10 career goal ideas to grow your career in 2024
The new year is approaching and at Elo we set goals. We do this every year and even though not all goals are met, it gives us a vision for the year with achievable goals and goals that allow us to dream a little. Is this something you do on a personal level? If not, we highly recommend you try it in 2024. Here's why - and, afterwards, we'll give you 10 examples to help you change your work life this year!
What even is a professional goal?
When we talk about professional goals, we're talking about what you want to achieve in your career. Often there will be short or medium term goals (say six months), as well as longer term goals. Long-term goals allow you to have a clear vision of where you want to go - and short-term goals allow you to structure the work needed to get there by breaking it down into more manageable steps.
Why set goals?
The short and obvious answer for many is that it helps structure your career path. And structuring your path allows you to be successful. If you know what you want to accomplish, it becomes easier to identify the steps to reach those goals. But is the thought that goals are essential supported by the scientific community? According to a 2008 study, setting quantifiable goals and discussing them regularly as a team would allow you to reach the 88th percentile of performance. Setting goals is therefore perfectly relevant.
How mentoring can help you achieve your professional goals
Mentoring has many benefits, and the literature is clear: according to a meta-analysis by J. Vocat Behav, mentoring is correlated with positive outcomes for your motivation and career success. A mentor can help you decide which goals to choose for your year, but they can also help you stay on track. Meetings with your mentor during the year could allow you to adjust your goals if necessary, share your progress, and ensure you stay motivated in the face of the challenges you've set for yourself.
10 sample business goals to inspire you
Your goals should be customized to your needs, but sometimes it's hard to know what to set as a goal. So here are 10 examples to inspire you! Which one will you choose?
Improve your time management
Time management is an important factor in everyone's success, whether you are an entrepreneur, a manager or an employee just starting out. We suggest that you start by blocking out periods of "intensive" work in your agenda, lasting an hour or two. Then, when you get used to it, you can increase the length of this period until you reach your longer term goal. This could be, for example, four hours of intensive work per day.
Develop a new skill you want!
One of the best ways to achieve your career goals is to develop the skills needed for your dream job. Want to become a manager? Acquire employee and project management skills! We recommend looking at job postings for your dream job and taking note of the skills you're looking for. This can guide you when you want to develop new skills.
Expand your professional network
To reach your dream job, you need to be able to find it. According to CNBC, about 70% of ALL jobs never get posted. The same source also suggests that between 50-80% of jobs are filled through networking. So it's crucial to work on your professional network if you want to get the opportunities you've been dreaming of. The goal could be to add a certain number of people on LinkedIn, participate in events - it's up to you!
Change your job
Do you feel like your usual day at work is flat? You're probably looking for a new challenge. If you love your organization, why not try a new position in-house? Change and new challenges could greatly help your professional development. Apply for new positions, you have nothing to lose!
Learn about the competition
It's always important to learn what your competitors are doing, but it's easy to lose sight of this fundamental business exercise, often called competitive intelligence. Take the time to get up to speed on what the competition is doing, how they are differentiating themselves, etc. A short-term goal might be to learn about one competitor per week, for example.
Go back to school
Looking to change jobs? Going back to school might be a good idea for you. It can be part-time or full-time, but professional training is one of the best ways to make your resume stand out.
Become a mentor/mentee
Are you looking for someone to guide you in your career path? Nothing better than a mentor for that. A mentor can give you many experiences that will greatly help your personal and professional development. Try it out!
You are not looking for knowledge, but you want to share it? Passing on your expertise and knowledge to another person can be very rewarding, and can give you a sense of accomplishment. Plus, you're helping someone grow, which is deeply human. What are you waiting for?
Read more!
Books are a great source of knowledge. There are generations of knowledge waiting for you, you just have to find them. If you don't have time or interest in reading, try podcasts or audiobooks!
Work on your communication
You may not think about it, but your communication skills are critical to your professional success. According to a study by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, 73% of employers want employees with excellent writing skills. Take a class, ask your mentor, attend webinars - as they say, all roads lead to Rome!
Try something new at work
Not satisfied with your productivity at work? Try a new way of working! This could be, for example, setting aside an hour of personal time in your schedule each morning, during which you don't check your email or messages. You could also set goals for the amount of content you create for social media (if you are in communications). These are just examples - be creative and measure your progress.