Complete 1-6 Skills Inventory, pg 23 CONNECT TO YOUR CAREER SMART Goals Another step in career planning is to create SMART goals. A SMART goal is a goal that is specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely, as shown in Figure 1-8. SMART goals help students ground themselves in the reality of earning an income after college graduation. Specific Goals should be specific and easily understood. For example, “I want to get a job” is not a specific goal. Stating “I want to have a job in finance” is a more specific goal. Specificity makes it easier to track progress and under- stand what you need to do in order to achieve your goals. Measurable Goals should be measurable. Otherwise, you may never be able to determine if you have actually achieved them. For example, a goal stated as “I want to determine if I’m capa- ble of scoring above average on the MCAT” is difficult to measure. How can you determine your capability to pass a test? Restating your goal as “I want to score between 490 and 510 on the MCAT” is easier to measure you will know if you achieved your goal when you complete the test. Attainable Goals should be attainable. For example, a goal for a college graduate should not be “I want to get a job as a partner at an established law firm.” That goal is not attainable until after years of practicing law. Setting unattainable goals can have negative effects on a per- son’s self-worth and self-esteem. Focus on what you are able to accomplish now, and build your goals around it. Realistic Goals should be realistic. It is not realistic to expect high-level careers right out of college, nor is it realistic to expect career advancement after only a few months on the job. Setting realistic goals goes hand in hand with setting attainable goals. For example, working in Vancouver as an entry-level accountant clerk and mak- ing $30,000 annually may be attainable, but it is prob- ably not realistic given the cost of living in Vancouver. Try to keep in mind what you have the ability to achieve and what you can realistically achieve, and develop your career goals based on that realization. Timely Goals should have beginning and ending points. Estab- lishing a time frame is a vital element of goal-setting. It allows you to keep track of where you are in achiev- ing your goals, and it allows you to prioritize tasks. For example, if your goal is to gain acceptance to graduate school in the next three years, you may not have to start applying to schools for two years. Instead, you can focus on preliminary tasks, like taking preliminary exams and researching programs. Career Pathing Career pathing, not to be confused with career path- ways, is a strategy an employee can use to determine personal career development. Through career pathing, an individual may be able to • work toward promotions and move up within a company • make a lateral move within a company to learn new skills and talents • change employers or • change careers. Navigating a career is much like following directions on a GPS. Your career preparation, planning, and responses to employers’ requirements will take many turns each year. Goodheart-Willcox Publisher FIGURE 1-8 A SMART goal is one that is specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely. SMART Goals S Specific (clear, concise, tangible) M Measureable (measured in time, volume, dollars, or other units) A Attainable (something you can truly make happen) R Realistic (practical, rational, sensible) T Timely (deadlines announced and committed to) Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. 10 Chapter 1 Preparing for Your Career