How Goals Guide Your Job Search

Nancy Anderson
Posted by in Career Advice


Goal setting is a crucial component of the job search. Goals help you clarify your wants and needs in a new position or career field and ultimately guide your job search. Learn how to let the process of goal setting push you toward progress and focus your efforts.

Goals Clarify Your Vision

Job seekers need to be able to envision what they want and need from a career. Goals should outline your career aspirations. Rely on your goals to clarify if certain positions are a good fit for you. Before you apply, read through your goals to evaluate if the company or duties of the position are ideal for your skills and experience. It is tempting to automatically push the "apply" button during an online search, but if the position is not in line with your goals, then you could be wasting your time on an opportunity that is not ideal.

Goals Help to Focus Your Search

When performing an online search, it is unlikely you enter the term "job." Your search parameters are more likely to focus on specific positions that lead to more targeted results. Your goals are designed to guide you in the same manner. They specify what you are seeking in a career and limit the parameters of your search. When you find yourself wasting hours looking through job descriptions and advertisements that are not a good fit, read back through your goals to adjust your focus. Break down your goals even further by identifying professionals in your network or specific companies you prefer to work for to minimize your frustration and realign your focus.

Goals Keep You Grounded

If you have been immersed in the job search longer than you anticipated, it is likely you may begin to stray from reality when considering job prospects. Allow your goals to keep you grounded and realistic. Take a close look at what you are doing that is successful and what you could do to improve your results. Revise your goals so you are keeping yourself accountable. For example, if your goals seem too flexible, then tailor them so you are forced to adhere to a strict schedule. Add time frames to each part of your goals, and share them with a trusted professional to get feedback on the realistic nature of each goal.

Goals Force You to Focus

Job seekers should think of their goals as a rigid list of tasks that must be completed each day. The temptation to sit on the couch and binge watch your favorite television show when you are frustrated with a lack of progress can derail your efforts. Instead, allow your goals to keep you focused on the big picture. If the ultimate goal is to obtain a position in a particular career field, create steps that help you to get to that point. As you complete each step toward your goals, cross it off the list to gain a sense of accomplishment. Goals should propel you forward and make you feel eager to continue with your progress.

Goals Promote Targeted Lists

Job search goals should be specific to be effective. A set of goals that not only focuses on tasks you must complete but also a targeted list of companies you desire to work for in the future can help narrow your search. You can target your daily tasks by researching these companies and learning more about the industry. As a result, you get a clear picture of the missions and goals of these companies to help you decide if one or more is a good fit for your career, your experience and your skills.

The process of searching for a job can be time consuming and challenging. If you keep yourself focused and on target with goals, you have the potential to maximize your results. Allow goals to guide your search so you can keep your efforts in line with your skills and experience.

Photo Courtesy of Joey Shillalo at Flickr.com

Comment

Become a member to take advantage of more features, like commenting and voting.

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson

    @Duncan thanks for your comment. This is a personal, individual thing here. Some people can hold on to that goal - can visualize it and don't let anything get in their way. Others will see the goal for a few days but then will fall back into applying for the same type position that they just left - because they know it and they are comfortable. I don't think there is any one way to answer your question. It's all about individual character.

  • Duncan  Maranga
    Duncan Maranga

    There is always a wave of confidence and optimism that engulfs job seekers, especially during the first few days of the job hunting process. During this time they set their goals so high because they feel so energetic for the process. However, after so many failed applications, they start compromising on the goals. How can job-seekers set their goals such that they will still hold on to them even when the journey gets tough?

  • Jane H.
    Jane H.

    In the past, I made the mistake of applying to too many jobs at once. Like you said, it's very tempting to click the apply button on everything that looks interesting. In the process, I learned new things about myself and how my skills and experience match or don't match the requirements of many different kinds of positions tangential to my career focus. I thought I was attempting to cast a wider net, however, I was actually diffusing my goals. Being more specific does make the search more effective.

  • Abbey Boyd
    Abbey Boyd

    Setting goals to keep you focused during a job search is absolutely essential. If you have no clear goals, you aren't as likely to stay on track and remain motivated. It's too easy to slack off and step off the tracks and hinder your job search if you don't have a concrete list of goals, and if you don't stick with them to the finish line.

  • Shannon Philpott
    Shannon Philpott

    While goals are helpful, I think that they can also be overwhelming if you are not willing to change them when necessary. It's similar to a long to-do list. If you feel the goals are unattainable then motivation suffers.

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson

    @William setting goals is such a personal thing that it's tough to answer your question. I found a great article on mindtools.com that might help you.

  • William Browning
    William Browning

    How do you come up with a good list of goals? I want to have certain things happen within the next five years, and I need to figure out incremental ways to get there. How do I gauge what happens first, second, third and so on down my lengthy to-do list?

  • You Might Also Be Interested In

article posted by Staff Editor in Career Advice

Jobs to Watch