It seems almost pointless to set goals when you are employed by someone else or company. They hired you to get a specific job done, and that is what you do. You have a boss who is going to tell you exactly what you need to do on a weekly (for some, daily) basis. You do the job, they pay you, and everyone is happy, right?
Should You Set Goals When Working for Someone Else?
The truth is setting goals at work can go a long way in getting you ahead with your company. Even if you don’t get anywhere with them, i.e., a dead-end job in a bad company, etc., your goal setting skills will reward you in future ventures. In fact, it could be the activity that gets you a new job or even gets you going on starting your own business.
If nothing else, when you set goals at your job, you are showing the management there that you care about what you are doing and that you want to make your situation better. Accomplishing goals indicates that you are a go-getter.
There is no guarantee that setting goals will lead you to advancement in your current situation. But it will get you noticed. Other department heads may see what is going on and reach out to you. Sometimes, the goals you set could be to learn new skills that can be used in those other departments. This could also present a great opportunity to take on people within those departments as mentors. Perhaps you can work with them to help you set goals to get you in the door. In return for their efforts, you could volunteer to help them after hours or during lunch, to learn more about what is entailed in the new job.
If you get nothing else out of setting goals for your current position, you will get better at goal setting and achievement. This is a lifelong skill that can be applied across all vocations as well as your personal achievements. It could set the stage to coach others when you become an expert at goal management. The point is, this is a very valuable skill that you should be working towards no matter what you do.
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