Personal Audit – Level 2 Business BTEC Revision

The Concept of Personal Audit

A Personal Audit is a self-assessment process in which an individual reviews their own skills, qualifications, and characteristics.
The purpose of this process is to identify personal strengths and weaknesses, and areas for improvement or development.
A personal audit is often used when planning career progression or when preparing for job applications or interviews.

Technical Skills and Knowledge: The individual analyses their proficiency and understanding in specific areas related to their field of work or study. This includes both hard skills like computer programming, and soft skills like teamwork.
Qualifications and Training: The audit includes an overview of the individual’s educational achievements, course completion, and professional qualifications.
Work Experience: This involves a review of the person’s past job roles, responsibilities, tasks, and accomplishments.
Personal Characteristics: Involves assessing personal traits and qualities that may affect job performance, such as punctuality, reliability, and communication skills.

A personal audit helps individuals to understand their unique selling points (USP) which distinguish them from other candidates in a competitive job market.
It provides an opportunity for an individual to identify gaps in their skills or knowledge, which can be addressed with further learning or practice.
A personal audit can increase an individual’s self-awareness, helping them to apply for roles in which they are truly interested and capable.
By creating a realistic picture of their own abilities, an individual can set achievable development goals and career progression plans.

Keep a record of each component of the audit (skills, qualifications, etc.) and write down your thoughts and experiences related to each one.
Use the SWOT Analysis method to identify your Strengths and Weaknesses (internal factors), as well as Opportunities for development and Threats (external factors affecting your career prospects).
Reflect on each area honestly and consider asking for feedback from teachers, classmates or former colleagues to gain a different perspective.
After the audit, develop a personal development plan (PDP) which maps out how to improve on identified weaknesses or how to harness identified strengths effectively.