8. Setting goals for you
Setting your own goal and action plan
When you set a goal, you also need to plan how you’re going to achieve it. Here are some examples of goals and action plans.
I really need to get a job within 4 weeks. I am going to look for a job in administration. I will start filling in applications today and aim to get a job in six months. I will look for something part-time and do an NVQ at the same time.
| Example | Goal | Action plan |
| I don’t enjoy my current job. | I’m going to find a new job that I like. | Today I am going to start looking on job sites to see what kinds of work I like and am able to do and enjoy. If I don’t get one within a year, I’ll think again about my plans. |
| I want a career, not just a job. | I am going to look at my skills. | This month I will start looking at what other jobs are available and see what skills I need to apply for them. I will also look for additional training. I plan to have a well thought-out career plan in the next two months and be in a new job in the next year earning at least £1000 more a year. |
| I'd like to do work looking after children. | I’m going to find out if I can get a job working with children. | I am going to look for web sites that will tell me about the types of jobs I can do which involve working with children. I am going to see an advisor at the local college and find out about courses there are and what type of job they will qualify me for. I will do that this month. I plan to be start a course next September. |
Set a goal for yourself… now!
Exercise: Fill in the boxes on your worksheet for these questions. This will be your “SMART” goal. Some ideas for goals: “Earn some money as a freelancer”, “Ask about work when I next go shopping”, “Get my CV up to date (we have a CV-writing course)”, “Get on a training course”, “Change my career.”
- What is your goal?
- How will you know if you’ve achieved it?
- Who have you told that you are going to do this?
- How are you going to achieve this goal?
- When do you expect to achieve this goal?
What if I fail? What if I change my mind?
Goals are there to help you achieve things, not to make you feel like a failure. Start small and build up from there. Your goals will change as you find out more information and make progress. You can always review and revise your goals as you make progress and learn more, and you can have more than one goal at a time.
Sometimes goals are big (like changing career) and sometimes they are small (like looking up which courses are available at a local college), but it’s always good to have a goal.