Make a fresh start in 2015

The new year is around the corner. You have your mind on celebrations. A well deserved break from work and hectic routine life is there to be enjoyed. Give yourself the best treat you can. Enjoy all the feelings that go with it.

Life doesn't end with year-end celebrations. You will encounter more competition as an person find the environment to be tougher in the New Year and you have to be prepared to face that challenge. So make your process of rejuvenation satisfying and meaningful.

It's a good idea to take time off during your vacation to reflect on your knowledge, skills and competencies to understand and comprehend which areas do need further sharpening to be a more successful person.

A personal audit is a great way for you to identify your strengths and your development needs. It is useful for people on the career track, ambitious managers and would-be entrepreneurs. I would recommend setting aside some time this season to do it as a planned exercise to be effective.

Going blank

Go back over your most complete resumes with a fine tooth comb and unearth all the knowledge, skills and competencies you possess.

Many people go blank when you ask them about their skills. Sometimes it is easier to work backwards from what you have done, to work out what you are good at.

This is where a job analysis can help. An alternative strategy is just to sit yourself down and make a list of what you know you are good at.

This will come easier to some than to others. Simply start writing.

You already know at least some of the things you are good at. You'll find there are some skills you feel very confident with and others where you think you can do them 'a bit'. Don't be shy - this is not an exercise where you can be bashful.

Be proud to list what you know you do well. You will come up with some skills without any prompting, but there will be many more. Review whether your 'top' skills are the ones you want to use the most. Make a note of any skills you really enjoy using but know you need to develop further.

Skill assessment

Contemplating a career change at the end of this year? Skill assessment is even more critical then.

If you are contemplating a career change, then you need to build up a detailed understanding of your strengths and talents. If you are clear on this, then you can assess career ideas with your skills and strengths in mind.

Work which allows you to do what you are good at will be more fulfilling for you and your employer too will be happier with the results you produce. If you don't get to use your favourite skills much, maybe that is what is prompting you to look for a change.

Career change success depends on you making a reasonable match between your skills and the demands of the job you switch to.

Hopefully, after you have done the personal skills audit you will begin to see how an awareness of your skills affects the way you approach your career change. Knowledge without skills is of no use - its skills that convert knowledge into value.

Even at the height of celebrations you will still have space for this assessment. If you use that space and do it right, you can have better celebrations by the end 2015.