There is an old saying about succeeding that I’m sure we’ve
all heard hundreds of times, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” It’s a
handy reminder about the importance of sticking to a plan, and today we’d like
to take that a little further to help you realise, record, and achieve your
career goals for 2015. Many of you may wish to receive a new role this year, or
maybe some kind of promotion, or you might just like to make some new friends
in the workplace. Whatever your objectives are, we have put together 3
important tips to stick to in order
to make it happen!1) Realise what you want
It’s very easy to change your mind about what you’d like to
get out of your job when you’re in the thick of it. If you’d have a tough week
you may want more work-life balance. If you’ve been getting things done quickly
you may like more work and a pay rise. It’s best to have some moments to
yourself outside of the workplace to reflect on your job as a whole and where
it can take you in the long run.
Do:
·
Write down outcomes that would make you more
satisfied at work
·
Take into account some advice from people in
similar or senior roles
Don’t:
·
Concentrate on what you think you should be
doing, or what others expect of you. Set goals that mean something to you and relate
to what you want to achieve
2) Record and share your goals
Once you’ve decided on some outcomes you feel would
contribute to your overall satisfaction and direction you’d like your career to
take, it’s time to ‘formalise’ this commitment and write it down in a logical
way. It’s good to remember the ‘SMART’ criteria. That is, that you need your
goal/s to be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-bound. This
way, you won’t alter or forget your intentions in 6 month’s time.
Example: “By October, I want the extra tasks I’m taking on
this year to be giving enough value to the business that I am rewarded with a
10% pay increase.”
The sharing aspect of this is what can make some people
nervous; most people would not comfortably approach their colleagues or
employer with their career goals. However, if you’d like to achieve a change
you will need to spark up the conversation at some stage anyway, so letting key
people know that you’re serious about your role can be very positive so long as
you consider their needs. Other people to involve are your family, friends and
partner, as they can check in with you to see how your goals are going.
3) Action plan, review, repeat
This is both the most overlooked and the most important part
of a career related goal. Having one sentence can be great, but if you haven’t
given yourself a realistic impetus to get it done it could drag on far longer
than intended or not happen at all. An action plan will allow you to achieve
the smaller parts of a larger idea so that you’re getting closer and closer
each month.
Do:
·
Write down tasks to do each month that will add
to your goal
·
Save alert reminders in your calendar – from
things to ask other staff members, research for you to do in your spare time and other actions to undertake
·
Read back on your previous plans at regular
intervals
Don’t:
·
Rush. This could make a tremendous difference to
how you work and how you feel about your job
·
Stop until your action plan is complete. While
unexpected obstacles can delay you from reaching your goals, simply revise your
plan and timeline then continue moving forward.
Hopefully these tips give you the groundwork for a realistic
career plan. Many businesses and employers today put in minimal time to plan
your career for you, so you need to take the reins and make sure it happens
according to your values!
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