What are the most effective ways to identify your career goals?

I have found people I've managed before often forget to look at how far they've come as part of their looking ahead. I love Steve Job's quote about connecting the dots backward. Rarely does one get where they are by following a super well defined plan. Looking backwards and reminding yourself of the opportunities you didn't expect, the choices you made, and the people who supported you along the way can help ground yourself in where you are. From there, you can better look ahead to what might be next for you.

I truly believe that it's not about just your current situation but also your previous situations, especially as you're trying to pivot. I always recommend those I'm mentoring to write out a list of all of the roles they've had along with the pros/cons of each role. I also ask them to add things that would have helped their experience. From there, I tell them to highlight the common pros/cons. This will help them in understanding what their priorities are in their next role as well as what to look out for to ensure that they don't fall back into situations that don't benefit them. Once they do that they can lead with what is important to them (ex. compensation, location, etc.) and this will help them with their job search.

Do this only after understanding your vision for yourself, which is discussed below. As far as planning how to reach your vision, start by considering your natural interests and curiosities as areas for skill development. Those things you naturally gravitate towards. Then cross compare with where you see opportunities for impact in the world. Where you see interest, willingness to develop skills and potential for impact aligning is your sweet spot.

Self assessment is absolutely essential in fact. For choosing goals and aims we need to determine who we are and what we can do. We should infer our abilities and capabilities and then determine our goals. The High 5 Test and 16 Personalities tests can help a great deal in this regard. These measures actually help us cut the chase and can help to draw a roadmap and set our target in the form of goals.

It is paramount for you to define what you want and what you are passionate about in life. Your values are the compass direction towards the career path. Start by taking a moment to think about what you are passionate about and where you want to be in your career. Where do you want to be in in the next two months? what about in one year? Five years. Map out your short-term goals and align them with you you really are and not who you think you are. Research the skills and experience that have made you stand out then match them with the skills.

One thing I've found helpful for mental health with regards to career goals is, being cognizant of the fact that sometimes available options are lateral moves career-wise as opposed to vertical i.e. moving up levels. Some of the reasons for lateral moves are: 1. You need to get out fast from your current job (due to toxic culture for example), and the openings available are jobs of your level. 2. Your years of experience to move up are still insufficient e.g. you currently have less than half of what is needed for the next level of your career. All in all, disheartened by lateral moves. They don't mean you still won't learn new skills or gain new experiences.

Algumas dicas: - Defina o estilo de vida que pretende ter. É importante ter isso em mente antes de investir seu tempo em procurar oportunidades. Se quer liberdade, um emprego formal pode não lhe agradar. - Tenha clareza sobre o tipo de atividade que quer desempenhar. Busque por referências. Qual profissional você olha e pensa...nossa, eu amaria fazer o que ele faz. Isso pode ser um grande sinal sobre o seu caminho.

Here I would like you to think of your career like a buffet with many dishes to choose from. Each dish represents a different job, role, or opportunity. Now, before filling your plate, you stroll around, check out the options, and maybe even ask others what they recommend. It's all about exploring what looks tasty to you, looks may sometimes deceive. Right? Similarly, exploring your career options means taking a look at all the different roles and paths available to you and homing into one that suits you.

Yes, exploration can help in touching topics of interest and charting out the right matches as a result. This way, we improve our personality and it gives an impetus to “thinking with clarity” and develops confidence. That haze and clouds and doubts get ironed out, pushing us on a path with clearer objectives. After all, we should pursue tried and tested streams of business or business activity isn’t it?

Sharing an anecdote. Recently, in a performance and goals conversation with a direct report, she mentioned that she didn't really know what she wanted to do next to challenge herself. I could hear that she couldn't necessarily see what I could see for her, so I suggested she go "LinkedIn browsing!" Like window shopping - looking at job descriptions for other roles that were related to hers and the next level, and then to look at ones she would usually scroll past. No, I was not trying to tell her to leave the team and find another job. I wanted her to find inspiration for what challenges or accountabilities she wanted to tackle next! Seeking inspiration in what's out there can help clarify what's next in a current role.

Defining vision is something that one can think deeply about. Most times, 'what to do' comes from answering the question 'what am I good at'. However, following the concept of Ikigai really helps if you feel your experiences can help someone. Identify a problem (answers why) that needs a workable & sustainable solution. This could be something that you may have gone through. Next figure out how you can monetise it, work on a sustainable revenue model! Next, identify any one social message or cause or challenge (impact) that it takes care of as one of its benefits - could be creating employment or streamlining some sector that needs regulation. Once you know what & why and the impact it has, you will be able to figure out the how.

Identifying your career goals with a strong focus on defining your vision is a crucial step in achieving long-term satisfaction and success. To do so effectively, begin by self-reflecting on your passions, strengths, and values. Then, set aside time for thorough research on potential career paths, seeking mentorship and guidance from those who have walked similar paths, and crafting a clear, actionable plan to align your goals with your envisioned future. This process will not only provide you with direction but also motivation and purpose as you work towards your career aspirations.

Creating a vision for your future should actually come first. Limiting your career choices based on what your skills are today, as suggested above, is what keeps most people from experiencing fulfillment in life. Better to determine what skills you require based on where and how you see yourself in future. Aim higher. This requires starting with and maintaining a growth mindset throughout life.

If you can set a vision, great! And, I really don't think it works for everyone. Setting a vision can be daunting and overwhelming. If that is true for you, I suggest you start with defining the immediate next thing - the thing you want to learn, try, build, create, support, etc. In today's world that is ever-changing, there are fewer and fewer defined paths forward. Building comfort in uncertainty by focussing on the opportunities that you have, and then the opportunities that arise from taking advantage of the first ones (think Adjacent Possible!) is a way to build resilience into your career.

In my experience, defining your vision is not done in 30 minutes at a coffee shop! Take some time without distraction to really think about and "see" what you want. Write about it in detail. What does the workspace look like? What's outside your office window? Are you onsite or remote? What's the commute like? Do you travel? What does work life balance look like? How do you use your favorite skills? What are the coworkers like? What type of manager will help you grow? Do you prefer a small company or large company? The more complete you can make the picture the better. Then trust the part of your mind that notices subtle detail (Reticular Activating System) to lead you to the next right thing. This sound like woo-woo magic, and it works!

As one needs to step into the various rungs of ladder to climb a wall, similarly one needs SMART goal setting to reach their vision. These actionable goals provide direction, focus and give sense of accomplishment as someone climbs towards his/her vision. Consistency on these SMART goals, though is crucial to see any significant progress.

Can you use OKRs for your career, just as it is done at companies? Yes, definitely. - 2-4 objectives with 3-5 Key Results each. - It can be planned for every quarter, with checks every month.

Make your goals Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound (SMART). This makes them more concrete and achievable. In short "Set clear, doable goals (SMART)."

While I generally align with this idea. I tend to replace A with Audacious... Audacious goals, supported by achievable milestones and daily tasks.

Since I have served onboard ships and submarines in the Navy, I will say, goal setting is like steering a ship. We chart our course and identify navigation points based on where we want to finally reach. But we keep monitoring the progress and adjust the ship’s course depending upon the wind, sea waves or current, movement of other ships etc . So reviewing and adjusting your goals is like finetuning your ship’s course to ensure you stay on right path to finally reach your destination. I hope this simple example helps in understanding.

1/ Set calendar reminders for a quarterly review of your career goals. 2/ Identify 3-5 trusted individuals for career advice; schedule regular consultations. 3/ Implement a 360-degree feedback process using anonymous surveys at work. 4/ Choose one skill per quarter to improve; take an online course, read books, or take on a specific project to develop it. 5/ Conduct a SWOT analysis before making any major career decisions and consult with trusted individuals.

As a first-generation professional who was raised in a working-class environment, I am aware that my approach to career goals may be trauma informed and also tied to my family and community. These things can co-exist and are not necessarily limiting. But I had to be AWARE of what was driving my decisions. It helps to connect with other professionals who understand my experiences and don't judge me for things like not knowing how to negotiate salaries (we don't always have role models for that).

For me, goals are like war plans, they are only good until the first shots are fired. My career has been a journey with a general direction, driven by challenges accepted. And it’s something I am VERY proud of now in its third decade. We all know SMART as a good framework for newly working professionals. But it becomes too rigid as you progress, and life always throws curveballs. If instead you set an ordinance, a Northstar if you prefer, that aligns with where you are in your journey, you might find yourself where you are meant to be, just a little south and west of where you thought. It also frees you to say yes to the challenge you want that doesn’t seem to align. Life is fluid so be fluid. You will be much happier if you do.