Setting Goals for Your Career

The New Year often brings a sense of motivation. It’s that fresh start you need to really make the changes you’ve wanted to make, and achieve the goals you’ve wanted to achieve. Not only is the New Year the perfect time to set and reassess previous goals for your health, finances, and personal life, it’s the right time for setting goals for your career.

Your career is your livelihood. Whether you like your job or not, it’s the contributing factor to your income and therefore it’s a must to excel. The CGS Team is sharing a few pointers for setting your career goals and making good on your career resolutions! Also, check out the CGS Podcast Interview with Career Coach Lexi for more on setting goals for your career!

Get Specific

When goals or future visions are hazy, it’s hard to actually implement them. You don’t know exactly what they are, and therefore you don’t know how to work towards them.  Like any goal, your career goals should be specific. Start by picturing your dream job.

Realistically, how long will it take you to get there and what do you need to do in the meantime? List out the steps need to get you as close to your dream job as possible.  If you are already in your dream job, or not sure what you want to do, think about your current responsibilities and how you can do them better.

Be Realistic

When setting your career goals, be realistic.  If you just graduated college and are working entry level, it’s not realistic to expect a six-figure salary and executive level position within the next 1-2 years.  More realistic goals for that situation would be to work towards a 10% raise, find a mentor in the position or close to the position you want, or apply for a position the next level up.  When your goals are realistic, it truly gives you something to push yourself towards.  Unattainable goals often set people up for failure.

Create a Game Plan

Once you have identified your specific and realistic career goals, it’s time to create a game plan for achieving them. Start with a specific timeframe for your goal.  For example, “I want to expand my career network to include a mortgage specialist, marketing executive, and small business owner within the next six months.”

The timeframe for this goal is 6 months. Break it down by monthly, then weekly tasks.  Month 1: attend 2 networking events. Month 2: ask contacts from previous events to lunch. And so on.  Check out the post Creating a Game Plan for Your Goals for more details on goal game plans.

Reward Progress

As you knock out your weekly and monthly tasks for achieving your career goals, reward yourself.  Treat yourself to your favorite coffee house, or splurge on a mani or pedi treatment.  When you work hard, you deserve to be rewarded. This practice will help keep you motivated to continue working hard for your goals, you will give you a boost of energy to keep the hard work going.

Stay Committed

Any and every goal requires commitment.  Nothing worth having comes easy, and the same goes for your career.  If you find yourself lazy or lacking motivation, focus on that end goal.  Imagine you sitting in your skyscraper office making major company moves, or picture working for yourself with the company you started.  Whatever your end goal is, use it to keep you committed to achieving it.  It certainly will be a challenging feat, but the rewards are well worth it.

Related: Why People Don’t Stick to Their Goals

Get re-inspired by your job! Your job is what’s keeping that roof over your head and food in your belly! Be thankful and constantly practice gratitude.  If you are unhappy at your job or workplace, make it a goal to leave. Don’t keep yourself in a situation that’s draining your well-being.  Create a game plan, start saving, and spruce up that resume! What are some of your career goals? How do you plan on achieving your goals? Post a comment below to share with the community!

-The CGS Team