A ship wouldn’t make it very far without its rudder. Similarly, your career won’t progress the way you want it to without a few defining goals leading the way. Career goals are often the aspirations you blurt out in a job interview when asked the daunting question, “Where do you see yourself in three-to-five years?” They are the milestones you wish to achieve in your professional life. They give you direction and motivate you to continue showing up day after day.
Unfortunately, none of us will have the time or capacity to accomplish everything or to become an expert in every industry. So, these objectives help you hone in on the things that matter most to you. They help you define your own version of success and ultimately find fulfillment throughout your career.
In this article, we’ll discuss how to effectively set both short-term and long-term professional development goals and share a few typical career goal examples. This information can help you find inspiration, no matter where you are in your professional journey.
What Are Career Goals?
Career goals are the professional accomplishments that you wish to achieve over time. They keep you focused, spark growth and help you avoid getting stuck in a dead-end position. Oftentimes, they are broken down into both short-term and long-term goals.
Short-term career goals are more expedited targets that can typically be reached within just a few months or up to a year or so. These are often seen as stepping stones—like finding a mentor or earning a certification—that will help you build momentum on your professional development path. Long-term goals, on the other hand, are more overarching ambitions. They shape your entire career trajectory and can take years to fully come to fruition.
It’s important that your goals are realistic, clear and all aligned. In Harvard Business Review, executive coach and talent advisor Mary McNevin recommends beginning by defining your five-year plan or longer-term objectives. From there, you can better understand the skills, experiences, and other accolades you’ll need to rack up to get there–these will become your short-term goals.
Keeping these intentions top of mind helps you make smarter day-to-day decisions that will set you up for future success. It will also help you determine if you need to take more drastic measures. For example, do you need to consider switching companies or changing career paths entirely in order to create the professional life you’ve always dreamed of?
Career Goals Examples to Inspire Your Own Path
Everyone’s career goals will look a bit different. After all, we each have something unique to offer the world. Yet goals are essential for every employee. Whether you’re just entering into the workforce as a recent graduate, somewhere in the middle of your career or even approaching retirement, goals matter.
The following lists provide examples of short-term and long-term career goals for you to consider. Apply what fits to your own work life. The opportunities span all experience levels and industries and even give direction to people looking to change fields.
Short-Term Career Goals
Short-term career goals are highly results-oriented, meaning that you will often have something more tangible to show for your efforts (i.e., a certificate or increased client volume). They should focus on areas where you want to improve and fit into your larger aspirations. They don’t always have to consist of learning a new hard skill (though that is a useful endeavor).
Short-term goals could be as simple as wrapping up a big project, freshening up your online presence or maintaining a proper work-life balance to prevent burnout. These goals can be anything that will help you grow professionally and set you up to thrive in the future.
Take a look at a few examples, and remember, these are things you can check off your list within a year or less.
- Land your first full-time job or internship.
- Earn a certification or complete a skills course.
- Build a professional portfolio.
- Improve public speaking or communication skills.
- Build a relationship with a mentor or new professional contacts.
- Update and optimize your LinkedIn profile and resume.
- Attend an industry event or webinar.
Long-Term Career Goals
This is where you really start to map out the professional impact you want to have and the type of legacy you want to leave. In a broad sense, think about where you want to be in the distant future. Do you want to climb the corporate ladder and eventually land in a leadership role? Or, do you see yourself branching off to launch your own start-up? Whatever it may be, establish what those larger aspirations are. You don’t have to know exactly how you’re going to get there or have a set timeline yet. But this gives you a heading to start progressing towards.
To give you an idea of what long-term career goals look like, here are a few examples:
- Move into a leadership or C-Suite role.
- Become a recognized thought leader through speaking or publishing.
- Launch your own business or startup.
- Obtain an advanced degree or specialized credential.
- Reach a significant salary milestone or financial independence.
- Manage a large team or run your own division.
- Mentor others or give back as a teacher in your field.
How to Set Career Goals That Actually Stick
A great goal means nothing without the ability to follow through. It’s not always easy to continue pushing forward in the right direction, and we’ve all heard that the path to success isn’t a straight line. You may run into professional roadblocks or hurdles—such as difficult coworkers, changing job markets or even something like layoffs. These might challenge you or force you to switch gears. However, there are a few methods you can use to keep you on the right track and laser-focused on the end outcome.
One such method is to employ SMART goals. These aren’t just goals that are clever and well-thought-out. They’re SMART objectives because they meet the following criteria:
- Specific – They are clear and to the point with obvious hows, whys, whens and wheres.
- Measurable – They can be tracked and provide indications of progress.
- Achievable – They are realistic and attainable within a reasonable amount of time.
- Relevant – They align with your own values, interests and strengths.
- Time-Bound – They are tied to a specific timeline to help you dial in.
In addition, here are some other helpful strategies for sticking to your goals:
- Break down your goals into smaller bite-sized chunks (even your short-term goals).
- Set deadlines for tasks, small and large, to keep yourself honest and on schedule.
- Visualize success through the use of vision boards, success maps or daily affirmations.
- Time block to set aside specific times each week to focus on your goals.
- Lean on mentors, colleagues, or others for support, encouragement and accountability.
- Stay motivated by surrounding yourself with positivity and seeking out inspiring content.
- Celebrate small wins to track your progress and stay motivated.
- Review your goals periodically to make necessary changes to your roadmap and remain flexible.
Why Career Development Goals Matter
Advancing in your career often comes with some form of monetary remuneration—like a higher salary, bonuses or extra commissions. The benefits that come with reaching your professional development goals, however, go beyond just the financial.
Growing in your role opens you up to new opportunities, provides a sense of purpose and helps you prevent stagnation. Not to mention, it can have a positive impact on your overall job satisfaction and performance. This can allow you to become a more confident, resilient and motivated employee.
It’s also in an employer’s best interest to support in this process, as career development builds stronger teams that are more loyal, engaged and productive. Businesses can do so by implementing a system for cyclical performance reviews, personal development plans and structured leadership tracks that offer training and mentorship.
Take Ownership of Your Career Vision
Now that we’ve learned how to answer the question “What are your career goals”?, it’s time to put that knowledge to good use. Professional goal setting is the secret sauce that will prevent you from floundering or falling behind in your career. Whether it’s a small short-term objective like attending an industry event or a more sizable aspiration like becoming the CFO at your company, this practice gives you something to work towards. With the right methods—like the SMART framework—to hold you accountable, you’ll build the momentum needed to actually reach your goals, not just set them.
So, today, challenge yourself to get moving by setting just one short-term and one long-term career goal. This one small step may just be enough to set your new career venture into motion.
If you’re committed to achieving your career goals, we also invite you to explore SUCCESS Coaching. Personalized career coaching provides you with the clarity, accountability and expert support you need to accelerate your professional growth.
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