How to Set Career Goals

How much time do you set aside to plan your career? Or do you spend more time thinking about what you’ll have for dinner tonight or planning your holidays?

Defining what you want from your career and setting career goals will help you on your journey towards a satisfying work life.

Step 1: Create a Career Plan:

To achieve your aim of finding work that you enjoy and satisfies you – takes a lot of planning. Begin this process by thinking about what you want your long-term and short-term career goals to be and how you will achieve them. These elements will build the foundations of your career plan. Questions to think about include:

• What are your long-term career goals?
• What are your short-term goals to achieve this overall goal?
• How will you achieve both of these?

Example;

• Long-term career goal: Marketing Manager
• Short term goals:
  • Learn more: Talk to your peers and colleagues to help develop a path to follow to help achieve your long-term goal.

• • Develop Skills: Attend relevant events and networking opportunities.

• • Practice Skills: Manage and create marketing plans and initiatives. Host high-end events. Monitor Budgets and Return of Investment.

• • Get Experience: Get involved with as many campaigns and events as possible.

• • Education & Training: Achieve a relatable degree and join membership such as CIM.

Step 2: Follow Your Plan:

Once you have set your goals and defined the steps you are going to take to do this. The next step is to follow the plan.

• How to make sure that your goals are realistic:
  • Determine if your goals are realistic by conducting research about the sector.
  • Look for careers that match your interests, skills and salary. Conduct research of the job market and look for in-demand skills and careers in your chosen industry.
  • Set time frames that are realistic and which you can stick to.
  • Make sure that your short-term goals are achievable.
  • Dream big and make it happen.

Step 3: Review & Update:

Bumps in the road can always happen but don’t let this put you off your career plan!

• Adjust your career plan if circumstances change. It is not set in stone and is flexible to your needs.
• Tweak your short-term goals if they are no longer working for you or if you have decided to take a slightly different direction in your career.
• Changing paths is okay. Especially if it helps you achieve your career goals.
• Understand that everything changes, as will you. This is when you need to go back to your goals and make changes to reflect these developments.

Once you have achieved your goal. It is time to set your next one. It is as easy as just repeating the steps that you originally took.

If you are currently seeking your dream job contact the Abacus Careers Team for a confidential chat regarding new opportunities on 028 9031 3157 | [email protected]