Achieve Your Career Goals by Following These Seven Steps

As you settle into a new position or take on the day-to-day duties of your current job, you may lose sight of your career goals. Whether you aspire to work for a different firm, want to increase your marketable skills or desire to hold a more prestigious job title, it's important to remain focused on your goals to make sure they don't go by the wayside. Follow these seven steps to achieve your career goals.

1. Determine Your Ideal Outcome

Before you can even set career goals, you have to figure out what you ultimately want to achieve in your professional life. Do you want to work your way to CEO of a major corporation, or do you dream of helping a nonprofit organization further a social cause?

2. Establish the Requirements

Decide what specific tasks you need to complete to achieve your career goals. Does the position you hope to attain require a master's degree? Are there certificates or licenses needed to work in the industry?

3. Organize Your Goals

After you've established your career goals, organize them into categories: immediate, short-term and long-term. Come up with a due date for each goal to hold yourself accountable, and review your progress on a weekly or monthly basis to determine how you're doing.

4. Segment Your Career Goals

To make your goals easier to manage, break them down into daily tasks. If you want to increase your industry knowledge, for example, commit to reading three journal articles per week and attending one conference every three months.

5. Create a Healthy Balance

Recognize the importance of maintaining a work/life balance. Integrate downtime into your routine, and specifically schedule time to work on your career goals. Finish one task before starting another, and don't be afraid to say no when you don't have the time to take on additional tasks.

6. Take Advantage of Your Network

Garner support from those in your personal and professional networks. Keep in contact with previous associates or supervisors who can vouch for your achievements. Attend conferences or create a LinkedIn account to grow your network and meet other professionals in the industry.

7. Know When to Make a Change

Complete a periodic review of your progress and goals to determine if you're still headed in the right direction. If your future career goals have changed or you realize that your goals or timeline was unrealistic, don't be afraid to make adjustments to benefit your long-term success.

It's easy to become complacent when you're juggling a work responsibilities and a home life, but you must keep chasing down opportunities in order to advance your future career. Consider these seven steps to keep yourself motivated and achieve your career goals.

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