SMART Job Search Goals: How to Set and Achieve Them

Setting goals during a job search can be one of the most effective ways to ensure success. Goals help you stay focused and motivated throughout the process. However, these goals must be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound, or SMART. In this article, we’ll explore what SMART job search goals are, how to set them, and how to achieve them.

The Importance of Goal Setting

Job search goals are essential to a successful career journey, especially if you recently graduated. Goals provide direction and structure that can help keep you from becoming overwhelmed by the process.

Ultimately, goals give you something to strive for, and helps you keep your eyes on the prize. Having a clear vision of where you want to be and how you will get there can do wonders for your morale during an often stressful and challenging job search.

What are SMART Goals?

Setting SMART goals is a way to set and achieve objectives. The acronym stands for:

• Specific — Your goal should be clear and precise.
• Measurable — It should have well-defined outcomes so you can track your progress.
• Achievable — It should be attainable with your current skills, resources, and ability. 
• Relevant — It should be relevant to what you're ultimately trying to achieve. 
• Time-bound — It should have a timeline for completion to ensure that you remain focused.

You can create a roadmap for success by setting SMART goals. Writing out your specific objectives will give you direction and help keep you on track when faced with complex tasks or decisions.

Examples of SMART Goals

Having SMART goals can help you create an actionable plan for achieving your desired outcome. Here are a few examples of SMART goals that you might set for yourself to find work in your field:

• Apply to at least 10 jobs per week.
• Follow up with each application a week after submitting it.
• Increase your networking contacts by 25% in two weeks.
• Build three critical skills by the end of the next quarter.
• Update your resume and cover letter to reflect your current qualifications within three days.

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How to Set SMART Career Goals

You can start setting career goals by thinking about your desired outcome and brainstorming the actions you will need to take to reach it. Then turn it into a SMART goal:

Make It Specific 

Create a clear goal statement that is concise and easy to understand. Focus on the details of what you want to accomplish, and use action words to keep it from becoming vague.

Set Measurable Objectives

Determine criteria for measuring progress towards your goal. Establishing measurable job search objectives helps to ensure that you can track your progress and determine when you have achieved your goal.

Set Attainable Objectives

It’s essential to set realistic goals that are achievable within a reasonable time frame. Challenge yourself a little, but don’t set yourself up for failure by setting an overly ambitious goal.

Make It Relevant

Make sure your goal is relevant to your job search needs. For example, if you’re looking for a new job in sales, focus on finding a position in that field.

Set a Time Frame

Put a time frame on your goal so that you know when to expect results. Setting deadlines will help to keep you motivated and help to keep your focus on achieving the goal.

When you write out your goal, it should look something like this:

"I will submit 30 new job applications for sales positions this month at a rate of one per day, with a custom cover letter for each company."

This goal is specific about submitting a certain number of job applications, and measurable at a rate of one per day. The objective of writing one custom cover letter with each application is attainable, neither too easy nor unreasonable. Submitting applications to only sales positions keeps the goal relevant. Only having one month to complete this goal means it is time-bound.

When it comes to job search success, having clear, well-defined goals is vital. Setting SMART job search goals can help you stay focused, organized, and motivated throughout your job search. With consistent effort and dedication, you can use SMART goals to accomplish whatever job search goals you have set for yourself.

For additional resources for job search success, check out iHire's Job Seeker Resource Center. The Resource Center has excellent tools and advice on resume building, interviewing preparation, and negotiating salaries that can help you reach your career goals faster.