Creating new career goals is the best way to achieve professional satisfaction. Whether you’re starting your own business or pursuing a new position, strong career goals can guide your path.
But while it’s easy to have lofty career aspirations, reaching your professional goals requires a targeted approach.
Learn how to set career goals that will serve both your professional and personal lives. Plus, discover tips on how to keep your momentum and achieve your long-term goals.
5 Tips For Setting Career Goals
Setting the right kind of career goals is your first step toward achieving professional success. Use these top tips to set valuable goals that meet all your objectives.
1. Self-Evaluation
Before setting any goals, it’s helpful to create a thorough self-evaluation in your professional life and beyond.
Begin by listing any areas where you truly excel, as well as areas you need to grow. These informal performance metrics make it easy to set goals that challenge you but remain attainable.
It’s also an excellent way to set personal development goals that coincide with professional ones.
Here are some sectors you should evaluate before setting new goals:
- Professional strengths: What are your biggest strengths in your field?
- Personal values: What matters most to you in your career (career stability, freedom, creativity, etc.)?
- Experience: What are your current achievements? Where do you need more experience?
- Lifestyle: Is your current work-life balance working for you? Does your career support your desired lifestyle?
- Passions: Are you passionate about your current field? Can you connect your passions to a meaningful career change?
- Self-improvement: What are your professional weaknesses? Can a mentor help your professional development? What kind of education do you need to advance in your career?
2. Find Valuable Motivation
When goal setting, it’s important to find motivation that truly drives you, both intrinsically and extrinsically.
One of the best ways to do this is to ask “why.” While on the base level, you may want a higher salary, there must also be some non-monetary motivation. Ask yourself why you want to make more money.
It could mean financial freedom for you and your family. It could lower stress levels and improve your health. It may allow you to work less and focus more on your passions.
This “why” is what will help you keep your momentum when you hit inevitable roadblocks.
Think about what truly motivates you—whether it’s creativity, leadership, financial security, or better work-life boundaries. Aligning your goals with your personal values leads to more fulfilling career choices.
3. Mix Short and Long-Term Goals
When setting goals, I always recommend mixing long-term and short-term goals, using those smaller goals as building blocks for the larger ones.
This is a good way to break long-term career goals into manageable chunks so that they don’t become overwhelming.
Meeting these short-term career goals is also great for momentum, with each goal achieved driving you to keep pushing.
4. Choose an Accountability Partner
When setting career goals, it can be beneficial to choose an accountability partner.
This way, you can get feedback from a trusted friend when creating your goals, while also gaining that extra push to stick with them.
Peers with similar career goals, partners, and family members all make great accountability partners.
5. Make SMART Career Goals
When you’re setting new goals, following the “SMART” structure is always recommended. SMART stands for:
- Specific: Ensure the goal is clearly defined. For example, “I want to grow sales for my small business.”
- Measurable: Goals should be trackable so that you can measure your progress over time. For example, “I will increase my sales by 15%.”
- Achievable: Your goal needs to be attainable based on your current circumstances. Unrealistic goals will only lead to frustration. For example, “I’m going to increase my business’s social media presence to increase my sales.”
- Relevant: Your goal should be relevant to larger professional goals. For example, “I’m going to grow my client base through targeted social media marketing to expand my small business.”
- Timebound: Finally, your goals need to have a deadline to keep you focused. For example, “I’m going to increase my sales by 15% in 3 months.”
Using the SMART goals structure not only helps you set great goals, but it also answers the “how.” This gives you the beginnings of an action plan, right from the initial goal.
7 Tips for Achieving Your Career Goals
If you focus all your energy on setting goals, that’s what they’ll always be – goals.
Turn your goals into reality with these helpful career tips. Each tip is designed to keep you on the right track, with advice on keeping momentum and overcoming any obstacles that come your way.
6. Focus on Manageable Steps
Many professionals are discouraged from their career goals because they seem too far-fetched. But anything is possible with a solid plan and the right mindset.
When working towards your goals, focus on small, manageable steps. If you’re really struggling to get started, this can be as small as creating a related to-do list.
Each step you take is a step in the right direction. And in time, these steps will add up!
7. Track Your Progress
When we’re working toward a long-term career goal, it’s easy to let the small wins pass us by. Track your progress in a journal or an application like Trello, Google Sheets, or Holly’s Work From Home Career Planner.
Tracking your progress is great for:
- Maintaining momentum when you hit a slump
- Creating a goal timeline (and sticking with it)
- Celebrating the little wins
- Evaluating your progress
- Re-evaluating your goals and action plan
- Creating new and related goals
8. Stay Flexible
Growth is not linear. You’re going to come across obstacles on your career journey. The key to overcoming these setbacks is adaptation.
When you hit a roadblock, step back and reassess. You may need to adjust your goal, build new skills, or seek advice from a mentor.
Your ability to pivot and learn through this process will keep you from losing your momentum. Treat each obstacle like a learning opportunity, reviewing and adjusting as you go.
9. Use Networking
Networking is a necessary tool in career development. But it doesn’t have to mean just schmoozing at industry conferences or spamming the LinkedIn feed.
Instead, seek a community of industry professionals in your sector. This is a great way to gain support, learn about new opportunities, and uplift others in your community.
The best way to network is by finding the method that works for you. Start by choosing the networking opportunities that best fit your comfort zone.
Then, challenge yourself a few times to take a leap and try a new networking tactic. When it feels uncomfortable, it’s really just an opportunity for growth.
Here are some networking ideas to try:
- Join professional associations in your industry
- Attend industry conferences or special events
- Create a peer group
- Engage with your peers on social media
- Volunteer with organizations to build relationships
10. Seek a Mentor
Having a mentor on your career journey is a valuable asset. They can offer insight into the profession, guidance on your next steps, and help you build connections within your industry.
When seeking mentorship, look within your current and professional networks. Potential mentors include co-workers, former professors, managers, alumni members, and more.
If you find someone whose background aligns with your professional goals, don’t be afraid to reach out and inquire about a quick chat. Their guidance could be just the thing to help you meet your goals.
11. Build Your Skills
When setting your professional development goals, you should identify any gaps in your skill set that may prevent you from achieving them. Evaluate those gaps and consider options for skill development and continuous learning.
If you’re entering a new field, check job descriptions for any required certification or other qualifications.
For those looking to further their expertise, consider workshops, online courses, or in-house training. This is a good way to stay on top of current industry trends.
12. Celebrate Your Milestones
Remember to celebrate each milestone in your work goals, from small wins to that big promotion you’ve been waiting for.
When you’re only focused on the end goal, there’s very little to keep your momentum. Bask in the glory of each small win, and let them remind you how sweet it’ll feel to achieve those long-term goals.
Final Thoughts: Tips for Setting and Achieving Career Goals
No goal is too big with the right plan in place. Use these tips to map out your professional goals and take the steps necessary to make them a reality.
Need more help setting actionable career goals? Grab Holly’s Work From Home Career Planner, and start achieving your career goals!
