Building a successful career starts with a clear understanding of your goals and resources. But how do you identify what you already have to achieve success and what you need to add? The answer is simple: conduct a career audit—a thorough analysis of your skills and experience that highlights your strengths and helps refine your path to professional success.

 

Why Do You Need a Career Audit?

 

Assess Your Capital

Take a step back to view your achievements objectively, recognize the extensive work you’ve done, and appreciate the professional capital you’ve accumulated.

Claim Your Skills

This process empowers you to confidently present yourself in the job market, showcasing your experience, skills, and accomplishments effectively.

Craft Key Phrases

A career audit helps you collect essential keywords for your LinkedIn profile and other professional platforms.

 

What Experience Should You Include in the Audit?

 

There’s no need to dig deep into experiences from “the distant past.” However, every job, every piece of experience—even failures that taught you valuable lessons—forms the foundation of your professional journey.

Focus on relevant experience, particularly in the context of your current career or the one you aspire to.

• Pay special attention to the last 5 years of your work.
• Include earlier experience if it directly supports your career goals.

 

How to Conduct a Skills Audit

 

Reflection

Write down all your achievements, skills, and experiences. Consider:

• Which tasks did you enjoy?
• Which challenges did you face?

External Feedback

Ask colleagues and friends for feedback. Their perspective can help you uncover strengths and weaknesses you might have overlooked.

Professional Assessments

Take tests to identify your career interests and personality traits. These tools can provide valuable insights into your inclinations and key competencies.

 

"Tidying Up" Your Skills

 

A career audit is also an opportunity to update your professional profile.

• Eliminate outdated skills that no longer have relevance in your field (e.g., mentioning Windows 95 in a developer’s resume).
• Focus on competencies that reflect your current expertise and align with market demands.

 

Audit Takeaways

 

After completing your audit:

• Organize and structure your strengths, skills, and experiences.
• Highlight them in your LinkedIn profile and resume.

This process not only boosts your confidence but also positions you for better opportunities in the job market. Remember, accurately assessing your achievements ensures that you don’t undervalue your contributions.

 

Julia Jolkin 👠👠

Top IT Recruiter & LinkedIn Expert

 

Feel free to contact me if you need:

• A review of your LinkedIn profile to understand how potential employers, partners, or clients perceive it. This will help you quickly find a job or confidently promote your services at any time. Sign up for the upcoming LinkedIn Makeover session.

• A career consultation to revise your career path and skills, especially if you haven’t been to an interview in a while and want to prepare thoroughly.