Increases in technological advancement and globalization, as well as economic changes, have resulted in more frequent organizational restructuring, increased workloads, more short-term contracts, increased changes in employee skills, more part-time jobs, and an increase in working from home over the last few decades. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated these changes, forcing more people than ever to work remotely or in other ways. It has also forced many to rethink their career path and hence rethink their career goals. Setting and then resetting career goals and making plans for job transitions are equally significant aspects of career planning.

The requirement for a flexible and adaptive workforce is increasing as the pace of change increases. Knowing your own strengths and adaptable skills is necessary for a successful career because it allows you to anticipate change and unpredictability. Finding employment that helps you make the most of your skills, that energizes and inspires you, and that strikes the correct work-life balance are all aspects of career management.

The importance of resetting career goals

While setting goals is a critical component of planning your career path, regularly evaluating and resetting career goals is just as essential. Whether it is due to a crisis, professional growth, or the evolving corporate environment, you need to review your goals to see if it is still what you want, if it still has the value it once did, and whether it you need to adjust it temporarily or permanently in order to achieve what you want to achieve in your career.

By re-evaluating your career goals you are actually increasing your level of growth and moving past career obstacles in a healthy manner and on the correct path.

When it comes to adjusting goals, there are a few things to think about.

1. Self-assess

While resetting career goals, begin by assessing your goals and path until that point. Make a list of your interests, professional goals, abilities, and individual traits. This can assist you in conducting a SWOT analysis to determine your strengths and weaknesses. Take stock of how far you have come and where you need to go. Recognize your goals and achievements that brought you to this point and what you need to change to progress.

2. Know your strengths

Knowing and focusing on your strengths, rather than attempting to fix your shortcomings, is one of the most powerful and successful strategies to go forward with. While you should try and grow by working on your weaknesses, let the majority of your energy and focus lie with your strengths. Especially while resetting career goals. This way you will be doing the absolute best you can. Your innate abilities, skills, and personality traits are your strengths, and you can usually tell when you are using them because you feel motivated and driven.

3. Research your choices

Once you have assessed your situation, whether you are planning to switch careers or adjust your career path just a little, you will need to do a fair amount of research to determine their eligibility with regards to your preferences. If you are doing a big reset with regards to your career goals then consider speaking with peers to get multiple opinions. Shortlist your options and choices, take notes on what you discovered throughout your inquiry, and compare it to the list of interests, talents, and values you came up with during the self-assessment process as well as the current and predicted trajectory or your industry and role. Then make a list of all the possibilities that are available to you.

4. Be clear about your goals

Once that has been evaluated, you can determine what you want to accomplish, think about what you want in the near future and in the long-term, and ensure your goals are precise and well-defined. Goals that are vague or generalized lack a sense of direction and while not help you achieve what you want to achieve. After defining your goals, break them down into yearly, monthly, and weekly goals. Make it as simple as possible to reach where you want to go by specifying your objectives in detail for short-term planning. When your goals are clear, they are easier to manage, allowing you to achieve your long-term career objectives.

Don’t bite off more than you can chew. Begin with small goals that you know you can achieve. This will set you on the path to achieving the bigger goals. Make a routine you know you will be able to sustain rather than planning too many things to achieve in a short amount of time. In terms of your experience, skill, and the time-frame you are working with, the goals you establish must be reasonably achievable. This will encourage your process and get you started on the reset.

5. Develop a new skill

Resetting career goals might involve having to learn new skills. So, don’t be closed to the idea. Expanding your skill set can help you climb up the career ladder whether it is learning a brand new skill or upgrading an existing one. Developing in-demand skills not only increases your job market value, but it also demonstrates your initiative and drive. In job descriptions that interest you, look at the job requirements and must-have abilities to figure out which technical skills and soft skills are in demand.

So, when you are penning down your career goals, remember to include the development of a wide skill set in your strategy. This will not only make you more marketable, but it will also give you more satisfaction and allow you to truly study everything there is to know about your field.

6. Set personal goals

While you are working on your career goals, don’t forget to consider a few personal goals as well. Whether that is learning a new language, continuing a hobby, reading, etc., focusing on your personal goals helps to further your professional profile as well. It also helps with work-life balance and mental health.

After all, much of what you do with your profession will be influenced by your goals in other areas of your life, and vice versa. If your personal goals require more freedom in your schedule, consider working remotely or starting your own business. When your career and personal goals are in sync, you will feel less pressured at home and at work and be able to achieve your professional and personal goals more comfortably.

7. Make a schedule

All goals and plans need dates. So, create a timeline and decide what goals would be achieved by when. This will help you stay on track and help you plan your success. This will also help you stay away from procrastination and will keep you motivated.

8. What does success mean?

Resetting career goals, especially after a crisis, through a period of growth, or to align with changing times, requires some particular reevaluation. you can only achieve your goals and success if you define what that success will look like. This is important because you are the only one who can decide what success looks like for you. It is important to remember that achieving success entails more than just setting objectives; it also involves determining them.

Resetting career goals on a regular basis is essential to keep track of them and eventually actually achieve those goals. So, set regular evaluation sessions with yourself throughout the year to ensure that you are on course, and that the road you are on is leading you in the right direction.