How to Set Effective Career Goals

Career Growth

Aug 17

What do you want to get out of your career? The answer usually isn’t just “an income.” We all dream of what we’d like to accomplish in our careers.

Some people imagine being at the head of a business, leading the rest of the team to success. Others just want a job where they feel like they’re making a difference. Setting effective goals and intentions is one of the best ways to make your dreams a reality. Setting realistic career goals is how you visualize your target and come up with a solution to help you achieve it. While there’s no guarantee that your plan will always go off without a hitch, the right goals and intentions will at least keep you pointed in the right direction. The key to successfully setting goals is ensuring they’re clear, realistic, and achievable.

Consider these top tips for establishing successful targets.

Start With Clarity

First, exactly what do you want to achieve? It’s not enough to just say, “I want to be the boss.” Do you want to be the CEO of a corporation, the manager of your own team, or the head of your entire business? Get to the crux of what you really want and be as specific as possible.

Studies show that we’re more likely to succeed in our goals when we make them clear. If you’re not sure where to begin, ask yourself what your ideal job would allow you to do each day. Think about what kind of tasks you like and dislike in your current job or past employment. It might even be a good idea to look up some information on the careers you’ve considered pursuing before you start applying. Consider reaching out to a professional in the role for an informational interview. This will help you to see what kind of day-to-day tasks are involved in each position.

Aim High, but Be Realistic

The more ambition you have, the better. However, it would help if you still were somewhat realistic. For example, if you’re still in the first year of your accounting degree, but your goal is to become the CFO of Microsoft by the end of the year, you’re probably not going to achieve your target.

Setting unrealistic goals could be setting yourself up for disappointment or failure.

Your goal can’t be to just make a lot of money without doing any work. It’s important to take the time to think about the skills you have, the things you enjoy, and the talents you can use actually to make an income. For instance, if you love working in your marketing role now but you think you could do more, perhaps you could aim to become a manager of a marketing department or the owner of your own marketing company within the next 5-10 years.

Visualize a Path

Once you have a goal, you can begin to think about what you’re going to need to get there. Chances are that you don’t have all the resources you’d require to get your dream career just yet. Otherwise, you’d probably already be doing it.

So, what are you missing?

If it’s a certain set of skills, maybe you could look into taking part-time courses that will increase your proficiency in those areas. If it’s just that you need to “know the right people,” maybe you could dedicate more time to building your network and socializing with others in your industry. Ask yourself what’s missing to take yourself from the point where you are today, to the point you want to be at ten years, five years, or even one year from now. Be clear about the steps you’re going to take.

Get Committed

Ultimately, it’s going to take time and work for you to get the career of your dreams. We have all heard someone at some point in time in their career say that they hate their job and that they’re going to make a change “one of these days,” but a lot of people never do anything to change their trajectory. The reality is that we get stuck in our ways at times, and it’s difficult to take risks and push ourselves to embrace the challenge of something new.

Decide here and now whether you’re committed to making your dream a reality!

If you are, then THE TIME IS NOW to push yourself, to proactively take steps towards your desired outcome as often as possible. Even if it’s just dedicating an hour a week to networking with professionals in your field or looking for a career coach or mentor who can guide you through your career progression, start somewhere. Your road to success could be long, or your reality could be just around the corner. Either way, you’re going to need to start that journey by taking the first step.

Make your choice, buckle down, and let’s go.

Kadine Cooper

Hello there! I'm Kadine, and I'm thrilled to connect with women who are ready to take charge of their careers and lives, just like I did when I became the CEO of my own journey.

As a passionate Career Confidence & Life Coach, I am dedicated to helping women who find themselves stuck on the corporate ladder create a professional brand that leads them to a more purpose-driven and fulfilling path in every aspect of their lives.

My mission is to guide women towards rediscovering clarity in their career and life aspirations while reclaiming their self-worth. Together, we transcend the mundane and step into the magic of unapologetically showing up as your authentic and best self.

Through my coaching, women gain the confidence, mindset strength, and strategic approach necessary to excel in their careers, build their self-assurance, and craft a plan to make their next career move while finally receiving the compensation they truly deserve.

My powerful framework equips women with the essential tools, resources, and confidence to make significant strides in both their personal and professional lives. My approach empowers women to advance and make a massive impact in their respective fields while fostering personal growth and fulfillment.