How to set career goals

by Randy Place

Because goals are important, today’s focus on Your Career Service  will be on goals to set for your career management.

Why are goals important?

A key ingredient in your life is setting realistic goals. That’s what Dr Milton Erickson taught. Setting goals in life was the prominent psychiatrist’s favorite prescription for enjoying life. Even prolonging it. 

Dr Erickson said, “Always look to a real goal in the near future. It’s not necessary to have a reason for your target. But it is critical you set goals that are immediate and easy to achieve.”

Dr Erickson’s advice applies to your career management, job, job search, or personal goal setting. For either path, an objective is your goal. You’ll set the goal by defining the career, project, or job you envision.

If you’re not sure what your goal or target looks like, find people to talk to who are doing the kind of work that interests you or the project you have in mind. You can talk to people online as well. After you’ve set your goal, write down he steps necessary to achieve it.

Setting performance goals with the reverse triangle method

Some goal setter’s work backwards by drawing a large upside-down triangle and following these steps  –

• On top of the inverted triangle, write down your goal. 

• Next, begin with the last step – the one right under your goal. 

• Then list the steps before that, down to the very first step at the bottom or narrow end of the triangle. That’s the step you can take today. It’s immediate. And achievable. 

Your career management, job search, or business project is like any journey. It starts with the first step. 

When it comes to finding your next job, click here to read "Land the job you want with the targeted approach," a related post on Your Career Service. 

 Copyrighted by Ransom Place 2008. Publish only with permission of author.