Updated Content 10/03/2024
All of us want to reach our personal and professional goals. Setting SMART career goals can empower you to take control of your future! You may not feel fulfilled in your current job and are looking for a more rewarding career, or you may want to be the first member of your family to graduate from college. 
No matter your reason for pursuing a higher education, knowing how to set SMART career goals can help you through your college experience, career, and personal life. SMART goals are the most effective way to set goals, as they break down a larger, more daunting goal into smaller, more management steps through the following five guidelines: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely.
Utilizing SMART career goals can give you the confidence and motivation to work toward your dream career. Want to learn more about how to create a SMART goal? Keep reading as East Ohio College (EOC) walks you through each step!
Specific
SMART career goals must be specific so you know the exact steps you need to take to complete them. For example, let’s say your overall goal is to become a Registered Nurse. By breaking this larger, more intimidating goal into a specific goal, you can begin to formulate a plan to achieve it. An example of a specific goal could be enrolling in an Ohio Nursing program that prepares you for the NCLEX-RN* licensure exam.
This specific goal answers the five W’s of goal setting: Who, What, When, Where, and Why. Now that you have honed your overall goal into a more specific one, it is time to move on to the next step in creating a plan to achieve it.
Measurable
Next, you need to ensure your goal is measurable so you can track your progress toward it. Then, as you progress toward achieving your goal, you can tell if you’re on track or need to adjust your strategy.
Separating a large goal into smaller milestones is the best way to ensure your goal is measurable. For example, if your goal is to become a Registered Nurse in Ohio, a few milestones you can set for yourself could include the following:
- Researching schools that offer Nursing degree programs
- Attending an information session
- Completing your first class
- Passing your NCLEX-RN* exam
By setting smaller, more precise goals to help you reach your overall goal, you have created a measurable way to track your progress.
Attainable
As you reflect on your career aspirations, ensuring they are attainable is crucial, as maintaining motivation can be difficult with unattainable goals. For instance, aiming to begin work as a nurse next month without completing your education or passing the licensure exam is unrealistic. While it aligns with your ultimate ambition of becoming a nurse, it’s unachievable since you must finish your schooling and pass the exam to practice. Setting a significant goal for yourself may seem like a good idea, but it can lead to discouragement if you can’t take the necessary steps to reach it.
To keep yourself on track toward achieving your overall objective, consider adjusting your goals to make them more attainable based on your personal circumstances. In the case of nursing, here are some factors to evaluate to ensure your goal is achievable:
- Duration of the program: Can you commit to a year of schooling?
- Support system: Do you have a reliable network to assist you?
- Commitments: Are you ready to attend classes?
By ensuring your goals are attainable, you’ll set yourself up for success while boosting your motivation to reach your objectives.
Relevant
When establishing your SMART career goals, aligning their relevance to your personal aspirations is important. Often, individuals set specific goals without considering their impact on their overall career objectives. Here are some questions to reflect on when evaluating the relevance of your specific goals:
- Is this something you genuinely want to accomplish?
- Are you motivated enough to invest the effort needed to achieve it?
- Does this goal complement your other goals?
- Will achieving this goal help you reach your long-term life plans?
For instance, enrolling in a Nursing program is relevant to your overall goal because it can provide you with the skills and knowledge to work as a nurse in Ohio.
Timely
The final component of a SMART career goal is ensuring that it is timely, which means setting a specific timeframe to achieve it. Establishing a goal without a deadline can lead to a lack of urgency and motivation to pursue it.
Creating a timeline can involve setting smaller deadlines for each milestone. For instance, with our nursing example, some smaller deadlines might include:
- Research schools that offer Nursing programs by the end of the month
- Select a school and participate in an information session by the first of next month
- Complete your initial class by the end of the following month
- Prepare for and pass your NCLEX-RN exam in 18 months
By dividing your overarching career goal into smaller, more manageable tasks, you can gain a sense of control over your future and clearly understand the steps necessary to achieve your goal within your desired timeline.
East Ohio College is here to help you achieve your goals!
Now that you understand the importance of setting SMART career goals, you are prepared to move forward in achieving your dream career.
East Ohio College is here to help you gain the skills and knowledge you need for allied healthcare, nursing, and professional services careers.
Take the first step toward achieving your goals by beginning your academic journey at East Ohio College. Request Information to contact the EOC admissions team today!