Whether you’ve been in the workforce for a decade or are just beginning to look at applying for jobs, it’s never a bad time to readjust your career goals. These don’t have to be major goals like an industry switch or starting up a new business, but personal goals can help zone in your focus and improve productivity.
Setting career goals can not only make you a better employee, it can also make you happier in the job. These objectives can provide a sense of fulfillment by helping you realize your full potential. They can push you to get what you want out of a position, rather than just going through the motions of going to work every day.
Goals can be as hyper-specific as getting an extra hour of sleep to feel more awake by the time you’re in the office, or as broad as getting a pay raise. If you’re struggling to pinpoint a specific area of your professional life that needs improvement, use these general goals as inspiration.
Network More – Inside and Outside of the Office
It’s no secret that networking can be a powerful tool, especially when hunting for a new job position. But networking can be useful for everybody, even if you’re not in the market for a new occupation. This can be as simple as building relationships with your coworkers – but to get the most out of these connections you can take networking to the next level. Building genuine relationships with people will have a lasting impact that can help you out down the road.
It’s also important to meet people outside of your cubicle. Explore the industry by attending events and doing research. You’re sure to stumble across helpful tips that you can incorporate in your own workplace.
Redefine Your Dream Job
Who said dream jobs are just for elementary schoolers? Now that you have a realistic grasp on who you are and what you can achieve, revisit where you would work in your wildest imagination. Ask yourself, if you could work anywhere, where would it be and what would you be doing? It’s never too late to declare a new dream!
At the very least, this will help steer you in a direction you want to be in, even if it’s a smaller scale position within the company you already work for. Find someone working in your dream position and study how they got there. For example, if you’re in the marketing industry you might look at profiles of success chief marketing officers and read their advice about thriving in the field to figure out how to take your career to the next level.
Raise Personal Expectations
Your company may have certain benchmarks you’re expected to achieve, but you should go beyond this to set personal expectations. No one knows your own strengths and weaknesses better than yourself, so use this to your advantage. Use these goals to surpass personal records and achieve new heights.
A key here is being ambitious, but realistic. Don’t set goals you know you can’t achieve, and don’t set goals without detailed plans of action. If you have no planned method of accomplishing new boundaries, you’ll never be able to actually achieve them – leading to nothing but disappointment and frustration.
Goals can and should look different for every individual. Objectives should be specifically tailored to the role you work in and the type of person you are. They should push you to step out of your comfort zone and become the best employee possible. With a solid plan and the motivation to achieve that goal, you will start to reap all the rewards that coincide with workplace improvement.