5 Questions to Ask Yourself About Your Job Performance This Year

As the year ends your manager or supervisor should not be the only person evaluating your performance. Feedback is great but it’s also important to take time for self-reflection to consider how the year went in order to set goals for next year.

There are many questions you should ask yourself about your job and career (and ask throughout the year) but here are five to get the self-reflection started.

Did I feel energized and enthusiastic about my work experience this year? No one expects you to love your job at every moment but, in general, you want to work in a place that inspires you to give your best. You’ll likely feel more enthused about your career if you believe in the mission of your company and if you are able to implement your strengths and skills in the job.

What new skills did I gain or have an opportunity to develop? Take a few moments to consider the new expertise you gained, the training sessions you attended, and the skills you were able to develop over the past year. If you have difficulty identifying anything here, you might need to look at the opportunities your workplace offers and have a discussion with your supervisor about how to best develop your skills.

Is this where I hoped my career would be by year-end? If not, why not? If answering this question makes you feel stuck or dissatisfied with where your career is now, you might want to make some changes.

Am I in the job or career that I want to be in next year? There are many reasons we take on a job or pursue a career and we don’t always consider our current stop to be long-term. This is a good time to take another look at your career goals and determine whether your current situation best enables you to reach your goals.

What skills can I develop next year that will best help my career and what is the best way for me to obtain these skills? While you thought about the skills you gained in the past year it’s also important to think ahead to where you want to go and understand the knowledge and skills that will get you there. How can you obtain the knowledge, skills, and experience required? Develop a plan for acquiring the skills you need in the short and long-term.