It’s 7.40 am. Fred quickly sips his tea before rushing out of the house to attend one of the 7 interviews he’s had over the course of 6 months. Like many other candidates, Fred is nervous!
Just 15 minutes into the interview session, the hiring manager shoots the question that most job candidates have trouble answering… “Fred, where do you see yourself in 5 years?”
As much as this question is disguised as an interview question, it really is more than that. “Where do you see yourself in 5 years?” is a question purposed to check how visionary and intentional are you with your goals and aspirations. Any hiring manager asks this question to measure whether your career goals align with the jobs’ or generally the companies’ vision, and if you are the right investment for the company in the long haul.
It’s just another way of asking What are your long-term career goals? What is your ideal job at this stage in your career?, What are you looking for? How do you define success? Or What is most important to you in your career?
What the employer is really looking for is stability. And for you to prove stability, you need to set personal goals. Having said that, let’s dive into the 9 things that will help you set your career goals today and help you be ready to answer the question, “Where do you see yourself in 5 years”
GOAL SETTING: WHAT ARE GOALS AND WHY DO WE SET THEM?
You can’t hit what you have not aimed for.
A goal is simply a specific target or an aim that one is intentional on reaching in a specified period of time. It’s a tool that will help you materialize your hopes and dreams. Without goals, you have a high chance of falling into a bottomless pit of wishful thinking.
We set goals because we want to make things happen by taking responsibility for our lives, our time, energy, and resources and using them for a worthy cause. We set goals because we understand that nothing happens by chance.
Goals inscribe possibility in your vision by providing a tangible ladder you can climb towards what you want to ultimately achieve. Goals also remove distractions and allow you to focus and ensure that you can clearly define your steps, and make them on a daily basis.
Here are 8 Tips to Help You Set Your Own Goals Today.
1. WRITE YOUR ULTIMATE GOAL: YOUR BIG PICTURE
Before you rush into writing specific goals in different aspects of your life, you must first take time to know your life’s goal. Without a big picture, your short-term goals might lack a sense of meaning or an anchor. It’s your life goal that will give you a strong sense of why for your short-term goals.
To write down your life goal, take time, sit down in a quiet place and ask yourself the following questions:
- What kind of person do I want to become in my career?
- What do I want to be an expert in?
- What kind of person do I want to become in my career?
- What impact do I want to create?
- What does success mean to me in my career?
- What do I want to accomplish?
Remember that you just need a picture clear enough for you, and that will motivate you, and most importantly: you genuinely want to accomplish. You don’t have to know the nitty-gritty of where you want to go. Below are some examples:
“In the long haul, I want to become an experienced digital marketer, conversant in the main social media platforms, helping clients find their target audience, get customers and increase their revenue and sales through social media.”
“In the long haul, I want to attain 3 certifications. One in film, another in acting, and another in scriptwriting, and launch my career as a director, creating movies that inspire and change people’s lives.”
2. BREAK YOUR GOALS DOWN
Knowing that you are responsible in accomplishing your goals, make it easier for yourself by breaking big goals into smaller doable ones. You are not writing a wish list, so make sure Your goals are S.M.A.R.T. (Specific, Measurable, Relevant and Timely)
For example, if your long-term goal is in 10 years’ time, you might want to break it down to 5-year goal, 1 year, goal and eventually monthly, weekly goals, all the way to a daily to-do list. In this way, you know what to do to reach your goals.
If your goal is to establish your own social media marketing agency in 10 years, then the breakdown might look like this
- In 5 years- “to purchase content creation equipment and build a home studio”
- In 1 year- “To run 2 successful ad campaigns for a company I work with”
- In 6 months- “To take 2 marketing courses and be certified as a digital marketer”
- In 1 month- “To apply for a job as a social media specialist in ad agency”
- In a week- “Prepare C.V., and linked in account”
- Today- “To write this week’s to-do list”
Qs. Margaret Ezekiel, PMP® further emphasized how important it is for you as a woman to step out as a leader and stand out. How then will the world know your capability?
3. WRITE DOWN AN ACTION PLAN
An action plan is a checklist that you need to achieve to tick your goals. Once you have set your goals, think of all the tasks that are required to be done to make each goal a success.
For example, If you want to make your LinkedIn profile appealing, one of your tasks might be to watch a free course on LinkedIn marketing this Friday at 8 pm to learn how LinkedIn works so that you can optimize your profile in relation to the opportunities you are looking for.
4. GET AN ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNER
If you are really serious about achieving your goals, then, you need an accountability partner. An accountability partner is someone who will help you keep a commitment and will hold you accountable for your progress towards your goals.
He or she will challenge you to push through your limits, will keep you motivated, help you stay on track, and become a platform you can share your success with, and also gain support and advice. Choose someone who means business and can hold you accountable.
5. EVALUATE YOUR GOALS
Whether weekly or daily, be sure to set time to review your goals. Evaluate your progress to know what has been working and what hasn’t. This will allow you to restructure your goals in relation to the discoveries you make throughout the month or week.
You will not have everything figured out, and that’s okay. It’s a journey! Evaluation will help you keep a clear focus on where you’re going, and how you are getting there so that you can do more of what’s working and less of what’s not.
6. CELEBRATE YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS
When you have achieved a significant goal, make sure you celebrate.
Take yourself out, buy yourself something fancy, go to the movies, host a celebration, take a trip and spoil yourself. Rewarding and celebrating yourself will motivate and encourage you to work harder to achieve your ultimate goals.
Ultimately, the question, “Where do you see yourself in 5 years” covers more than the interview room. It’s a life question that demands a goal-oriented person. And If you follow the 8 things shared above then the next time you encounter this question, you’ll face it with ease.
7. CREATE A VISION BOARD TO STAY MOTIVATED WITH YOUR GOALS
It’s not every time that you will feel excited to work towards your goals. Sometimes you’ll feel demotivated or maybe even discouraged, and it is during these times that you need motivation.
One way of staying motivated is by creatively putting together a vision board that contains inspiring images of things, people, or experiences that best connect you with the vision of where you want to be, who you want to become, and the things you want to do. You can use Canva to create a good design to act as a wallpaper for your phone or your computer. This will remind you where you are going and why you are doing what you are doing.
8. DON’T PROCRASTINATE
Procrastination is the enemy of progress. Jim Rohn, one of the all time motivational speakers, once said, “We must all suffer from one of two pains: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret. The difference is discipline weighs ounces while regret weighs tons.”
About HEBO Consult
HEBO Consult is project management consulting firm that helps businesses, organizations, and individuals get the right skills, tools, and frameworks to successfully execute projects. Whether through consulting or training, we are committed to bringing you the right strategies, skillset, and mindset to turn your ideas into the best reality possible.
