Are you holding back from setting career goals because you don’t know where to start? Let’s help steer you in the right direction.
Are you tired of feeling stagnant in the same job or position? We all want to move up the ladder professionally and personally. Even though you might be experiencing some stagnation in your position or salary bracket for some time, you need to find a way to get out of that mental state. So, how do you do it? You do it by setting clear career goals.
Defining your career goals is a very big part of moving up the food chain. Once you have a long-term goal in mind, you need to set the steps you will use to get to your goal. These steps will become your short-term goals. Just like that, you will have created small goals that lead you to achieve your main goals.
Before we let you know how you can set up clear career goals, you need to understand what career goals are and why they are important.
What are career goals?
A career goal is a clear statement that explains the profession you intend to pursue in the future. Every job seeker, employee, and employer needs to define their career goals before they even look for a job or start a business. Here are some examples of typical career goals to work towards:
- Increased earnings - If you want to increase your earnings, you have to look into building your communication skills, and networking.
- Increased training and professional knowledge - You could decide to take a class, get a certification or degree, or attend a training conference.
- Scoring a leadership role - Landing a leadership role will require a lot of hard work and resilience. You will have to set clear steps to help you master leadership skills.
- Getting new experiences - You can do this through volunteering at work or in your community, joining professional associations, or introducing yourself to people within your field.
Where do you intend to go or what do you intend to achieve without a vision? Your vision or career goals are what will help you create clear action plans (short-term goals) in your work.
9 ways to define your career goals
Not having goals is not something you should be concerned about. Take this as a wake-up call to know where your passion lies. You can start taking stock by doing the following:
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Figure out why you don't have career goals in the first place
When someone doesn’t have career goals, they are seen as unfocussed, lazy, or unmotivated. However, that is not the case for everyone. Some people just haven’t got to think about it. So, what is keeping you from setting career goals? Once you answer this question, you will know how to approach the situation. Here are a few questions that might help you figure it out:
- Is it because you don't enjoy your job?
- Are you pleased with how things are going at your current job?
- Is it because you hate responsibility?
- Do you hate spending your time working towards your goals?
This is about what you want to achieve in your career and life. Start by listing down everything that interests you and see how it goes from there.
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Reflect on your future
Now that you know what you want to achieve, you need to figure out if your current job makes you happy. If it doesn’t, your first goal should be to level up your skills and qualifications to get the job you want. There are so many interesting career paths you haven’t thought about yet.
On the other hand, if you do like your job, this is the point where you set realistic goals. To set realistic goals, you need to know where you want to be in the future and set up small short-term goals that will direct you to that future.
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List down your strengths and weakness
Before you set career goals, you need to know what your strengths and weaknesses are. For example, maybe finance is not your thing. You struggle with spreadsheets and have completely lost interest in the field. However, you are starting to find some interest in public speaking, human interactions, and mental health. So, instead of keeping up with the finance industry, you can switch to the wellness field.
Therefore, don’t just focus your career on things that you are good at, consider your passion as well. The balance will help you learn to take a more natural approach when setting your goals.
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Get a flexible job
You might be wondering, how did we move from setting goals to getting a job? Well, this is why a flexible job will serve you in your quest to setting career goals:
Part-time jobs, freelance work, or side hustles will sustain you as you figure out what you want your future to be. This way, you won’t jump on the first available job just to sustain yourself. Additionally, the skills you will acquire will help build your CV and might come in handy once you set your career goals.
Look at it this way, if you reflect and figure out that you are on the wrong career path trying to achieve the wrong goals, you can quickly switch. You will even have time to expand your knowledge and skills through online courses as you pull off your flexible job. All you need to do is learn how to balance your work and school life.
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Learn new skills and take classes
There are so many methods that you can use to build and develop your skills. Try registering for online classes, short-term workshops, or side projects that will build your skills. Furthermore, learning new skills will help you explore other potential interests as you figure out your career path.
These online courses and experience will buff up your CV and impress potential recruiters and employers. If you don’t know where to start, scheme through our learning tools and choose something that sparks your interest.
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Networking with professionals in other fields
As you figure out your career goals, try networking with people in other fields. They will give you an understanding of how their field operates. Try attending conferences, turning your contacts into meaningful professional relationships, or joining professional organizations and groups on LinkedIn. Alternatively, you can just ask for a referral or start a conversation with someone at a networking event.
The possibilities of networking are limitless. Once you know how the field or industry operates, you can use this information to decide if you like it or not. Always have go-to questions to ask during networking sessions.
Is it possible that you might not have career goals because you are not excited about your current job? If this is you, try picking something that excites you and commit to it. Where should you start? Well, what are your hobbies? Have you ever taken part in an exciting career opportunity? What extracurricular activities do you enjoy? This is where your passion lies.
Additionally, committing to something exciting will help you get out of that negative mood of failure and will give you a fresh career perspective.
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Are you afraid of making a career change?
If you are afraid of a career change, setting career goals will overwhelm you. Are you worried about the stress and responsibilities that come from moving up the ladder? Don’t worry, experiencing these feelings is okay.
If you're having trouble wrapping your head around a career change, seek out your support system. This could be your friends, family, counselor, career coach, or anyone you can confide in. Additionally, speak with people who have managed to achieve their career goals or have succeeded in changing their field. If these don’t work for you, you can attend seminars, read books, or talk to professionals who have managed to achieve their career goals.
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Get a mentor
Picture a child going to its first swimming lesson and being plunged into the pool by the swimming instructor in a bid to teach them how to swim. Well, that's how most of us are cruising through our careers. No direction, just diving in the deep end and kicking with all our strength just to stay afloat.
A mentor will hold your hand and help you as you discover your career plan and path. You can request a family member, friend, teacher, or career coach to do this for you. Alternatively, you can source for a mentor online. If you deal with Artificial Intelligence and IT, you can source for professionals in your field and request them to be your mentor. Aim to have productive mentorship discussions with other professionals.
Conclusion
Having a career goal is the first step to achieving your dreams. Even though you don't necessarily need to have a long-term goal to succeed, we do recommend that you list down a few goals to set your career path. Always have an open mind and give yourself time to figure out your plan and set career goals. So, keep working towards your goals, we wish you success!
