Reaching clarity with regards to what you want may be the
most important thing you can do in your career planning and
goal setting. Here are a few career goal setting guidelines
that can help.
Most people, even very successful ones, have
periods in their career path when they seem unsure about their
career choice and goals. It's only human to feel that way.
Often, such periods just come and go. For
example, they come when you face some overwhelming obstacles
on your way. It is all over as soon as you get through these
obstacles.
That situation by itself is not a problem
of choosing a career, only a test of your perseverance in
seeing it through but what if those doubts persist, or if
they always live somewhere in the background of your thoughts?
If it just does not feel right?
If this is the case, then it is time to look
more carefully at your career choice and overall career objectives.
Often we choose or are placed in a career
because it just seems like the right step to make or that
is what your studies have focused on.
The only problem is that sometimes that passion
that we once had as a young adult are now gone, or the realism
of the job has taken the interest and joy out of it.
That is when it is time to set a new career
goal or objective. Choosing the right career goal to sink
into requires some soul searching.
Here are some general areas you should consider
when evaluating your career goals and objects:
1. What kind of work is going to satisfy me
spiritually?
2. What type of work is going to engage me
intellectually, without burning me out emotionally?
3. With regard to health, what impact - if
any - am I willing to endure physically?
4. What type of environment do I want to be
in? Indoors? Outdoors? Working alone or with others? Working
at home?
5. What type of work would feel like fun?
(It's important that you don't limit yourself here - work
CAN be a lot of fun!)
6. What kind of relationships are important
in my work environment?
7. What are my financial goals? Now and long-term?
8. This is more of a point, than a question:
I once asked a very wealthy man what advice he would offer
a young guy who wanted to be successful. He said, "Have
a skill people need and want." It wasn't the magic formula
to great riches that I was looking for, yet it's proven very
true.
What skill would you like to be known for?
Choose your career path by recognizing that "the rich
don't work for money; they work for knowledge".