A successful career requires planning. Without a plan, or road map, you will find it very difficult, if not impossible, to reach your desired career destination. The first step in planning is to establish your career goal. You then must set objectives and develop plans for accomplishing those objectives. This kind of planning takes time, but it will pay off later.

Assignment

Complete the following statements:

1. My career goal is to:

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This statement should encapsulate what you want to accomplish over the long run. It may include the type of job you want and the type of business or industry you want to work in. Examples include the following:

● My career goal is to work as a top manager in the food industry.

● My career goal is to supervise aircraft mechanics.

● My career goal is to win the top achievement award in the advertising industry.

2. My career objectives are to:

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Objectives are benchmarks along the route to a career destination. They are more specific than a career goal. A statement about a career objective should specify what you want to accomplish, when you will complete it, and any other details that will serve as criteria against which you can measure your progress.

Examples include the following:

● My objective is to enroll in a management course at Main College in the spring semester 2022.

● My objective is to earn an A in the management course at Main College in the spring semester 2022.

● My objective is to be promoted to supervisor by January 1, 2023.

● My objective is to prepare a status report by September 30 covering the last quarter’s activities by asking Charlie in Quality Control to teach me the procedures.

3. Exchange your goal and objectives statements with another class member. Can your partner interpret your objectives correctly? Are the objectives concise and complete? Do they include criteria against which you can measure your progress? If not, discuss the problem and rewrite the objective.