For most, appraisal season is over at the workplace and the new KRAs for the year have been set. But before you step into the next financial year, here are 10 questions to ask yourself about your career:
1. Do I enjoy my job?
Do what you love and love what you do—lucky people get the best of both worlds. In return of your hard work, assess the satisfaction that you deriving. If you job isn’t giving you satisfaction, then is it really worth going through the struggle of daily pressure and deadlines? Do you wake up every morning looking forward to being at work? Do you feel proud when you tell people where you work and what you do?
2. Am I well paid?
This is as objective as it gets. Assess for yourself if you are being compensated for your contribution and for the value that you bring to your organisation.
3. Am I learning?
Education and learning is an ongoing process. Even if you have been in a job for many years, if you are constantly adding to your knowledge and skills, it’s worthwhile. But if you have stopped learning then it may be time for a change as the job is not a good investment of your time and skills.
4. Is this job helping me advance my career?
Most of us have a five-year plan or have a rough idea as to where they want to be professionally, a few years down the line. So it’s time to reflect if your current job is preparing you for what you want to do in the future? Is it taking you in the right direction? Your KRAs should not be taking you away from your future goal.
5. Does my boss like me?
A job can turn into a nightmare if your boss becomes difficult. Not everyone is friends with the boss, but it’s important to maintain an amiable relation. Sour relations might also hamper your productivity.
6. Do my colleagues like me?
A conducive working environment with friendly colleagues can make your job smooth sailing and compensate for other shortcomings that the job may have. Be friendly and approachable and work on your social network. This will boost your productivity also.
7. Am I a valuable asset to my company?
It’s important to assess your own worth and ask some tough questions if your work is adding value to your company. If you were to quit, would your company go out of its way to retain you with benefits like a promotion, pay hike or change in job role because they don’t want to lose you? Or are you easily replacable?
8. Does my job empower me?
For many, it’s important to be given a free creative license. If you are one of them, then you need to ask yourself if your job gives you the creative power to make decisions that will affect the company or are you an implementer with no say in policies that affect you as an employee?
9. Are you happy with your work/life balance?
To be productive at work, you need to find the delicate balance between your work life and your social life. Most people would like more time with their families and friends, but work is demanding, yet they work at attaining some kind of balance. The important question here is that are you getting at least the minimum free time you need to live your life?
10. Do I make a difference?
If you are do-gooder then it’s important to ask yourself if your work has helped people or made a difference in their lives? Is there a larger picture of what you are doing? If you are doing something meaningful, then it will in turn add value to your life.
If majority of your responses to these questions have been in the negetive, you know you need a change of scene.