Developing Career Goals to Enhance Your Professional Path

November 7, 2014

A recent study says that more than 90% of employed people spend more than half their waking hours working. This means your profession is likely to be a huge part of your life. What this suggests is if you like what you are doing, it is likely that you are going to continue to develop in this field. If, however, you want to switch to something that you are passionate about and love to do, then a process of career planning is definitely required.

These simple “want-to-achieve” aspirations are termed as career goals and vary person to person. Your professional goals give a rough idea about how you will appear to others in terms of confidence, self-esteem and commitment towards self improvement.

Some people are very fortunate in that they get to pursue their career in the field they love. For me, this becomes more than a career and instead becomes a vocation, a calling. Is this where you are in your current stage of professional development? This is where you shine and it shows in your professional interactions! But a large majority of us follow a rulebook: work is something to be done to pay for life. Although there are some firms with rich work cultures, they too have rules that exist as the framework to support their particular culture. If you want to be part of this framework, or you want to create a new one, then a planned, step-by-step strategy is needed to achieve these career goals.

Developing A Vision

Now, figuring out and prioritizing your goals might be a tough task. A slight glitch may result in a huge mistake that can alter your career. So, you need to work on the thought that inspires you towards the place you want to end up. Keep asking yourself if that is the last thing you would like to choose as your career until there is no need of self-confirmation. Now you have a vision and all you need is to develop a strategy that divides your professional goals into smaller segments. This will make your ultimate goal look smaller and achievable.

Short Term Career Goals

These are the basic challenges you meet in your day to day life. These can be anything and they can either be constructive, that is, lead you to the goal you set out for yourself, or not. Short term goals are the building blocks of your career. They have the enormous ability to transform your ability, efficiency and attitude. These are the goals you achieve almost every day; perhaps as a small milestone such as a weekly, or daily, target at work.

They key to achieve short term goals are to stay alert, adaptive to changes and to keep an open mind. You should be ready for anything that falls in your skill set, any time and anywhere. For those who struggle, they call it “challenge”, but winners call it “opportunity”.

Long Term Career Goals

Long term goals can be explained as the series of smaller, short term goals sustained over time. Your vision about life is your primary long term goal. Working with a leadership and career coach may help you to uncover what resonates with you. If you are in alignment with the being of yourself, you may find that the career goals you set out for yourself are easily obtained. If however your goals are not congruent with your existing paradigms, you may find yourself stumbling hurdle after hurdle. The professional perks of fulfilling short term achievements open the doors to the long term goals. Long terms goals keep you on track and focused and sometimes are seen only in hindsight.

Revise Your Goals

Naturally, through the process of exploration whether on your own or with a career coach, you will find that items you thought were important no longer are! In which case, your ability to adapt to changes becomes key! How flexible are you with changes? How flexible do you want to be? Your career coach can work with you to create this self-aware mindset which will serve you in a richer capacity.

Are you ready to make changes in your career goals and in your life?