“You can’t go back and change the beginning. But you can start where you are and change the ending” – C.S. Lewis
Whether you’re just about to graduate from college or already deep into your career, it’s always a good idea to take some time to review where you are, where you’d like to be and how to get there. Putting down in writing clear, defined goals of where you’d like to be will help you measure your progress and success. Your plan should contain both short- and long-term goals, and the steps to achieve each one. Also, anticipate any barriers you may encounter along the way and how to overcome them.
Short and Long-Term Goals
Short-Term Goals
You should be able to accomplish a short-term goal in approximately 6 months to 3 years. Short-term goals should activities that will move you closer toward your long-term goals.
Long-Term Goals
To achieve a long-term goal, you’ll need to achieve one or more short-term goals. For example, if your long term-goal is to become a Sr. Developer you may need to get training, pass one or several certification tests, and a have a few years work experience.
Types of Career Goals
When you’re working on your career plan, you’ll likely be considering a variety of goals you’ll want to achieve. Some common career goals include:
- Education: Whether you want to improve your skills such as learning a new technology skill or improving your communication skills for your current job role, or to be able to advance into a new job role, it’s always a good idea to keep an eye open for educational opportunities. If you’re currently not working, obtaining a professional certification is a great goal to set to get your foot in the door for an opportunity.
- Leadership role: Many people enjoy the prospect of taking on a leadership role in their organization. To be able to advance into a leadership role you may want to consider several short-term goals you’ll need to achieve first such as a certain level of education (Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree) as well as experience.
- More money: Being underpaid is very de-motivating and acts as a great motivator for finding a better paying new job that you’ll be more enthusiastic about. An increase in pay will typically go hand-in-hand with advancing your career into a job that you also find personally rewarding and enjoyable.
- Volunteering: Volunteering is a great way to gain new skills and meet new people, while also doing something you find personally rewarding. It also looks great on a resume. For example, if you’re in accounting, find out if there’s a non-profit organization in need of accounting help.
- Other goals include things such as starting your own business, relocating for a specific career opportunity or becoming an expert in your field. Depending on your personal situation, there may be a variety of long- and short-term goals to consider.
How to Set Goals
A popular way to set goals is to follow the SMART method:
Specific
State what you want to accomplish and use action words.
Measurable
Use numbers or some kind of data to provide a way to evaluate your goal progress. For example: “Pass certification test within 90 days.
Achievable
Set goals you can achieve. It’s okay to make it a stretch goal and push yourself a little bit. But don’t make your goal so difficult that you set yourself up to fail.
Realistic
Make your goals reasonable and realistic. It should be within your reach, and something you feel you can accomplish.
Time-bound
Set a realistic timeline and end date when you want to accomplish your goal by.
Tips for How to Achieve Goals
Negative thinking
Don’t assume that you’re limited to where you are today in your career. Don’t be afraid to think big. Turn off negative thinking that will limit your career aspirations. Anything should be able to get accomplished. When you set your goals, make them something you want (positive) as opposed to something you don’t want (negative). For example your goal might be to become a project manager within 2 years, and not that don’t want to be stuck in your current job for another 2 years.
Envision your success
Just like an athlete will picture in their mind scoring a big goal or crossing the finish line first, you should also picture yourself achieving your goal. Say it out loud, write it down on paper. Keep it in front of you so it stays on top of your mind.
Be flexible
If you encounter any obstacles that slow down or threaten your progress, don’t give up. Modify your goals as needed. Be prepared that some of your goals might take a little longer than you initially anticipated, and some of your goals may need to be scrapped for various reasons. Stay flexible and adjust your plans and goals as needed.
Have a partner
To help you stay motivated and stick to your plan, find a goal partner. It can be a friend, a co-worker, family member or someone else. Keep your goal-partner up to date on your progress and do the same for them if possible.
Career planning shouldn’t be a one-time thing. Set aside some time once a quarter or once a year; whatever time interval best meets your needs, to review where you are in relation to your goals and adjustments you need to make to your plans and goals.
Establishing a relationship with a recruiter can also be a great career goal. If you for example need to gain experience in a new field or trying to get your foot in the door with a specific employer; a recruiter may be able to help you with that. To connect with an experienced iMPact recruiter for opportunities in Information Technology, Engineering, Finance/Accounting or Business Administration/Process, please visit our job board to view all available opportunities or submit your resume here for general consideration.
