How to set goals around your values and find the right job for you!
Goal setting can help you change and improve, achieve satisfaction, and allow you to feel like you’re moving through your life and your career with direction and purpose. But it isn’t easy; setting achievable goals takes time and commitment.
Let’s break it down a little. What is goal setting?
Tony Robbins defines goal setting as “the process of identifying something you want to accomplish and establishing measurable objectives and timeframes to help you achieve it.” The key to setting goals is to create progressive goals that allow small wins, these small wins keep you motivated and will help you to move onto larger achievements. Small goals also lead to progress, which will help you to feel fulfilled and happy.
And how does this relate to finding you the right job for you?
Setting goals can prove to be essential in advancing your career and feeling fulfilled by your job. Whether your employer requires you to set goals as part of your performance review or it is something you do voluntarily once a year with a pen and paper in your living room, it can help you to plan out your professional future. It can also help you to stretch yourself and ensure you are constantly striving for your full potential.
Now that we have the basics, let's delve deeper. Why are value-based goals important and how will they help you find the right job?
Values are one of the first things Amelia, career coach, works on with clients, as she has found that most people have a hard time identifying them. What’s important to you may not be important to someone else. To help determine your current set of work values, use the below checklist as the foundation to help form a better idea of what is important not only when you are searching for the right job but for creating your career goals. Contact Melbourne career coach, Amelia, here to book a consultation.
Intrinsic values
These are the intangible rewards that keep you motivated and engaged at your job. In layman's terms, they are values that make you wake up in the morning and look forward to going to work. Examples of intrinsic values related to career choices include:
Having variety and change at work. Choosing a career that allows variety instead of doing the same thing day in, day out.
Helping others. Look for work at a not-for-profit company or a company that prioritizes giving back.
Taking risks. Look for a job that allows you to tap into your thrill-seeker side.
Extrinsic values
These are the tangible rewards or conditions you find at work, including the office setting, vacation policy, and earnings potential. For example:
Travelling for work.
Setting your own hours.
Having autonomy at work. Don’t want someone hovering over your shoulder, watching your every move? Certain jobs are tailored for people who like to work independently.
Lifestyle values
These are the personal values associated with where you want to live, how you choose to spend your free time, and your long-term life goals.
Spending time with friends and family.
Living in a big city.
Saving money.
Becoming a homeowner.
Once you have identified your values, you can begin to create goals that align with them. Your career coach can help you with this. Contact Amelia here.
How to set productive and attainable goals.
When creating your goals, aim to include five key elements to make them achievable. These five elements make up what is known as the SMART goal framework. SMART stands for specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-based. Your career counsellor will help guide you through each of the elements to ensure you create sound goals. Find out more here.
Specific
Make sure you have a very specific and clear idea. For example, rather than saying you want to be more fit, focus on going to the gym at least 3 times a week or drinking 3L of water each day.
Measurable
Set some boundaries that will help you see progress. For example, rather than saying you want to save more next year, decide to save a specific $300 each month. Breaking the amount down will make the goal more attainable.
Attainable
Make your goal doable. For example, you want to save $50,000. Start by putting away $250 a week and focus slowly on building the weekly amount up rather than adding pressure and overwhelm.
Relevant or Realistic
Relevance basically means “aligned with your values.” For example, pay much more interest to paying down student loans for the sake of “freedom” than keeping up an image of “wealth.” Decide what yours are and set goals that relate
Time-Bound
Give yourself a finish line. If a full calendar year works for your goals, that’s great! Otherwise, choose increments that make more sense – weeks or months.
Setting both personal and professional goals that align with your values will help give you structure and a path to success. Many employers value candidates that have a record of setting and achieving goals. This shows that you can be a focused, goal-oriented employee. Employers often ask about goals in interviews, so you should prepare to talk about your goals and what you’re doing to achieve them during the hiring process. Working with a career coach will help you excel in your goal-setting process. Contact Amelia here.
Amelia McDermott is a Career Coach and Coaching Psychologist, based on the Mornington Peninsula in Melbourne. With nearly 20 years of training and experience working as a psychologist, Amelia has a strong understanding of how to uncover what makes people tick, and how to help people find an authentic career that aligns with their unique talents and values. If you’re looking for Career Advice or Career Counselling, look no further than Uplift Coaching and enjoy a consultation with Amelia to see if a Career Coach is right for you. Book a consultation here.