Setting goals

Career development is based on your decision regarding the field you wish to work and succeed in. Career development is a lengthy, even lifelong process, which practically never ends. The process starts early, i.e. when deciding on the right school and study programme for you.

One of the careering planning models contains the following stages:

• Setting career goals;
• Self-assessment (assessing your skills and competencies, interests, values, strengths, and weaknesses);
• Research (gathering information on the field or topic you are interested in);
• Preparing an action plan to realize your goals.

S.M.A.R.T. goal setting

In order to approach goal-setting efficiently, we advise you to think about career fields you consider the most appropriate, set global (long-term) goals for each field, and break them down using the S.M.A.R.T. principle into a series of smaller (short-term) goals that take less time to attain. By taking smaller steps and realizing smaller goals on the way, you will be able to hit the “big goals”.

Your goals should be:

• S - specific: What do you wish to achieve? What are your goals?
• Ex. 1: Graduate in three years.
• M - measurable: How can you measure whether you are fulfilling your goals?
• Ex. 1: Your goal is measureable, as you are successfully completing all study obligations.
• A - achievable: Are your goals achievable?
• Ex. 1: Your goal is achievable, as you are highly motivated, driven to study, have the necessary skills for studying, and know exactly what you wish to achieve.
• R – realistic: Can you achieve your goals with the means available to you?
• Ex. 1: Your goal is realistic, as the study programme is designed in a realistic manner.
• T – (defined across a certain period of) time: When will you achieve your goals?
• Ex. 1: Your goal is defined in terms of time – three years.