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5 tips to set career goals

you can actually achieve

Goals give us a sense of purpose and

something to aim for in life. Career goals
can be especially valuable – they can set
you on track to a change or new role that
you find fulfilling and rewarding.

Plenty of us have career goals, but we’re often

faced with stumbling blocks as we pursue
them. Research for SEEK shows that 56% of
Australians have career goals, but only 9% say
they’ve achieved all of them.

It’s great to aim big, but if a goal isn’t realistic,

it will be harder to stick to – and you might set
yourself up to miss. The research shows that
for 42% of people, setting career goals is
overwhelming, while a third (32%) of people
admit their goals have been unrealistic. A
positive, realistic goal that you reach one step
at a time will keep you motivated, and there’s
no greater sense of achievement than reaching
a hard-won goal.

Leah Lambart is a career coach with Relaunch

Me and an expert when it comes to achieving
career goals. Here are her five key tactics for
setting realistic, achievable goals for your
working life.

1. Get ready to focus

Achieving a major goal takes time, energy
and commitment. Thinking about why your
goal is important to you can help you stay
focused and committed for the long term,
Lambart says.

An “accountability buddy” can help you

keep you on track, too, she adds. “This
could be a friend, colleague, fellow career-
changer, or a career coach.

“You could also think about creating a vision

board of what you hope your life will look
like once you complete the change. This will
keep you more focused, even when there
are a few hiccups along the way,” says
Lambart. This could be an actual board with
pictures and ideas, or a simple written list of
what success might look like for you.

As you prepare yourself for change, be wary

of negative thinking that might hinder your
progress, and try to challenge your inner
critic. If you’re a perfectionist, this could
also hold you back from taking that next
step; trying to aim for ‘good’ rather than
‘perfect’ can help.

2. Think about what you value

The change you’re looking for might not
simply be a different role or higher income –
it could be greater flexibility, better work-life
balance, or more meaningful and creative
work, Lambart says.

For many people, there are now things that

matter more than money such as job
security, less stress and more time with our
families, so thinking about your values can
help you find the work that suits you best.

And if you’re naturally cautious and wary of

taking a risk, remember that there are risks
worth taking when it comes to your career.

To help you stick to your goal, focus on the

positive change the goal would bring to your
life. “It could be more time spent with family,
less weekend work, greater work
satisfaction, more energy to play with the
kids, or more time to take up hobbies,”
Lambart says.

You’ll be more likely to see your career goals

through if there’s meaning and value
attached to them.

3. Be specific with your goals

Any major change takes time and several
steps before you achieve it, which can
sometimes feel frustrating and
overwhelming.

“One way to approach this is to break the

change down into smaller steps and make
them more specific,” Lambart says. “Then
the change process will feel less
overwhelming and you’ll be more likely to
commit to it long-term.”

If you have a goal in mind, try using the

SMART method. Ask yourself whether your
goal is:

Specific – what do I want to accomplish,

why, and how?
Measurable – what evidence is going to
show that I’m making progress?
Achievable – is it something I can
reasonably do, or do I need to break it down
further?
Relevant – does the goal really matter to
me? Is it the right time?
Time-bound – when can I achieve it by?
What deadlines can I break it down into?

This approach can help you reassess your

goals. For example, if you want to become
Sales Manager this year, but you’ve just
joined the company as a Junior Sales
Associate, you may be putting too tight a
time limit on yourself – it might take three
years.

Or if you want to own your own catering

business in eight months but haven’t
worked in that industry before, you might
make a goal to get hands-on experience
first before getting a business loan.

4. Have a timeframe in mind

As you break the process down into small
steps, set a realistic deadline to each step.
“That will keep you more accountable and
will allow you to focus on the tasks at hand,
rather than being overwhelmed by the
enormity of a change,” Lambart says.

Talk to anyone you know who has made a

similar change to find out how long each
step took, she says. That will help you be
realistic with your timeframes.

Here’s an example from Lambart of a

timeline, based on today, of specific goals
you might plan if you’re aiming for a career
change:

In the next month: Complete a career test

to get an idea of careers that fit your
personality, strengths and interests.
In 2 months: Give yourself a month to
research possible career options thoroughly.
In 3 months: Speak to two people in these
industries to get further information.
In 5 months: Apply for courses.
A year from now: Start studying and tailor
your resume for your new career.
A few months after starting studying:
Start the search for relevant, part-time work
to complement your studies.

Keep this timeline somewhere you see it

often, so you’re reminded to stick to it. But if
something throws your plans off course,
give yourself the flexibility (and permission)
to adjust, too.

For example, you can put one step on hold,

or adapt a step, such as studying remotely
instead of face-to-face. Of course, if
circumstances work in your favour, you can
bring a step forward, too.

5. Make it real
Tell people about your aspirations. Sharing
your goals with supportive people who can
encourage you helps to make those goals a
reality, Lambart says.

“Surrounding yourself with some

cheerleaders will ensure that you have the
support you need when things don’t go
smoothly,” she explains. “Ask them to
motivate you and keep you focused on your
dream when things are a bit tough.”

Having a professional network can also

provide support in seeing through your
goals – there are plenty of ways you can
build and grow your network online.

If there’s something you want to achieve in

your career, or a job you’ve always dreamed
about, setting goals will help you get there.

By breaking down your goals into clear, simple

steps that are realistic, you’ll be less likely to
feel overwhelmed. Be open to change, think
about your values, and share your goal
with your support network – that can be the
boost you need.

Remember to stay open to adapting your goal

and timeline if your circumstances change.
That will help you avoid frustration – because
you’re in this for the long haul.

By using these strategies you can set

achievable goals that you can reach, one step
at a time.

Source: Independent research conducted by

Nature of behalf of SEEK, interviewing 4800
Australians annually. Published August 2021.

Read more:
10 steps to changing your career goals
6 signs you should rethink that job offer
5 careers for creative minds

Browse top search terms on SEEK

Did you know, many candidates preparing a
resume also research their industry by
exploring top search terms?

Select an industry to uncover the

top search terms
All industries

1 work from home

2 administration

3 retail

4 casual

5 registered nurse

6 no experience

7 part time

8 electrician

9 truck driver

10 chef

11 receptionist

12 manager

13 fifo

14 disability support worker

15 customer service

16 warehouse

17 project manager

18 driver

19 labourer

20 night shift

SEEK data, November 2022 – May 2023.

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