. The best part? It’s not hard to cultivate your contacts at all. You can also do so virtually via apps like LinkedIn if you’re not keen on entirely comfortable meeting people in-person, and if you are, there are many ways you kickstart your networking efforts.
For instance, you can look up specific networking events on websites like Meetup, or utilise company events or even training programs to foster relationships with people you might not usually meet.
Exploring outside your comfort zone
These days, it's not uncommon for employees to have to wear multiple hats on the job, AKA perform tasks outside of their roles, and while tedious, there’s value in doing so. For example, if you’re hired by a company as an admin staff but end up selected for a marketing campaign, you may want to redirect the request to someone more capable of doing the job.
Alternatively, if you have the bandwidth for it, you can also reframe this request as a chance to challenge yourself.
After all, there are plenty of unique skills and insights that you can pick up from such campaigns, which can not only bolster your resume and increase your versatility, but also showcases your willingness to adapt. These are traits that are often valuable to employers, which in turn secures your relevance within the company and improves your job security.
Mid-Year Check-In: Energising Your Career Path
Just like a football match, sometimes it's necessary to regroup during half-time and check on your strategy. If you’re doing well, great! If not, it’s important to readjust and improve it in order to better hit your goals.
That being said, you aren’t locked to just one single check-in in the midst of the year; there’s nothing wrong with wanting to check in again at a later date. This way, you’re able to not only monitor your progress, but also continuously ensure that you’re on the right track.
Don’t stress about getting it right on your first try; as long as you steadily work towards a goal, you’re well on your way to being the best version of yourself. So to all my fellow corporate baddies, stay hungry, stay foolish.
