Long-term career goals play an essential role in your professional life because they set your direction and motivate you to move forward. In today’s market, your survival and success will be based on your decisions.
There are so many career goals that you can choose, but some of them are more effective than others. Following are the examples of 11 long-term career goals that successful professionals chose in the past:
1. Gaining Leadership Experience
Every organization needs leaders that will guide the employees to success. You should never miss an opportunity where you can gain leadership experience.
Leadership experience develops your mindset for success. You learn how to utilize people, resources, and time.
2. Gaining Global Experience
Global experience allows you to interact and work with people from other parts of the world, and you learn new things from them, understand their work ethics. This experience helps you broaden your horizons.
3. Starting Your Own Business or Side Hustle
It may sound challenging, but it makes a huge difference. People that start their own business or a side hustle get more exposure than their colleagues.
It keeps you out of your comfort zone and provides you with a continuous learning opportunity. Having your own business or a side hustle enables you to understand the dynamics of the business world better and helps you to be successful in your full-time job as well.
4. Securing a Promotion
Securing a promotion means you prove to your employers that you are a better team member than others. You don’t need to be perfect to secure a promotion. Your employers are more likely to promote you if you exceed their expectations, be responsive, volunteer for projects, and stay positive throughout difficult times. Don’t hesitate to make suggestions on time and help others.
5. Growing Your Network
Your network is your strength. You should avail every opportunity to grow your network. People in your network can share valuable information, knowledge, and opportunities with you.
6. Building New Skills
What makes you a better option than your colleagues for your employer? It is a skill that you have, and others don’t have. Successful professionals learn new skills whenever they get a chance.
7. Earning a New Degree
Going back to school is a long-term goal to earn a new degree. Successful professionals invest in their knowledge. Many executives and leaders prefer to enrich their experience with an additional degree. You can earn a new degree because it will provide you with relevant qualifications for top opportunities in the future but keep in mind that it may not be so easy. Therefore, you should be sure that going back to school is the right decision for you at this time.
8. Becoming an Expert or Thought Leader in Your Industry
Do you know what type of people are popular in the industry? A thought leader or an expert gets more attention because they are more likely to come up with a solution to different problems.
9. Becoming a Mentor or Coach
Sharing your knowledge and experience with others increases and brushes up your own knowledge. When you become a mentor or coach to someone, you can contribute a lot to your personal and professional development. You can revise everything you know and improve your leadership skills as well.
10. Determining Your Dream Job and Start Working Towards It
Your dreams are more important than you think. It is always a good idea to determine your dream job and start working towards it. Once you determine your dream job, you change yourself and work hard to make it a reality.
11. Taking a Step Back
It may sound a little unusual, but career progression doesn’t necessarily mean more work, getting a promotion or a new degree. You can take a step back if you realize that it can positively affect your personal life or your mental and physical health. You can take a gap year providing you with more time to refresh yourself or to be closer to your family. Or, you can aim to get a new, less demanding job. As is often the case, setting up long-term career goals is more dependent on personal goals than professional betterment.
Conclusion
Your long-term career goals will shape your future. Therefore, you should set them wisely after conducting your research and consulting your mentors. The above-mentioned career goals are helping professionals excel in their careers.
You have a high chance of succeeding in your field if you set those career goals that are working for others.
Good Luck!
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