Modern Mentor

Time for a year-end career audit?

Episode Summary

The end of the year is the perfect time to step back and assess where you are in your career. Are you on the path you want to be on? Are you growing in the ways that matter? Let’s do a career audit and set you up for success in 2025.

Episode Notes

Modern Mentor is hosted by Rachel Cooke. A transcript is available at Simplecast.

Have a question for Modern Mentor? Email us at modernmentor@quickanddirtytips.com.

Find Modern Mentor on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, or subscribe to the newsletter to get more tips to fuel your professional success.

Modern Mentor is a part of Quick and Dirty Tips.

Links:

https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/

https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/modern-mentor-newsletter

https://www.facebook.com/QDTModernMentor

https://twitter.com/QDTModernMentor

https://www.linkedin.com/company/modern-mentor-podcast/

Episode Transcription

Hey, it’s Rachel Cooke, your Modern Mentor! I’m the founder of Lead Above Noise, where we help leaders activate performance and engagement—without burning out. Whether it’s bootcamps, keynotes, or Pulse Checks, we deliver workshops and programs that drive meaningful change. If your workplace is ready for an activation boost, you know where to find me.

So, let’s talk about my dad for a sec. When I was growing up, he was all about watching sports. Whatever game was on, he was all in. Now that he’s older, he’s transferred his affection to - wait for it - Hallmark movies.

OMG he loves everything about them. And whenever he’s at my house, he puts one on. And I grumble…while I get totally sucked in. Are they all basically the same? Yes they are.You know - big-city career person moves to a small town, often begrudgingly, and somewhere between decorating cookies and saving the local bookstore, they have this life-altering moment of clarity. They realize they’ve been chasing the wrong things, they reprioritize, and everything falls perfectly into place.

Ugh. But also, more please. And. I actually think I’m starting to learn something.

While you’re welcome to pass on the relocating to a small town and saving the bookstore part, I do think there’s something to be said for the stepping back and reflecting part.

Year-end is a great time for this - though frankly it’s never a bad time to audit how things are going.

When I do this, there are 4 key questions I like to ask myself - the 4 places I love to investigate. I’d love to walk you through my approach and see what resonates. Here we go.

1. Clarity: Are You Clear on Where You’re Going?

To be clear, this is not the same as the “What’s your five-year plan?” question. This is meant to be more direction than destination.

So rather than stating a specific title or salary you’re striving for, focus instead on what you want to be doing. How you want to be spending your time.

Ask yourself:

Do I want to be deepening a particular expertise, or am I interested in broadening or growing into a leadership role?
Does my current role give me the opportunity to develop in that particular direction? Like, do I have access to other subject matter experts or small opportunities to dip a toe into the leadership pool?
Do I feel excited by - or engaged in - the direction I’m heading in, or am I just following the path I feel like I’m supposed to?

Take a moment to reflect on your answers. If you feel like you’re spinning your wheels or lacking a clear destination, it’s okay. The goal here isn’t to have your entire career mapped out but to identify what’s next and why it matters.

If clarity feels a little hazy, start small. Reach out to a mentor or a colleague and talk about your aspirations. Sometimes saying it all out loud can bring unexpected insights. Or, my go-to is journaling. Straight up pen and paper. Because sometimes it feels like my fingers carry a brand of wisdom the rest of me is lacking.

2. Growth: Are You Developing in Meaningful Ways?

So growth can be about promotions or certifications…but also just about finding moments in which to stretch and challenge yourself. To learn and practice new skills, to expand your confidence and readiness to take on new things.

Ask yourself:

What’s something I learned this year - a skill, a tool, a practice - that I’m proud of? And do I feel set up to build on it next year?
What’s the biggest gap between my current self and the person I’m striving to be? What does that person know how to do that I don’t, and where can I find the opportunity to do so?
Are there specific parts of my job I’m doing on autopilot and are there ways I might spice things up next year - try something new and see how it lands?

If growth feels stagnant, consider where you might need a nudge. It could be as simple as volunteering to lead a project, taking a class, or even shadowing a colleague in a different department.
Choose one small challenge to take on in January—something that feels just a bit outside your comfort zone. For example, if public speaking makes you nervous, offer to present at an upcoming team meeting. Growth happens in moments of stretch.

3. Impact: Are You Creating Value That Matters?

We all want our work to matter. But sometimes, in the rush to check boxes, we lose sight of the bigger picture.

Ask yourself:

Who benefits most from my work? And this doesn’t have to be big or existential or life-saving. Whose life are you making a tiny bit easier or cleaner or more interesting? Does that excite you?
What’s one project or accomplishment this year that I’m especially proud of, and how did it contribute to an outcome I care about?
If I disappeared tomorrow, what would people miss about the value I bring to the team?

If you’re not sure about the answers, take this as a cue to reconnect with the "why" behind your work. Understanding the impact you have—on colleagues, customers, or the organization—can reignite your sense of purpose.

Practical action:
Talk to your leader about how your work has made a difference. Ask for feedback, share your own reflections. Acknowledging your impact out loud can deepen your confidence and commitment.

4. Balance: Are You Thriving in and Out of Work?

Balance isn’t about achieving perfection—it’s about feeling like you can show up fully for both your work and your life.

Ask yourself:

How do I feel at the end of most workdays—energized, neutral, or drained?
Are there boundaries I need to set to protect my time and energy?
What’s one habit or ritual I could add (or remove) to feel more balanced?

Balance is deeply personal. For some, it’s about setting stricter work hours. For others, it’s about making time for hobbies, relationships, or even just rest.

Pick one boundary to experiment with next month. Maybe it’s setting a hard stop on emails after 6 p.m. or taking a midday walk to recharge. Small changes can have a huge impact on your overall well-being.

When you take the time to reflect on these four areas—clarity, growth, impact, and balance—you’re not just auditing your career. You’re investing in yourself.

Remember, this isn’t about reinventing who you are. It’s about fine-tuning where you’re going, celebrating how far you’ve come, and setting yourself up for a strong and purposeful 2025.

And if this exercise feels helpful, share it with a friend or colleague. You never know whose career might benefit from a little reflection and inspiration.

If your team or workplace could use a boost in activation, engagement, or clarity, you know where to find me—rachel@leadabovenoise.com.

Join me next week for another great episode. Until then, visit my website at leadabovenoise.com if your workplace could use an Activation boost—whether it’s a bootcamp, a keynote, or a Pulse check, you choose. You can follow Modern Mentor on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Thanks so much for listening and have a successful week.

Modern Mentor is a Quick and Dirty Tips podcast. It’s audio-engineered by Dan Feirabend. Our Director of Podcasts is Brannan Goetschius. Our Podcast and Advertising Operations Specialist is Morgan Christianson. Our Digital Operations Specialist is Holly Hutchings. Our Marketing and Publicity Associate is Davina Tomlin. Our Marketing Contractor is Nathaniel Hoopes.