Succeed in Your Career by Setting These 7 Goals

As the new year rolls in many people have fitness oriented goals, or wish to spend more time with their families. It is also a good time for people to make plans for their future career success.

Mark McCormack wrote a book that touches on goal setting: What They Don’t Teach You At Harvard Business School. This book gives details concerning a study that took place in 1979. The study was purported to show that students in the Harvard MBA program who set goals ended up making double to ten times as much money as those who did not.

Not so Fast…

This study may not have actually taken place as modern researchers cannot find any written evidence, and in fact some people have claimed that setting goals does not impact future earnings at all.

Goals Still Matter

This does not mean that goals should be neglected, but you should not attempt to set yourself up for automatic success through them either. Goals can keep you on track and promote career growth. Consider the following examples of career oriented goals:

1. Personal Assessment

Studying your performance with an unbiased eye may be difficult, but you can try to review your current work situation to see what you are doing well, and what you can improve. Think of it as a personal critique to prepare you for an assessment from your supervisor.

2.  Improve Your Skills

One of the single best goals you can set for your future career is to improve one or more skills associated with your job. This can give you an edge and increase your performance and productivity. As a slew of elearning practices make their way on the scene, staying up to date with your favorite elearning blog is a great way to keep up with relevant and emerging trends.

3. Keeping Track of Your Accomplishments

Having a current list of awards, accomplishments, and official commendations is great for when you need to write written assessments of your performance, would like to ask for a raise, and seeing how you have improved.

4. Figuring Out the Value of Your Work

Depending on your skills, knowledge, and experience, the value of your work and your time could be more or less than your coworker’s. Figuring out how much you are worth is a good way to negotiate a raise or to know when you should seek different employment opportunities.

5. Building Your Network

Networking is important in most business situations. Your connections, friends, and colleagues are great resources to turn to when you need help, or would like to begin a new project.

6. Negotiate Your Pay

If you have discovered that your time and work is worth more than what you are being currently paid, make a plan to negotiate for a raise. Your company may not be able to meet your demands, but as they say, the squeaky wheel gets the grease. Make sure you respectfully make your wishes known.

7. Make Time for Rest

Relaxing can decrease stress, depression, and work related anxiety. Resting can increase your efficiency when you go back to being busy.

Goals That Produce Results

As mentioned above, these goals cannot necessarily create a failure-free environment, but they can give your career a boost. Setting performance oriented goals is the best way that you can work toward getting a raise.