Completing an annual report is a terrific exercise to help finish the year strong. Not only will it enable you to reflect on what you’ve accomplished over the past 12 months, it will also help you set your personal and professional goals for 2022.
And API has a gift of value to help you do just that! Grab your free Annual Report PDF to guide you through the process. Download your free report here.
Benefits of a Writing Annual Report
Throughout the past year, every one of us has had significant experiences worth noting. The question to ask ourselves is “What can I take away from the events of 2021 that will help me grow?
Measuring your progress in an annual report has significant benefits. Three big ones include:
- Increasing your self-esteem and sense of pride.
- Gaining more resolve, clarity and determination for next year.
- Learning from your mistakes and missteps so you can correct them and move forward.
What are Your Professional Accomplishments?
What’s worth noting from your perspective as a professional? Following are a couple benefits of completing the Annual Report, as they impact your professional growth:
- Listing out your “wins” isn’t only a good means of keeping a record of your successes. It will also help you prepare for your performance review.
- Documenting your accomplishments will help you update your resume, CV and LinkedIn pages. Be sure to include specifics, such as dates, details, education, titles and work history. And make sure they are current. (Then give yourself an “attaboy” or “attagirl”!)
Here are just a few examples of professional wins that you ought to consider:
- Did you complete a course? Finish a degree? Earn a new type-rating?
- Lead a team or project? Speak at an industry conference?
- Interview and/or train new hires?
- Purchase major new equipment?
- Complete a new safety training?
- Mentor an up-and-comer? Or work with your own mentor?
- Overcome barriers?
- Help your company save money, bring in revenue or both?
- Get promoted and/or earn a new title? Negotiate a raise?
What are Your Personal Accomplishments?
When it comes to completing your Annual Report, a record of your professional accomplishments is just one part of the equation. Personal events and milestones are just as important.
The Annual Report tool will also help you document your successes and challenges from a personal perspective. Here are a few to consider:
- Did you buy a home? Relocate?
- Start (or end) a relationship?
- Become a parent? Or grandparent?
- Travel to a new country?
- Volunteer?
- Reach a reading goal?
- Launch a “side” business?
- Get in shape? Overcome a serious injury or illness?
- Take a month of vacation?
- Make amends?
- Gain more self-awareness?
Download our Annual Report
With the foregoing in mind, to help you document 2021, I hope you’ll download our Annual Report. And then make this a regular end-of-year occurrence for yourself.
If you’re like me, you’ll get a kick out of this exercise. In fact, I recommend working on the report together with your significant other and/or family. Even school-age children and young adults can take part—and it’s a good learning experience for them.
Keep in mind that your Annual Report is a highly personal record and there’s no need to share it. You may, however, wish to share several of your major accomplishments with us.
When you’ve completed your Reports, feel free to brag on yourself a bit! Tell us in the comments below something that you did that’s worth celebrating!
P.S. Please know that I’m sincerely interested in your professional progress. So it’s a great time of year to login to our website and update your API Registered Professional profile. Tell us your current job title, location, education, training, certification, etc.