Have you set some career goals for 2024? If so, that’s great – but I have another simple suggestion. It’s something that has been essential in helping me reach my goals over the years, and it might help you too!
Setting Career Goals
January is my most favorite time of the year — when it’s all about fresh starts and high hopes for what the New Year can bring. You see, I’m a goal-setting junkie.
Not a single January has passed me by where I haven’t planned to raise the bar on things like my health, finances, relationships, career, and just overall well-being.
Of course, I never achieve all that I aspire to achieve each year. But I always make enough progress where I’m inspired to do it all over again the next year!
But if there’s one thing I’ve learned after decades of annual goal setting, it’s that you can’t expect to achieve goals with a “set it and forget it” approach.
You’ve got to set it and then REMEMBER it on a regular basis!
Achieving Career Goals
In the past, my career goals mostly centered around professional development. Some goals were broad, like becoming a better leader and coach.
And a few were just straight-up about getting out of a professional funk and finally getting promoted 😀
But what I figured out over time is that the secret to success in reaching my goals boiled down to one thing: frequent follow up.
The goals I regularly thought about and monitored were the ones I successfully achieved — sometimes much sooner than I expected.
Doing this not only sparked more ideas for actions to reach my goals, but also kept me focused and motivated. Especially when it came to finally getting promoted after being passed over and stuck in middle management!
Your 2024 Career Goals
Are you aspiring to advance your career in 2024? Maybe setting a few new career goals?
If so, that’s great — but I encourage you to also think about how you will do your own frequent follow up in the new year.
- When can you set aside time to think about your goals on a regular basis — maybe make it a new morning routine?
- How can you track your progress — what are the signs that will tell you you’re moving in the right direction?
In case you need some help getting started, I’ve compiled a few career goals you might want to consider setting — along with a some ideas on ways to frequently follow up and track your progress.
Career Goal #1
Aim to get recognized as a top performer this year and reap the rewards of a higher-than-average pay raise.
Frequent Follow Up: Track your performance feedback – how often are you getting call outs of recognition?
Career Goal #2
Set your sights on achieving high-potential status – don’t just take on more and more work, take on the kind of work that will get you noticed by higher ups.
Frequent Follow Up: Track the projects you’re working on – how often are they pushing you to get outside your comfort zone and show your ability to take on higher level responsibilities.
Career Goal #3
Build better connections at work. Remember, career success isn’t a solo sport. Strengthen key business relationships, not just with your boss, but with other higher-ups within your organization.
Frequent Follow Up: Track the status of your relationship with key leaders – are you interacting often enough? Are they getting more exposure to your results and impact to the business?
Career Goal #4
Make the move to a new company where you can earn more money have more opportunity for advancement. Check out these tips to get past HR gatekeepers and land an interview.
Frequent Follow Up: Track your networking activity and exposure to new opportunities. Are you applying to enough jobs? Are you spending enough time growing your professional brand?
Get Even More Committed
If you’re looking to get even more committed to your career goals in 2024, let’s chat live!
So — I’m excited to do more 1:1 advising in the new year. You can schedule an intro session with me here.
Cheers to 2024!
Here’s to another year of setting and pursuing your goals, and may you make the most out of your career and achieve even greater success in the year ahead!
About Author
Alison started her 20+ year career as an admin assistant and eventually advanced to a CMO role. But, as a quiet introvert, she was often overlooked for promotions. And in 2012, while stuck in middle management, Alison made a goal to use her corporate career to achieve financial freedom and retire in her 40s. You can read more about her story here.
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