Career goals: What they are and how to action them
Define your career goals and enjoy a higher success rate at work. Career goals keep you motivated and contribute to increased levels of job satisfaction. Do you want to take your career to new heights? Find exciting employment opportunities on Job Mail.
What are career goals?
Career goals are clear statements that detail what you want to accomplish at work. Once you have a clear picture of where you’re headed, you can develop and implement a plan of action. Setting unrealistic goals can be disappointing so you’ll need to put careful thought into what is possible for you to achieve. It’s helpful to create both short-term and long-term goals so that you have clearly defined targets you want to reach.
How to define your career goals
Before you can achieve your career goals, you need to have a clear idea of what they are. Defining your career goals is the first step toward making them happen. When you’re deciding what you want to accomplish at work, it’s helpful to use the following strategies:
- Discover your career passion
It’s easier to stay motivated if you enjoy what you do. Pursuing a job that you love will increase your chances of success. A career that offers you opportunities for personal development is likely to result in increased levels of job satisfaction.
- Consider your life goals
When you’re planning your career, you need to consider your life goals. The dreams you have for your life have an impact on what you want to accomplish. These considerations lay the foundation for a healthy balance between your work and personal life. Your priorities may include flexible time, travel, the ability to work remotely or finances.
- Be clear
Vague career goals are more difficult to achieve. When you have a clearly defined career goal it’s easier to develop a strategy for how you’re going to accomplish it. This is your chance to define what success means for you rather than living your life by what other people view as successful.
- Be realistic
While dreaming big has its advantages, you need to be realistic when you’re setting career goals. Setting short-term goals that are achievable can help you to get where you want to be in the long run. That doesn’t mean that your big dreams are not possible, it just means that you need to focus on reaching them step by step.
- Take your qualifications into account
Your qualifications have an impact on your ability to achieve your career goals. Make time to develop your skills by attending workshops, training or seminars. You may need to go back to university or college if the career you’re interested in requires a specific qualification. An apprenticeship or online training is another option. Your skill set will make you stand out from the competition.
How to reach your career goals
Once you’ve defined your career goals, you’ll need to develop a plan for how you’re going to achieve them. Use the following steps to make your dream a reality:
- Put your goals in writing
Writing your goals down creates a clear reminder of what you want to accomplish. Read your goals when you need to make decisions about your career so that you stay on track.
- Share your aspirations
When you share your dreams with other people, you’ll feel a sense of accountability. Encouragement from friends, family or colleagues goes a long way towards keeping you motivated.
- Measure your achievements
Break your goals down into measurable steps. This process enables you to measure your achievements along the way. Include the dates you intend to complete each step by so you can keep track of your progress.
- Re-evaluate your goal
Reassess your career goals regularly to ensure that they’re helping you reach your ultimate goals. Redefine them if you feel that they’re not helping get where you want to be.
Now that you know how to define and reach your goals, you can start building your dream career. Apply for vacancies on Job Mail and get your career off to a great start.