5 Short-Term Career Goals Every Employee Needs to Keep in Mind

In the process of career development, here are 5 short-term goals you should keep in mind

You may find yourself asking one day, is career development important?

The answer, quite simply, is yes.

Career development is necessary because of the hours you devote to and invest in your job. A normal 8 to 5 job here in the Philippines means that you work at least 40 hours a day (and that doesn't include overtime yet!), and it's not uncommon for young people to enter the workforce immediately after graduation. You wouldn't want to spend a lot of that time hating every minute of it and wishing you had a different job, right?

By making sure that you take part in the process of career development, you also make sure that you make the hours you devote to your job worth it and not feel like a waste. But what is career development, exactly? According to Career Development Facilitator Dawn Rosenberg McKay, career development is "the process that forms a person's work identity." She adds, "It is a significant part of human development and spans over the individual's entire lifetime, beginning when the individual first becomes aware of how people make a living."

"After you choose a profession," she continues, "you must then get the required education and training, apply for and find employment, and ultimately advance in your career. For most people, it will also include changing careers and jobs at least once during their work lives, but probably more often than that." Career development involves having short-term and long-term goals that will help you grow in your chosen career path. During the job interview one usually gets asked what their short-term and long-term goals are in the form of the "Where do you see yourself in 5 to 10 years?" question.

It can be a dreaded question for some people, especially if they're unsure about the path they want to take, but for those who are more certain, they usually have a list of goals that they hope to achieve in their time as an employee. So whether you know what direction you want your career to take or not, here are five short-term career goals that every employee needs to keep in mind.

1. Learn new technology
This applies not just to people who are in technical fields like computer science or graphic design"”even people in media such writers or social media managers should make it a point to learn new software and update themselves on the latest technology that they can use to further the quality of the work in their industry. For example, having the added skill of knowing how to create graphics or produce videos can go a long way considering how content is created nowadays. Learning new technology or showing interest in learning new tech not only shows your supervisor or boss that you're willing to learn and equip yourself with more knowledge, but it also helps you in the long run as you will actually gain knowledge in a field that is adjacent"”or even completely unrelated"”to the one you're pursuing right now.

2. Improve your communication skills
It's important to improve your communication skills because whatever field or industry it is that you're working in, communication is a crucial skill to possess. It's the very foundation of any good, functioning company, whether it's been running for decades or it's a newly-founded startup. Having good communication skills can also give you a leg up should you want to freelance or change careers eventually!

3. Be a more efficient employee by quantifying your work
An important goal for every employee to keep in mind is to make sure that you're constantly surpassing expectations you've set for yourself. A healthy way to view competition is compete with yourself and always ask yourself: how can you be better than you were yesterday? This is where you can quantify your work and performance. How do you do this? It depends on the type of profession you're in, so this involves self-awareness and initiative. Make it a point to always submit your deliverables on time, coming to work early, and establishing good rapport with your coworkers. What's important is to never be complacent and never settle because complacency leads to stagnancy, which is the enemy and opposite of growth.

4. Earn a degree or participate in seminars and conferences
Continuing one's education is an important part in every professional's career. More than just having a fancy degree or added letters at the end of your name, a postgraduate degree can make you more attractive and valuable to your current (as well as future) employer(s). Not only do you get to expand and improve your skill set, you also get to learn more things related to your current profession. It matters to know that many companies actually have a set budget allotted for the development of their employees, which include participation in seminars and conferences related to their professions. Ask if your company offers benefits like these, and make sure to take advantage of them. If you work in the higher education sector, there could even be discounts if you enroll in the university or school that you work in.

5. Start a side project
For many people, their full-time job doesn't always equate to their passion, and that's okay. You could be in business or finance but have your passion in the visual arts or writing. If your time permits, you can have a little side project that will keep you motivated, engaged, and in touch with what you're passionate about. Having a side project can help feed your creativity, thus making you happier at work because you don't feel stagnant or like you're not doing anything. So go ahead and start writing that novel you've had in your head for years now. But remember: don't work on this during office hours unless you want to run the risk of getting into trouble!

By keeping these five short-term goals in mind, you're sure to advance in your chosen career path and become the best version of your professional self.

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JobStreet.com and jobsDB are part of SEEK Asia, which is the leading online employment market place in Asia. SEEK Asia covers 7 countries namely Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

SEEK Asia is the extension of the Australian Securities Exchange listed company called SEEK. The company's purpose is to help improve people's lives through a better career. SEEK Asia's database consist of over 500,000 corporate hirers and over 24 million candidates.

For more information about this article, or to schedule an interview with JobStreet.com Philippines, please call Paola Savillo, Marketing Supervisor, at 286-6222.