The new year is right around the corner. So, have thought about your career resolutions? It’s time to start setting professional goals for 2021.
Why Setting Professional Goals Is Important
- You Need to Overcome 2020’s Setbacks
Many people experienced career setbacks in 2020. You may have taken a pay cut, missed out on a promotion or even lost your job. Rather than simply feeling sad and frustrated, create a plan to get back on track. - You Want to Succeed
You may wake up on January 1st and think, “This is the year!” Then, by January 2nd you’re distracted by something else. Months go by before you think about your career goals again. Documenting and mapping out your strategy will help you turn your dreams into a reality.
How to Set Professional Goals for 2021
- Decide What You Want to Accomplish
Your career goals should be both reasonable and something you genuinely want to do. For example, increasing your income by one million dollars isn’t possible for most people. And, if you don’t like school, you’ll probably have trouble staying motivated long enough to earn your MBA. Better goals could be “Increase my income by 25 percent” or “Gain 100 hours of hands-on management experience.” - Record Your Aspirations
Once you know what you want to do, write down or record your aspirations. Then, post your 2021 goals somewhere you will see them every day to keep them top of mind. This could be on your refrigerator, on your bedroom mirror or even on background screen of your phone. 3. - Break Stretch Goals into SMART Objectives
Of course, you’ll need a plan to get from point A to point B. Therefore, break your bigger goals into smaller SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely) objectives. For instance, to increase your income by 25 percent, you may need to “Read ten articles about how to ask for a raise by Jan. 30” or “Complete a twenty-hour certification class by March 15.” For more advice, check out this blog post on setting attainable goals. 4. - Track Your Progress
You don’t want to forget about your goals or fall too far behind, so track your progress. You may check items off as you complete them. Give yourself grades. Or even color code your results. (Green is good. Yellow is OK. Red needs improvement.) 5. - Don’t Give Up
Remember, things won’t always go as planned. Instead of giving up when you hit a roadblock or miss a deadline, stay flexible. It’s perfectly fine to rework your objectives or your timeline when needed.
Is Finding a New Job One of Your Professional Goals for 2021?
The recruiters at Halpin Staffing Services would be happy to help. We place light industrial workers, warehouse associates, clerical staff and other professionals with top companies throughout Southeastern Wisconsin and Northeastern Illinois. Browse our available openings and discover your next career-building opportunity today!
