Your Mid-Year Career Audit

Remember those goals you set back in January? The ones about asking for a raise, updating your resume, or finally creating that portfolio you've been "meaning to" build?

Well, we're officially past the halfway mark of 2025, and it's time for some tough love and accountability. So let’s get back on track and turn the rest of 2025 into your career comeback season! 🏆

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Between meeting deadlines, being active in meetings, and maybe even juggling a side gig, we forget to ask: Is all of this still working for me and my goals?

That’s where a mid-year check-in comes in! Whether you're thriving, surviving, or somewhere in between, your future self will thank you for the moment of reflection.

No added pressure, just a chance to pause, take stock, and make a few minor adjustments that can set you up for way bigger wins down the road. Let’s get into it!

🌱 Step 1: Refresh That Resume

Let's start with the basics: your resume. That document should be living and breathing just as much as you are, evolving with your career, skills, and wins along the way. Think about it, you’re a dimensional person, aren’t you? Your resume should reflect that.

Resume Audit:

• Add recent projects and wins with quantifiable results: That project you completed in Q1? Add some specifics to it. Instead of "managed team projects," try "led a team of X resulting in [what the outcome was]”

• Update your skills section: Those new tools, software, or certifications you mastered? Brag about yourself a little. Show recruiters and hiring managers what you have that they might be missing on their teams.

• Refresh your summary: Rewrite your summary to reflect where you are now, not where you were 2 years ago. Make it punchy, specific, and focused on the value you bring.

• Clean up your formatting: Make it application tracking system-friendly. Did you know that 75% of resumes are never read because they are hard for a software system to decipher? Don’t get disqualified from the race before it begins!

💸 Step 2: Check Your Salary Goals

Let’s talk money. What did you want to earn this year? More importantly, are you on track?

Mid-year audit questions:

• Are you being paid competitively for your title, industry, and location? Take our quiz to check.

• Has your cost of living increased, but your paycheck hasn’t?

• Are there new responsibilities you’ve picked up that aren’t reflected in your current compensation?

Start here:

• Research your market value: Use our free market research guide and salary database to compare pay ranges in your job title, location, and industry.

• Get a feel for the playing field: Talk to a trusted peer or coworker about what they’re seeing in your field.

• Document your impact: Start a "wins folder" where you track every achievement, positive feedback, and value-added moment.

• Set a timeline: What would fair pay look like for you right now? Quantify why you deserve that number and start preparing for that conversation before your year-end review.

📣 Step 3: Ask for a Raise or Promotion

Raises don’t always happen at the end of the year. The best time to ask? Before your manager sets next year’s budget.

Raise Request Blueprint:

• Time it right: Book a meeting specifically for this conversation. Don’t just drop it casually in a 1:1. Mid-year reviews or budgeting periods are great opportunities.

• Come with receipts: Metrics, positive feedback, and successful projects. How have you expanded your role or the results of the team/company? These are your added value points.

• Be ready with a number: Research market rates for your role, location, and experience using our salary database and other valid sites. Pick a number that reflects your value, and aim slightly higher to leave room for negotiation.

• Practice your ask: Use our salary negotiation scripts if you need help with the flow. If it turns out to be a no, consider negotiating benefits, a revised conversation timeline, or a growth plan to secure the yes.

🧰 Step 4: Build or Update Your Public Work Portfolio

Your digital presence is an integral part of your career toolkit, even if you're not a content creator. Don’t have a website? Start with LinkedIn: update your featured section and post quick insights about your growth and career goals.

Ideas based on roles:

• Marketer or creative? Add recent campaigns or graphics you created.

• Analyst or tech worker? Upload dashboards, case studies, or sprint breakdowns.

• Job seeker or freelancer? Pin testimonials, media clips, or past work samples.

• Manager or nonprofit pro? Share wins on LinkedIn with some “before and after” insights.

✨ BONUS: Mid-Year Energy Boost

We get it, career reflection can feel overwhelming. But even checking off one item on this list will move you in the right direction. So, pick one thing this week and commit to it.

Actionable Career Audit Checklist:

• Run your job title through our salary database.

• Reach out to 3 past or present professionals you haven’t spoken to this year.

• Comment on 1 LinkedIn post in your niche with your insight.

• Share something helpful on LinkedIn: an article, intro, or job lead.

• Join a virtual event or networking meetup.

Need some extra resources for a win? Check out our Salary Resource Hub for free tools, quizzes, and guides to help you move smarter.

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See you next week for more career tips, money moves, and AI-proof advice! 💚