How to Set SMARTER Goals for Your Career

We set short-term and long-term goals to align our targets and ensure that we accomplish them. Through consistent hard work, many of us succeed in our attempts to fulfill our goals. However, as a professional who is looking to grow, you must set certain goals that will help you move from one point in your career to another. This is where smarter goals can help.

Smarter goals are achievable objectives that you set for yourself so that you have a target to aim for. Be it business, education, health, technology, or any other industry, setting smarter goals can give you a sense of direction and purpose in life, helping you stay focused.

Professional smarter goals are the solution to your career dilemmas and have the power to motivate you to perform better and help you reach your target growth. If you are not acquainted with smarter goals and how to set them up for personal and professional development and success, here is your guide to everything you need to know about smarter goals.

What are SMARTER goals?

SMARTER is the acronym for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-Bound, Evaluate, and Reward. Following the smarter goal strategy allows you to set realistic goals and frame an outline that guides you to these targets. Below we have explained what each letter in SMARTER stands for to make it easier for you to set professional goals.

Specific

Your goals must be clear and focused on what you want to accomplish. Making it simple and direct allows you to identify each step that you must take to reach the goal. 

Measurable

Keeping track of your progress is an important step towards reaching your target. After setting the goal, you must measure whether you are making progress and growing in your field. This can ensure that you are on the right track to achieving your target.

Achievable

You must set tangible and realistic goals that can be achieved within a certain period. For example, if you want to be a digital marketing manager but have no experience, you must first aim to get any related entry-level positions and then build your path to your dream.

Relevant

Building on areas of strength and relevance is integral to becoming successful in life. You must always come up with goals that are relevant to some aspect of your life and career so that you don’t lose sight of them halfway through achieving your objective.

Time-bound

Falling prey to procrastination is your biggest enemy on the way to success. So, you should set certain timelines for achieving each step and your overall goal to avoid any distractions on your part.

Evaluate

Evaluating your progress is a vital part of the journey to achieving your target. This will help you understand the relevance and significance of each step you have taken so far and will let you identify areas that need improvement. 

Reward

Rewarding yourself for small achievements along the way is crucial to improving focus and self-discipline. This can give you the motivation to strive harder each day to reach your target and build sustainable habits.

How to set SMARTER goals?

Setting smarter goals is highly beneficial for your personal and professional development. If you are someone who gets distracted easily or does not know how to take the next step in your career, following the smarter goal strategy can put you on the right path.

Identifying your area of interest and aligning it with the opportunities presented by each industry is the very first step towards setting SMARTER goals for your career. For example, if you are interested in digital marketing, then identify the scope and prospects of marketing and note the industries that are likely to be associated with this field.

Once you identify your area of interest, narrow down the target to a specific goal such as becoming a digital marketing manager. Keep reminding yourself of the purpose behind achieving this goal so that you do not get distracted on the way.

Create a timeline and set specific deadlines to achieve each step that makes up your final goal. Note down every accomplishment you make on your journey at each specific timeline to increase your motivation levels.

Upskill and find opportunities each day as you draw closer to your goal. The only important thing while setting a goal for your career is to ensure that you stay happy, engaged, and motivated throughout the process.

Why are SMARTER goals important?

Setting smarter goals gives you an idea of what you want from life and your career. In the race to success, you will likely lose a sense of purpose moving forward. Following this strategy can help you stay focused and lead you on the right path in both personal and professional spheres.

Smarter goals provide you with an outline and framework of what you should be doing at each point in life. Rather than juggling many tasks at the same time to achieve a goal, this method helps you follow a methodical process to reduce stress. It also helps you identify various resources that you need along the way to achieving your target.

Whether you are trying to progress in your career or grow as a person, smarter goals will benefit you in the long run.

If you are looking for a program to upskill on your way to achieving a career goal, check out the wide range of programs offered at the Canadian College of Technology and Business (CCTB). CCTB offers various programs relevant to today’s job market to help you acquire the essential skills that can help you land your dream job.

At CCTB, we guide students in each step of their professional journey by providing mentorship and growth opportunities through internships and practical projects. We teach students how to excel in the field they choose and experience continuous growth through upskilling.

Click here to learn more.