Add New Event—Repeat Every Year: 'Career Reflection Day'

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Our careers are likely to become an integral part of our identities, so our personal narratives might be outlined by critical career events such as graduations, starting or leaving jobs, or getting promotions (Guichard et al., 2012). We may also be more likely to think about and reflect on our careers at specific times, such as these:

• Before or after job interviews, when we might be anxious about looking confident and creating a positive impression (Feiler & Powell, 2016)
• When we are significantly disappointed with our progression due to failure, as our thinking and evaluation may be distorted by negative emotions (Ucbasaran et al., 2013)
• After facing a career shock, such as losing a mentor or job suddenly, which may cause serious concerns about the progression of our careers accompanied by feelings such as a lack of control (Seibert et al., 2013)
• Before, during, or after organizational performance review cycles, when we might be quite stressed about receiving others’ feedback (Dhiman, 2021)
• When we compare ourselves to our peers on a random day via social media or during key events such as reunions, particularly if our self-doubt is triggered due to excessive upward cognitive comparison (Midgley et al., 2021)
• Before New Year’s Eve, when we might be overwhelmed with several commitments such as gift shopping and trying to decide on our resolutions for various domains of our lives for the upcoming year.

If you would like to avoid the concerns associated with certain events or days that may cloud your judgment of your career progression, you can greatly benefit from setting your own unique Career Reflection Day!

Having such a day on your calendar would be beneficial for six reasons:

1. Benefits of self-reflection: Self-reflection is a distinctive characteristic of humans fostering personal development and transformation (Ardelt & Grunwald, 2018). Research shows that reflecting on our experiences improves our chances for learning from them and contributes to workplace performance (Faller et al., 2020) as well as well-being (Ellis et al., 2014). Nobody can think about and understand your experience and progression as well as you do. Thus, you are the only one who can genuinely learn from them. You can start by responding to a few basic questions such as “Where am I now? What has changed since last year? What did I achieve despite the challenges? How do I feel about my career now? How can I feel better next year?” Sincere self-reflection also increases self-efficacy, contributes to active feedback-seeking, and increases the likelihood of benefiting from the feedback of others (Anseel, 2017).
2. Promoting positive thinking: You can consider choosing a meaningful day, such as your graduation or promotion day, that holds positive significance and fond memories. This can help you begin your reflection with an optimistic mindset, allowing you to focus on your progress and improvement with self-compassion.
3. Staying focused with a clear vision: If you have a designated day for career reflection, you can keep it independent of the challenges associated with special days arranged by others (such as interviews or performance meetings) or days with complex connotations (such as New Year's or reunions). With a broad perspective, you can also maintain a clear view of the role of contextual factors, such as changes in your workplace or global issues impacting your field.
4. Power of control: Having control over your career reflection is beneficial for several reasons. For instance, while you can't easily change the dates of job interviews, client meetings, or reunions, you can adjust your Career Reflection Day if a new significant and joyful career milestone arises. You can choose any place you enjoy for your reflection time and may even establish a routine, such as visiting the same café or restaurant each year for this purpose. Setting goals can be motivating, but you can also refrain from doing so if you already have enough. Having an accountability partner can aid in forming habits; alternatively, you can keep it personal.
5. Self-appreciation: Once you develop the habit, you can focus on what you have achieved, learned, or noticed since last year’s reflection. It’s an opportunity to appreciate yourself without any conscious or unconscious effort to impress others. Keeping a record may also help you see your progression over the years.
6. Gratitude: Gratitude is beneficial for our well-being (Wood et al., 2010). When reflecting on your career, you can be grateful for the opportunities you have had as well as for your own efforts. Your Career Reflection Day may also be a great opportunity to send a quick "thank you" message to express gratitude to certain people who have positively impacted your progress over the last year.