{"id":7509,"date":"2020-10-13T11:11:21","date_gmt":"2020-10-13T18:11:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/?p=7509"},"modified":"2021-08-31T05:12:49","modified_gmt":"2021-08-31T12:12:49","slug":"how-to-stay-focused-on-your-career-goals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/how-to-stay-focused-on-your-career-goals\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Stay Focused On Your Career Goals"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The majority of people do not regularly set goals and 90%-97% fail to achieve them [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.wanderlustworker.com\/the-harvard-mba-business-school-study-on-goal-setting\/\">1<\/a>]. This is true whether a goal pertains to personal or professional achievement, whether or not it informs a person\u2019s job search, and \u2014 perhaps most importantly \u2014 regardless of how important the goal is believed to be.<\/p><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_50 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\" role=\"button\"><label for=\"item-69ec1cc27fa1a\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><span style=\"display: flex;align-items: center;width: 35px;height: 30px;justify-content: center;direction:ltr;\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/label><input  type=\"checkbox\" id=\"item-69ec1cc27fa1a\"><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/how-to-stay-focused-on-your-career-goals\/#How_to_Achieve_Career-Related_Goals\" title=\"How to Achieve Career-Related Goals\">How to Achieve Career-Related Goals<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/how-to-stay-focused-on-your-career-goals\/#STEP_1_Practice_SMARTER_Goal_Setting\" title=\"STEP 1: Practice SMARTER Goal Setting\">STEP 1: Practice SMARTER Goal Setting<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/how-to-stay-focused-on-your-career-goals\/#STEP_2_Write_Goals_Down_Revisit_Them\" title=\"STEP 2: Write Goals Down &amp; Revisit Them\">STEP 2: Write Goals Down &amp; Revisit Them<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/how-to-stay-focused-on-your-career-goals\/#STEP_3_Make_A_Concrete_Written_Plan\" title=\"STEP 3: Make A Concrete (Written) Plan\">STEP 3: Make A Concrete (Written) Plan<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/how-to-stay-focused-on-your-career-goals\/#STEP_4_Form_Implementation_Intentions_Not_Just_Goal_Intentions\" title=\"STEP 4: Form Implementation Intentions, Not Just Goal Intentions\">STEP 4: Form Implementation Intentions, Not Just Goal Intentions<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/how-to-stay-focused-on-your-career-goals\/#STEP_5_Be_Accountable_For_Task_Performance\" title=\"STEP 5: Be Accountable For Task Performance\">STEP 5: Be Accountable For Task Performance<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/how-to-stay-focused-on-your-career-goals\/#About_BC_Jobs\" title=\"About BC Jobs\">About BC Jobs<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_Achieve_Career-Related_Goals\"><\/span>How to Achieve Career-Related Goals<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>When it comes to career goals, specifically, the chances of goal achievement are low: 90% of people are not working their \u201cdream job\u201d and about three-quarters never will.<\/p>\n<p>This tendency towards underachievement can have significant consequences for people searching for jobs in Vancouver. Underachievement is why about 71% of employed adults are currently engaged in some type of job search process \u2014 more than half because they are seeking opportunities for career advancement, and the rest because of some type of unhappy work environment and\/or under-compensation. Under these circumstances, it is difficult to stay focused on what you truly want.<\/p>\n<p>Yet some habits are empirically proven to have a compounding effect on the odds of goal achievement (and, for job seekers, job search success). That is why the best way to stay focused on your goals is to:<\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"STEP_1_Practice_SMARTER_Goal_Setting\"><\/span>STEP 1: Practice SMARTER Goal Setting<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>Regardless of which job market sector you are in or aim to enter, SMARTER goal setting can notably improve the odds of achieving your career goals. SMARTER goals are, by definition:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>S<\/strong>pecific<\/li>\n<li><strong>M<\/strong>eaningful<\/li>\n<li><strong>A<\/strong>chievable<\/li>\n<li><strong>R<\/strong>elevant<\/li>\n<li><strong>T<\/strong>ime-Sensitive<\/li>\n<li><strong>E<\/strong>valuative<\/li>\n<li><strong>R<\/strong>eadjustable<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Creating goals that fit this model increases the rate of goal achievement to approximately 17% [<a href=\"https:\/\/robert-murray.com\/smart-goal-setting\/\">8<\/a>].<\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"STEP_2_Write_Goals_Down_Revisit_Them\"><\/span>STEP 2: Write Goals Down &amp; Revisit Them<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>Writing down goals \u2014 especially when looking for jobs in Vancouver \u2014 has an immediate, dramatic impact on your chances of success. So, too, does creating a daily routine during which you remind yourself of your goals and establish daily goal-directed actions. For example, many high-achievers swear by a process of:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Organizing their day ahead of time (the night before);<\/li>\n<li>Prioritizing energy-intensive tasks;<\/li>\n<li>Making time to regenerate; and<\/li>\n<li>Remaining aware of how daily movements impact progress toward end goals.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Writing down and revisiting goals in this way raises the rate of achievement to about 42%.<\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"STEP_3_Make_A_Concrete_Written_Plan\"><\/span>STEP 3: Make A Concrete (Written) Plan<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>Writing about goals, what is necessary to achieve them, and how to approach those tasks creates a positive feedback loop for success. Studies show that these types of actions can significantly improve the quality and success-rates of even unrelated tasks. Moreover, achieving small tasks is psychologically rewarding, further motivating progress toward long-term goals.<\/p>\n<p>That is why clearly articulating intermediate goals has a positive impact on task performance and productivity (increasing goal achievement rates to 50.8%).<\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"STEP_4_Form_Implementation_Intentions_Not_Just_Goal_Intentions\"><\/span>STEP 4: Form Implementation Intentions, Not Just Goal Intentions<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>A \u201cgoal intention\u201d is a simple objective: <em>I will accomplish X<\/em>. An \u201cimplementation intention\u201d sets up protocols to drive progress even when facing complications: <em>If Y happens, then I will do [goal-directed action]<\/em>. Put simply, implementation intentions account for barriers to the progressive, intermediate task completion that is necessary for goal achievement.<\/p>\n<p>More than just preparing for worst-case scenarios, this process sets up trigger points for evaluating and readjusting the plan. This is especially important when navigating the job market; it prevents \u201cstalling out\u201d if specific job openings or opportunities are inaccessible.<\/p>\n<p>Creating implementation intentions increases the chances of goal achievement to 65%.<\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"STEP_5_Be_Accountable_For_Task_Performance\"><\/span>STEP 5: Be Accountable For Task Performance<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>Accountability-building is an essential component of goal achievement. You can build simple accountability by creating a list or regularly telling someone about upcoming tasks and deadlines.<\/p>\n<p>Yet the most effective accountability-building method any person can follow is to create a weekly report of task progress and completion, then share it with a third party. The average rate of goal achievement rises to as much as 76% by following such an accountability system.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"About_BC_Jobs\"><\/span><strong><em>About BC Jobs<\/em><\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/\">BCjobs.ca<\/a> is Western Canada\u2019s largest job board. Listen to weekly episodes on our <a href=\"http:\/\/podcast.bcjobs.ca\/\">podcast<\/a> to hear what recruiters are thinking and what companies look for when considering their next hire. Recent episodes include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Best Buy Canada &#8211; Dave Evans, CTO (<a href=\"http:\/\/podcast.bcjobs.ca\/9-best-buy-canada-become-a-superstar-problem-solver\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Podcast link<\/a>)<\/li>\n<li>PayPal &#8211; Yvonne Wu, Recruitment Manager (<a href=\"http:\/\/podcast.bcjobs.ca\/6-paypal-employee-security-innovation-growth-during-covid\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Podcast link)<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>We also host free virtual events to support candidates, such as #HireMe2020, a series of live guest speaker events with all-star speakers from the top employers in BC and across Canada. Email community@bcjobs.ca to find out more.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The majority of people do not regularly set goals and 90%-97% fail to achieve them [1]. This is true whether a goal pertains to personal or professional achievement, whether or not it informs a person\u2019s job search, and \u2014 perhaps most importantly \u2014 regardless of how important the goal is believed to be. How to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":109,"featured_media":7516,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[11],"tags":[194,600,599,596,595,598,597,601],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7509"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/109"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7509"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7509\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8056,"href":"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7509\/revisions\/8056"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7516"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7509"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7509"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bcjobs.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7509"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}