Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

Is your job search smart?

Specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timebound

For the third in a six-part series about stepping up your job search or job upgrade process, business coach Kate Kerr (nee Hanley) explains the importance of goal setting.

We’ve talked about the role of a calendar and networking in the job search. And this week, you want to talk about goal setting, correct?

Yes. This is actually one of my favorite topics to work on with the people that I coach. Goals empower people and allow them to see they are in the driver’s seat in life. Setting goals lifts the fog that many people have around major “wants” in life, not only in business but around relationships, money, travel…you name it.

What would be the first step in getting serious about goal setting?

Sponsored
Sponsored

I start with the big picture, where do you want to be in five years, two years, one year, six month – break down the various areas of your life and list the major goals that, if hit, would allow for your dream life.

And what’s next?

Break down the goals into “digestable” parts. Craft your one-year, six-month, and one-month plans. Outline small goals that, if performed consistently, will lead to accomplishing your bigger (ie, five years plus) goals.

How would you advise those who tend to bite off more than they can chew? How can they best assess the “achievability” of their goals?

I advise my clients to have a daily to-do list that outlines action items that work towards your bigger goals (i.e., if you’re training for a marathon that’s taking place in six months, daily physical training should be on your to do list). When starting off, it helps to have goal support – read books on the subject you’re interested in or spend time with people who have achieved your desired goal.

And what would you say to those who tend to get discouraged during the time it takes to achieve goals?

Frustration along the way to reaching goals happens to everyone. It’s normal. A few tips to keep you motivated: Print out your top three goals and put them where you can see them every day (bathroom mirror, in your office, etc.) These subliminal reminders set you straight on a daily basis. Cut out pictures that represent your goals (a magazine cut out of that trip to Bora Bora you want to take with your husband in three years), you’ll be astonished by the power of the images that pull you towards your goals.

What are some of the pitfalls/challenges you’ve seen your clients face in the implementation of this procedure?

Giving up too easy. People with weak willpower will throw in the towel in month three for a goal that has a six-month timeline. I remind my clients to evaluate their goals based on the acronym SMART. A goal can be reached only if it is specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timebound.

How about their successes?

All of my clients who work with me set their short and long-term goals as one of the first steps of the coaching process. I have seen so many goals met or exceeded. For example, I recently worked with one of my clients to double her income in three months, that was her goal and that’s what happened. We designed her daily to-do list to support her short, three-month net income goal. I have been setting goals for years in my business since I believe you need to identify the destination (goals) before you begin the journey (actions you take every day to get to the goal).

What additional advice would you give someone interested in setting some job search goals?

I would go to a quiet place, take a hike, go to a coffee shop…somewhere where you can evaluate where you are in your career and where you want to be (i.e., dream job, income, etc). Jot down all of the thoughts around your business (or otherwise) that arise. If you’re new to the goal setting process, start small with a three-month goal, write out what you want, and then work backwards from three months to what you need to do daily, in small increments, to get you to your three-month goal. If you use the tools mentioned above, you’ll be well on your way to meeting – and exceeding – your goals.

The latest copy of the Reader

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

At Comedor Nishi a world of cuisines meet for brunch

A Mexican eatery with Japanese and French influences
Next Article

Victorian Christmas Tours, Jingle Bell Cruises

Events December 22-December 25, 2024

For the third in a six-part series about stepping up your job search or job upgrade process, business coach Kate Kerr (nee Hanley) explains the importance of goal setting.

We’ve talked about the role of a calendar and networking in the job search. And this week, you want to talk about goal setting, correct?

Yes. This is actually one of my favorite topics to work on with the people that I coach. Goals empower people and allow them to see they are in the driver’s seat in life. Setting goals lifts the fog that many people have around major “wants” in life, not only in business but around relationships, money, travel…you name it.

What would be the first step in getting serious about goal setting?

Sponsored
Sponsored

I start with the big picture, where do you want to be in five years, two years, one year, six month – break down the various areas of your life and list the major goals that, if hit, would allow for your dream life.

And what’s next?

Break down the goals into “digestable” parts. Craft your one-year, six-month, and one-month plans. Outline small goals that, if performed consistently, will lead to accomplishing your bigger (ie, five years plus) goals.

How would you advise those who tend to bite off more than they can chew? How can they best assess the “achievability” of their goals?

I advise my clients to have a daily to-do list that outlines action items that work towards your bigger goals (i.e., if you’re training for a marathon that’s taking place in six months, daily physical training should be on your to do list). When starting off, it helps to have goal support – read books on the subject you’re interested in or spend time with people who have achieved your desired goal.

And what would you say to those who tend to get discouraged during the time it takes to achieve goals?

Frustration along the way to reaching goals happens to everyone. It’s normal. A few tips to keep you motivated: Print out your top three goals and put them where you can see them every day (bathroom mirror, in your office, etc.) These subliminal reminders set you straight on a daily basis. Cut out pictures that represent your goals (a magazine cut out of that trip to Bora Bora you want to take with your husband in three years), you’ll be astonished by the power of the images that pull you towards your goals.

What are some of the pitfalls/challenges you’ve seen your clients face in the implementation of this procedure?

Giving up too easy. People with weak willpower will throw in the towel in month three for a goal that has a six-month timeline. I remind my clients to evaluate their goals based on the acronym SMART. A goal can be reached only if it is specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timebound.

How about their successes?

All of my clients who work with me set their short and long-term goals as one of the first steps of the coaching process. I have seen so many goals met or exceeded. For example, I recently worked with one of my clients to double her income in three months, that was her goal and that’s what happened. We designed her daily to-do list to support her short, three-month net income goal. I have been setting goals for years in my business since I believe you need to identify the destination (goals) before you begin the journey (actions you take every day to get to the goal).

What additional advice would you give someone interested in setting some job search goals?

I would go to a quiet place, take a hike, go to a coffee shop…somewhere where you can evaluate where you are in your career and where you want to be (i.e., dream job, income, etc). Jot down all of the thoughts around your business (or otherwise) that arise. If you’re new to the goal setting process, start small with a three-month goal, write out what you want, and then work backwards from three months to what you need to do daily, in small increments, to get you to your three-month goal. If you use the tools mentioned above, you’ll be well on your way to meeting – and exceeding – your goals.

Comments
Sponsored

The latest copy of the Reader

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Born & Raised offers a less decadent Holiday Punch

Cognac serves to lighten the mood
Next Article

Houston ex-mayor donates to Toni Atkins governor fund

LGBT fights in common
Comments
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

This Week’s Reader This Week’s Reader