Landing your dream job can be quite daunting of a task, especially for a young person who is only starting to form a direction in their career or education path. However, as with any goal, the right midset and planning skills can make a huge difference throughout this process. What we will be talking about in this series of articles is how to attune your mindset and make a plan with achievable goals and a step by step map. Today we will be talking about the first step – self – assessment and goal setting. If you do your part the right way, you can rest assured that your dream job will be right within your reach. Let’s get to work.
Embarking on the search for your dream career truly begins with a deep dive into self-assessment and goal-setting. It’s about scrutinizing the data of your own life experiences, interests, and skills to map out a path that’s aligned with your aspirations. This phase is not just about understanding what you like to do, but also about recognizing the types of work environments and job roles that will bring out your best. As you search through various career opportunities, it’s essential to consider not only the popular and emerging fields but also to reflect on how these align with your personal and professional growth objectives. Networking is another thing your should consider, as it can lead you to people who have carved successful paths in their careers can offer new perspectives and insights, highlighting opportunities you might not have considered. Remember, it’s through this meticulous search and understanding of both the data of your inner self and the realities of the job market that you can set realistic, achievable goals. This foundational step ensures that the careers you pursue are not just jobs, but stepping stones towards a fulfilling life.
Self-Assessment and Goal Setting:
Self-awareness is a crucial part of this process. What we are trying to do here is locate (sincerely) where you are right now, and where you want to go. Be brutally honest and identify you strengths and weaknesses, you valuable skills and most importantly – your interests. There are a lot of professional career aptitude tests out there, and we highly encourage you to take one if this part doesn’t seem clear or easy enough to you.
After you’re done with locating your strongest and weakest points, try to set your goal. If you know that your ideal job is out of your reach at the moment, that is okay. Write that highest goal in your notebook, that is the highest point of your success pyramid. We need to break that high goal into more smaller, achievable ones. It is important to be honest about your current circumstances, and we would recommend you to set SMART goals. SMART is an acronym that stands for five metrics of a goal:
- Specific: The goal should be clear and specific in order focus efforts and feel truly attainable.
- Measurable: Criteria for measuring progress must be defined to stay on track and meet deadlines. Think benchmarks.
- Achievable: The goal should be attainable, given available resources and constraints.
- Relevant: It should align with your broader objectives to ensure that the outcome matters.
- Time-bound: Setting a deadline provides a sense of urgency and helps focus efforts.
Example of a SMART Goal:
Let’s say your dream job is to land that digital marketing internship that is in high demand. One SMART goal for you might be to enhance your digital marketing skills. A SMART goal would sound something like this:
• Specific: “I want to improve my digital marketing skills, specifically in the area of social media marketing.”
• Measurable: “I will measure my progress by tracking the number of online courses I complete and by the improvement in the engagement rates of my social media posts. There are three online courses that align with my specific career direction.”
• Achievable: “This goal is achievable because I have basic marketing knowledge and access to online resources and courses.”
• Relevant: “Improving these skills is relevant to my career goal of becoming a digital marketing specialist.”
• Time-bound: “I will complete three online courses and apply the learned concepts to my social media posts over the next four months.”
So, the SMART goal is: “I will complete three online courses in social media marketing within the next four months and use these skills to increase my social media engagement rates by at least 20%.”
This goal is specific (focuses on social media marketing), measurable (number of courses, percentage increase in engagement), achievable (builds on existing knowledge, resources are available), relevant (aligns with a career goal), and time-bound (four months deadline).
This goal is meant to be part of your map, the map that is leading your to your highest goal – in this case, the internship. Define and outline your first step that is unique to your interests and situation (and, of course, your DREAM job), following the SMART outline as closely as you can.
To conclude the first topic in this dream job series, diving into the business world with a solid foundation of self-awareness and clear goals is paramount. The experience you gather through this introspective journey will not only help you navigate the complexities of various business landscapes but also empower you to make choices that align with your career aspirations. Remember, the right business environment can significantly enhance your professional experience, providing the support and challenges necessary for growth. Seeking help from mentors and leveraging your experience within different business contexts can help illuminate the path ahead, ensuring that your career journey is both rewarding and aligned with your personal vision for success. Let these sentences sink in and we will see you very soon, with the next step.
