Long-Term Career Goals: How to Choose and Achieve Them [With Examples] | Mentoring software together (2023)

"What are your long-term career goals?"

This is a question many of us ask ourselves or others, especially in times of change. In a span of over a year, our world has gone through many unexpected changes. Together, we've all been forced to adapt the way we work and live.

The impact of the abrupt change caused many of us to question our goals and reset our priorities. Many people decided that this was an opportunity to start a new career. Cumulatively, millions of people left their jobs in what is now known asthe great waiver.

You might be in a similar position trying to figure out what you want your long-term career to be. This article outlines what long-term career goals are, examples of goals we can pursue, and a framework for setting SMART goals. We hope that by the end you will have a better understanding of your goals and the path you want to take.

Let's start.

What are the long-term career goals?

Long-term career goals are milestones that you set for the long term, not a few weeks or months, but years. They are the key for you to focus on your professional career. Think of them as a role model to help you achieve the results you want to see in your life.

Long-term career goals put you on the path to success, and they also show employers where you are on the path and where you want to go.

goal setting theory

In the 1960s, there was some important research on goal setting that led to Dr. Edwin GuidedLocke's theory of goal setting. The clearer the goals were and the more feedback employees received about their progress, the greater their motivation to achieve those goals over longer periods of time. Locke also found that the more challenging and specific a goal was, the harder people worked to achieve it.

Locke's research was supported by Dr. Gary Latham and he supported themthey published a book togetherIt defines best practices for setting goals in the workplace.

Like Locke's work,chris tun, Emmy-winning designer and CEO of The Futur, explains in his video why your goals can't beerased.It says: “Clear objectives, clear results. Confusing goals, confusing results.”

Why is it important to set long-term career goals?

Having long term goals gives you something to strive for, a purpose. Makes you feel the best you can be. Setting long-term goals will motivate you and lead you to growth and fulfillment.Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs.

Motivation

Maslow found that when people work towards self-actualization, motivation and self-efficacy increase. That is, the more the individual reaches his potential, the more motivated he is to continue working on self-realization. Setting goals and achieving them will motivate you to achieve even more.

Personal and professional growth.

Every individual has an inner desire to grow, both personally and professionally. We want to be proud of what we do and what we've achieved and build a good reputation. Achieving long-term goals helps us grow and maintain our reputation.

conformity

According to Maslow's work, achievement looks different for different people. We set goals based on what we consider most important. For example, one person might define achievement as being a good parent, while another might define achievement as earning a certain salary. The long-term goals we set for ourselves are the ones that will make us feel most satisfied when they are achieved.

Impact of Covid-19 on our goals

The past year has certainly been a challenge for people, to say the least. The pandemic made us change the way we work, live together and even rethink what matters most to us. This gave us the opportunity to reflect and redefine our long-term goals in different ways. For example, many of us want to:

• More flexibility in our work
• More meaningful social connections
• A better balance between work and personal life

more flexibility

Jobs with flexibility have always been in demand, but the pandemic has shown just how important workplace flexibility is for employees. For example, parents who work at home are better able to deal with the challenges of childcare. Employees can also reduce the number of sick days, reducing the risk of infection and illness.

social connection

The pandemic has also shed some light on the importance of social connections. We need meaningful relationships with others to feel happy and grounded in our lives. A flexible workspace allows people to spend less time working and traveling and more time caring for those important relationships.

Reconciliation of professional and family life and well-being

Many of us realize how much ourWork-life balance was thrown off balance when we started working from home. Having a successful career is a good long-term goal, but many of us start sacrificing other areas of our lives to achieve it. Now, many people are re-prioritizing their lives and long-term goals to achieve a healthy work-life balance.

‍

12 Examples of Long-Term Career Goals

Here are 11 different examples of long-term career goals you might have. Which ones inspire you the most? Which are the most suitable? For those who engage with you, they shouldn't be easy to spot. Instead, they should challenge you and demand that you grow to reach them.

1. Gain leadership experience

Improving our leadership skillsis a long-term shared career goal for employees who want to advance their career. You can commit to attending classes or workshops to work on your skills, or commit to more advanced leadership goals.Perfecting your 1:1 meetings.

2. Get global experience

Our world is interconnected. Wider exposure can greatly benefit your career. Whether you attend national workshops several times a year or volunteer with an international charity, gaining global experience can help you advance your career.

3. Publish professional articles

an expert oftiger essayThe service claims that publishing your articles can boost your reputation as a thought leader in your field. You can choose how many articles you want to publish each year, based on your unique circumstances.

4. Build your network

Networking can help you access new opportunities by connecting you with contacts who can help you achieve your career goals. These social and professional connections are people with whom you can share information and discuss points of view in your field. make it a priorityIncrease the number of your professional contactshas every year However, remember to keep it realistic.

5. Develop new skills

Heskills on your resumeget the attention of employers. work on a listSkills that will be valuablein the position you finally want to reach. In other words, make sure the skills you develop match your own.professional development. For example, learning martial arts might not be the best skill for achieving your career goals if you're an accountant (although we're glad you convinced us). If you want to gain global experience, learning a new language would be a great idea, as long as that language is useful. for example one ofmost valuable languages ​​to learnIt's Spanish because it's the second most spoken language in the world.

6. Start your own business or side business

Starting your own business or sideline is a long-term goal that you can start today. The internet essentially allows anyone to do that.announceyour products and services to attract customers. You need to know what you are passionate about and what you have to offer your customers. Then find ways to connect with those who need what you have.

Brendan Hufford deall inrecommendsSean McCabe Overlayto learn how to doopen a businessduring a full-time job.

7. Get a new title

Going back to school is a commitment to a long-term goal.get a new title. Many executives and executives choose to supplement their education and experience with an additional degree. However, it will take a lot of time and money.make sure going to school is the right stepfor you now.

8. Become an expert or thought leader

Taking the time to gain knowledge in your field can establish you as an expert or thought leader. This makes you very valuable to your employer and opens up career prospects. To be a thought leader, you need to understand problems well enough to find the most useful solutions to challenges and point to research or information that supports you.

9. Become a mentor or coach

When you achieve your career goals, you can give back and help others achieve their goals. As someone else's mentor, you can advise and guide someone else's career. Experience can also hone your skills and abilities, allowing you to be a more valuable employee. The fact is that now, more than ever, we need mentors.

10. Change careers

The statistics show thatPeople change jobs about 12 times.throughout your professional life. Although many of these steps are taken before age 25, you cancareer changeat any time. The key to success is doing your research and understanding what skills you'll need in your next job.

11. Increase your salary

There are many good reasons why you might want to earn more, and none of them have anything to do with greed. maybe you have plansbuy a house,Support your family and save for the future while maintaining your financial security. Higher earnings will help you with this. But remember, a raise must be earned. It's not guaranteed. Think about what you can do to increase your salary over time.

12. Acquire problem solving skills

Problem Solving SkillsThey are a set of soft skills that are used in the workplace to deal with challenging, unexpected or confusing situations. Problem-solving skills are a desirable asset for any organization, whether you're a junior or C-level executive. Plus, they prepare you for recurring difficulties, rare problems, and worst-case scenarios. When you're prepared, you're less likely to get upset or stop working on damage control.

How to set good long-term career goals

Now that you have nearly a dozen long-term career goal examples to work with, let's look at how to set good goals.

Follow the SMART framework

When setting goals, use the SMART framework, which means:

Specific- Describe your goals in as much detail as possible.

Measurable- Have a way to measure your progress towards your goal.

Accessible- A goal should be something you can reasonably achieve.

Important- Career goals should be directly related to your career plan.

One-off- Set a deadline to know when you will reach your goal.

Talk to a mentor about it

With a mentor at work, you have someone who can advise and guide you. Mentorships are built around you.student objectiveand the actions they are taking to reach the goal.

Even if you don't expect to achieve your long-term goals until after the orientation is over, you can still talk to your mentor about it. Whether you reach your goals in the coming weeks or years to come is entirely up to you.The mentor can play a crucial supportive roleyou get there

‍

ask yourself these questions

When trying to define your long-term goals, consider the following questions:

• Does it scare you? Does that mean it's too out of reach?
• Can I reach that goal tomorrow? Is my goal too small?
• What must change to achieve this goal?
• Am I energized by this goal? How do I get that long-term energy?
• What will my career look like when I reach this long-term goal? Imagine what it will be like to achieve that goal.

Finding answers to these questions can help you focus on what you want to achieve in your career.

Goal setting books and resources

One article isn't enough to put you on the path to achieving all of your long-term goals. To come up with a proper plan and build enough motivation to keep it going over time, you need to be armed with as many resources as possible.

• Your next five stepsby Patrick Bet-David
• the big leap: Conquer Your Hidden Fears and Take Life to the Next Level by Gay Hendricks
• Your next five moves: Master the Art of Business Strategy by Greg Dinkin and Patrick Bet-David

Along with these goal-setting books, discuss your plans with a trusted colleague or manager. A manager can make a significant contribution to thishelp define a professional careerYou can move forward to achieve your career goals. We all need targets and a target to shoot at. Long-term career goals can be the lodestar that guides our decisions and propels us through our lives and careers.