Setting goals for yourself is important, especially when it comes to your career. To achieve the greatest success, you first have to ensure that your goals are realistic and achievable. Read on for real-life success stories and some easy-to-follow steps that could help you get on the fast track to your career.
1Career Goal Reflection
To set attainable career goals, start by reflecting on the following. Where do you want to be in five years? What do you want to be earning? What skills do you need to do this, and will you need to change your career to achieve this? By asking yourself the simple questions above, you’ll begin to get a clearer idea of what you want from your career and what you’ll need to do to achieve it.
2What Are Your Strengths And Skills?
Sarah was a receptionist at a shipping firm. But she wanted to be the executive assistant to the company’s CEO one day. Sarah knew that she had the key strengths required to be an EA, but she wasn’t sure how to land her dream role.
She began helping the other EAs with some minor administrative tasks, but her extra work was going unnoticed. Sarah decided to take action to make sure that her work was no longer ignored and told her manager about her goal. She also asked if there were any in-house training programs that she could take to improve her current skills.
3The Lesson In Sarah’s Story
The manager put Sarah in a training program, and in just three months, she became the executive assistant to a director in the company. She’s still got a little way to go to achieve her main aim, But she’s taken the first steps to get there.
Determine your key strengths and make a list. Your strengths don’t necessarily need to be work-related; just include all of your strong points. You never know which strengths will fit into which position. Once you know your skills, you’ll know what you’re capable of achieving. Then take action to make the most of your strengths!
4Changing Careers With Your Current Skills
Bill was an accounts manager for almost seven years, but he needed a change. He liked his company and got along well with his colleagues, but he wanted a more challenging role. In reflection, Bill decided that he wanted to continue using his management skills and build upon them, but it was unlikely that this was going to happen at his current job, so he decided to change his career.
5The Lesson In Bill’s Story
He now works as a sales manager for a much larger corporation. His new target-based role gives him the challenge that he was looking for. In order to successfully change careers to capitalize on your set of skills, start by looking at your current role and think about what you’d like to change. This will give you a great idea of what you don’t want to do in your next job so you can find an opportunity more suited to your desires.
6Obtaining New Skills To Go For Your Dreams
Jan had no higher education and worked full-time in a clothing store. She had been working at the store since high school but always wanted a career in fashion. She loved clothes but just didn’t want to sell them.
Jan knew that she had a very small chance of landing a job in the fashion industry with her current skills and experiences. So she decided to retrain. She was able to keep her current job part-time, which now supports her fashion and design training.
7The Lesson In Jan’s Story
When deciding on a new career, be realistic. For example, if you want to be a teacher, yet you have no teaching credentials, it’s going to be tough to make that transition without further training. Think about what you want but also determine what you must do to make it achievable.
These stories exemplify how you can successfully reach your career goals, regardless of your current situation. The key is to decide what you really want and then take appropriate action to make it happen. When you do these things, success will be yours!
Arlene Garretson is a proud resident of Daytona Beach, Florida, mother, and author. When she isn't writing about self-help, she enjoys hiking and photography: a great combination.
