It’s that time of the year again. December is around the corner. Your inbox is starting to fill with “Out of Office” replies. Your boss is talking about wrapping things up. LinkedIn is already flooded with people posting their “I’m grateful for how far I’ve come” reflections. For some, this is a time of celebration. For others, it’s a quiet reminder of how fast the year flew by and how much didn’t go according to plan.
Whether 2025 was your best year yet or one of the toughest, one thing is clear: how you end the year matters just as much as how you start the next one. Instead of coasting through the holidays on autopilot, this is the perfect time to pause, reflect, and intentionally reposition yourself for 2026. Think of it like a personal performance review, but one where you’re the boss and the employee at the same time.
A good end-of-year career audit isn’t about beating yourself up. It’s about clarity. It’s about asking the right questions so you can make smarter moves in the year ahead. And to make it easier, here are six powerful questions to guide your reflection and set the stage for a stronger 2026.
- What actually worked for me this year?
Before you think about what went wrong, start by acknowledging what went right. In a job market as unpredictable as Nigeria’s, progress isn’t always loud, sometimes it’s small wins that build into something bigger. Maybe you didn’t get that promotion, but you learned a new skill. Maybe you didn’t land your dream job, but you built better habits around networking or job applications.
This first question is about taking inventory of your real wins, not just the flashy ones. Did your work ethic improve? Did you build new relationships that opened doors? Did you finally gain clarity about what you want to do? Even if your progress didn’t go viral on LinkedIn, it counts.
You may feel like your year was a failure simply because you didn’t change jobs. But take a moment to reflect, you may have become the go-to person for strategy on your team, completed a certification, or even started mentoring interns. Sometimes, the win is not in movement, but in momentum.
Write these wins down. Seeing them clearly on paper changes your energy; it reminds you that you did grow, even if it wasn’t loud.
- Where did I get stuck or fall short?
Now it’s time to get honest. Where did you lose steam this year? What goals did you abandon, and why? Maybe it was a lack of resources, burnout, distractions, or simply chasing something that no longer felt right.
This isn’t about guilt; it’s about clarity. If you didn’t get that international role you applied for, was it because you didn’t have the required skills? If your business didn’t take off, was it because you lacked structure or support? If you felt stuck in your job, was it because you were too comfortable or genuinely didn’t see a path forward?
In the Nigerian context, there are also external realities — limited opportunities, unreliable infrastructure, inflation, unstable policies. But even in tough situations, identifying your personal gaps is key to unlocking new strategies.
Many professionals keep applying for global roles but never make it past the screening stage. Often, the turning point comes when they pause to audit their CV and realise they’re missing key certifications, in-demand skills, or familiarity with remote work tools.
- What did I learn about myself this year?
This is one of the most overlooked but most powerful questions. Beyond titles, salaries, and job roles, what did this year teach you about you? Did you discover that you work better in flexible environments than rigid offices? Did you learn that you’re more creative than you thought? Or that you’ve outgrown a certain kind of work altogether?
Self-awareness is one of the most valuable career currencies you can have. If you ignore what your experiences are trying to teach you, you’ll end up repeating the same patterns.
People spend years trying to force themselves to fit into rigid corporate environments, only to eventually realise they thrive better in project-based or flexible work structures. Once that clarity comes, positioning shifts, and opportunities that align with one’s natural work style begin to show up.
The best career decisions are rarely made from pressure. They’re made from clarity.
- What skills or habits will give me an edge in 2026?
The world of work is shifting faster than ever, and Nigeria isn’t isolated from it. AI is changing how jobs are done. Employers are prioritising digital literacy, communication, critical thinking, and adaptability. Remote work is opening global doors, but only for those who can match the required standards.
Ask yourself: What new skills would make me more valuable next year? Is it AI literacy, project management, advanced Excel, design thinking, or communication? What habits will make me sharper, maybe waking up earlier, creating structured learning time, or building a stronger portfolio?
Some graduates spent a good part of 2024 learning an extra skill through platforms like YouTube and LinkedIn Learning. By 2025, many had landed their first freelance gigs, not because opportunities suddenly appeared, but because they built their edge in advance.
Your skills are your power. And in a noisy, competitive job market, the people who stay ready are the ones who rise.
- Who and what am I surrounded by?
Your environment shapes your trajectory more than you might think. Who poured into your growth this year? Who drained you? Were you in spaces that challenged you or ones that made you shrink?
Sometimes, a career breakthrough doesn’t come from a new skill but from a new room. A network. A mentor. A community. If your current circle isn’t stretching your vision, you might need to widen or change your network in 2026.
Many professionals stay stuck in the same role for years, not because they lack talent, but because they are disconnected from the right circles. For some, things begin to shift when they join a professional community, start contributing to conversations, and connect with people already doing what they aspire to do. Your circle matters, not just socially, but professionally.
Audit your surroundings with the same seriousness you audit your skills. Growth doesn’t happen in isolation.
- What’s my positioning story for 2026?
This final question ties everything together. Once you know what worked, where you fell short, what you learned, what skills you need, and who you’re surrounded by, the next step is to define your positioning.
How do you want to show up in 2026? What narrative are you building around your career or business? If someone asked, “What do you do and where are you headed?” could you answer confidently in two sentences?
Positioning isn’t about pretending to have it all figured out. It’s about owning your story and communicating your direction clearly. Employers, funders, and collaborators gravitate toward people who are clear about where they’re going.
For example, saying “I’m hoping to get a job next year” is vague. But saying “I’m positioning myself for a product management role in the fintech space, with a focus on user experience and digital innovation” sends a different message. Clarity attracts opportunity.
Write your 2026 positioning story in one paragraph. Keep it visible. Let it shape the way you make decisions in the months ahead.
Final Thoughts: Audit, Don’t Panic
An end-of-year career audit isn’t about panic or regret. It’s about power, the power to step into the next year with direction instead of confusion. When you don’t audit your career, you end up repeating cycles and confusing activity for progress. But when you reflect with honesty and strategy, even small steps become intentional moves.
Whether you’re employed, job-hunting, freelancing, or building something of your own, the question is not “What happened this year?” It’s “What will I do differently next year?”
2026 won’t magically be better. But it can be clearer, stronger, and more rewarding if you choose to step into it with a plan.
So before the year ends, sit with these six questions. Write your answers down. Build your positioning story. And give yourself permission to step into 2026 not just hopeful, but prepared.