Now that we are nearing the end of January and really getting into the swing of things, it is a good time to identify or revisit your 2023 career goals. We all know that it can be easy to forget or break your New Year’s resolutions before January is even over…this year we can change that. Whether you are looking to make a complete industry shift, a lateral move or anything in between, we can help you get started. Keep reading for tips on how to set goals in 2023 – and actually stick to them!
Step 1: Identify Your Goals
If you have already created your goals, take some time to revisit and reevaluate them. If you haven’t, take some time to brainstorm. For career-related goals, it can be helpful to ask yourself questions like…
- What would I like to accomplish by the end of this year?
- What kind of company do I envision myself working at?
- What type of work/projects do I find interesting?
- What type of culture/team fits best with my personality?
- What aspects of my current role do I enjoy/dislike?
- What am I passionate about/what is my dream role?
Once you answer these questions, write down a list of a few realistic, yet challenging goals. Hang the list above your desk, workspace, or anywhere that you know you will be able to see it every day. Later on in this process it will be helpful to have something to refer back to if you ever feel that you are losing sight of your endgame (more on this later!).
Step 2: Create an Action Plan
Now that you have clearly defined your goals, it is time to develop your action plan. This will look different for everyone. In order to make a solid plan, ask yourself questions like…
- What is the very first step on my checklist for each goal?
- When can I allocate time each day/week to complete my tasks?
- What can I do every day/week/month/quarter to get me closer to my goals?
- Do I have all the resources I need in order to get started?
- Have I done the proper research (if necessary) to feel confident in this process?
- What is a realistic time frame for accomplishing each goal?
Once you have a clear starting point and action plan, it’s time to get to work! Keep in mind, this process will not be linear. Any time you are working towards a challenging goal, it is inevitable that there will be some rough points along the way. It can be very easy for discouragement and frustration to cloud your view and cause you to lose sight of the bigger picture. This is a good time for you to refer back to the goals you hung above your desk in Step 1, and then look to Step 3 to evaluate your progress. The important part is that you keep pushing no matter how difficult it may seem…you will thank yourself later!
Step 3: Hold Yourself Accountable
You have created your goals and developed an action plan…now comes the tricky part: following through with it! As easy as it is to set goals/resolutions, we all know it is much harder to actually stick to them.
It will be helpful to develop daily, weekly, and monthly benchmark goals and create a ‘checkpoint’ schedule to ensure you are staying on track. During each checkpoint, take some time to evaluate your progress and ask yourself questions like…
- What is my progress so far/what have I accomplished during this process?
- Have I done all that I can today/this week/this month to bring me one step closer?
- What have been the roadblocks along the way (if any) and how can I overcome them?
- What have I done well/what has been the biggest challenge so far during this process?
- What has been working for me/what has not been working for me during this process?
- Do I feel that I should make any revisions to my overall goals and/or action plan?
This is the step of the process that is the most overlooked, causing resolutions and goals to go by the wayside. Accountability is the key to the following through and achieving your goals.
Looking for a new position in Accounting, Finance or IT? Let us be a part of your 2023 action plan! We, at Xplora, have the resources and connections to get you where you want to go and are always here to help kickstart your search. Reach out to our team today and let’s discuss how we can help you find your dream job!
Visit our website and follow us on LinkedIn to stay in the loop on our current job opportunities!
- On our website, go to ‘Current Openings’ or click here to check it out!
- On our website, go to ‘Current Openings’ or click here to check it out!
If you liked this post, check these out:
5 New Year’s Resolutions for Career Advancement – Xplora (xplorasearch.com)
Xplora’s Job Search Resources – Xplora (xplorasearch.com)
