Make sure your goals align with your desire to change and improve. Have a clear vision of where you want to go and plan your route accordingly. The interview is going well. You are feeling good about it, and believe you have met and/or exceeded every qualification requirement. The interviewer is genuinely impressed with your skillset, your attitude, and the answers they are hearing from you. And then comes the question, “Where do you see yourself in five years?” How do you answer this one? When this question comes up, you probably aren’t sure on exactly what to say. Even if you do have a clear idea and plan of action, you might find yourself second guessing what would be a suitable answer. What you really want and need right now is this job. Bills and student loans need to be paid, rent increases, and so on. You wonder, “Why do they ask this question? What I need right now is a paying job. I’m barely out of college, I can’t even see where I will be in a year, let alone five.” You want to be forthcoming, fair, and honest in your reply. What would you say? So, why do employers and interviewers ask this question, and what are they listening for when answered? This is more of an assessment question. Employers are listening for key things to help them determine: Do you see yourself in the position you are being interviewed for or working in the company five years from now? Turnovers and onboarding are costly. Is this position a steppingstone for you? If you are overqualified for the job, chances are you will not want to stay in the position for very long. Are your expectations aligned with what the company has to offer? Are you a good fit with the company long-term? Employers are not expecting a perfected response. While they are deciding whether you will be a good fit within the company, they are also looking for employees who have ambition and an internal drive to better themselves. They want to know more about your goals. By confidently expressing clearly defined goals you will be able to show them you are able to be accountable for your successes and failures. Why goal setting matters Setting goals allows us to take charge of our future. It is a cornerstone to success. Progress toward goal completion is made by learning new skills, increasing our intelligence, expanding our mindset, and growing our abilities beyond what we imagined. This, in turn, increases our self-confidence and overall feeling of well-being. When we set goals, we become accountable to the success or failure of them. Did you know verbally telling others about your goals increases the likelihood of completing the goal? You speak it into existence, you hear yourself say what you want to accomplish, and you are more likely to reach it. The tangibles of goal setting are completing the goal. Finishing your bachelor’s degree, buying your first house, starting your own business. These are all completed by taking the steps needed to reach the goal you wanted to achieve. The intangibles of goal setting and goal completion are a proven benefit to your overall well-being and physical health as well. You increase your confidence, gain a sense of accomplishment, direction, increase your joy and energy, improve your focus, and even live longer than non-goal setters. Set SMART goals Specific—Prioritize your goals. Goal setting is clarifying what you want and knowing the steps you will need to take to achieve it. When we make our goals specific, we set ourselves up for success. Too big: “I’m going to lose weight this year.” Specific: “I’m going to lose four pounds by February 20 by walking 30 minutes six days a week, not drinking my daily sugar soda, and by replacing three fast food lunches a week with salads.” Too big: “I’m going to earn my master’s degree someday.” Specific: “I’m going to call the academic advisor’s office tomorrow to schedule an appointment for transcript review.” Follow this up with another specific task. “I’m going to enroll in two classes for fall.” And so on, until you have accomplished the goal of completing your master’s degree. Goals without action and progress our just vague ideas. Measurable—How to measure the success of a goal? We all like to know we are making progress and getting closer to completing our goal. Is your goal measurable? Did the scale go down on your weight loss goal? By how much? Write it down and keep track of your weight loss journey. Did you walk every day? Be honest! Are you currently enrolled in college courses? These are the measurements by which you can see the progress you are making. It will give you a feeling of accomplishment to look back and see where you were when you started and where you are now. Measurements are great motivators! Attainable—Is the goal attainable? Goals may not be easy and may challenge your resolve. That is different than not being attainable. For example, can you become a fighter pilot at the age of 75 with poor correctible vision, poor physical health, and no aviation experience? The answer is no, it is not a goal you can realistically accomplish. Avoid setting goals out of your reach. Realistic—This goes along with being attainable. Can you realistically achieve it, based on your current circumstances? Let’s use the fighter pilot scenario again. Some things are simply not realistic based on physical or personal limitations. Knowing this before you begin working on your goals will help focus your energy on the direction that will be the most beneficial in accomplishing the goals you set for yourself. Timely—Having a realistic time expectation is important to the successful completion of your goal. Going back to college for a degree, for example, takes time—possibly years—so have a realistic idea of the goal completion period. It is realistic, it is tangible, it can be completed within the time you set if you know what is needed to complete said goal. Goals should not be left open-ended. “I’ll earn my master’s degree someday” is different from “I’ll earn my master’s degree by 2024.” The difference is accountability. It is important to understand SMART goals are beneficial to the success of accomplishing goals. It is, however, not the most critical element to successful completion of the goals we set for ourselves. For a goal to be truly effective, the drive and motivation, the purpose or the “why” must be in alignment with the goal. If we set a goal we do not really want to do or believe in, the successful completion rate is below 30 percent. Lack of commitment and dedication means less work and effort is put into making it successful. Make sure your goals align with your desire to change and improve. Have a clear vision of where you want to go and plan your route accordingly. Now that you have your specific and clear goals set out in front of you, answering the age-old question, “Where do you see yourself in five years?” can easily be answered with a confident honesty. You will be able to effectively communicate how your goals and aspirations align with the company and contribute to the team. Linda Miller, BS, CCFP, has more than 20 years of business experience. In addition to a Bachelor of Science degree in business management, she also as degrees in psychology, interdisciplinary studies, and business administration. As co-owner of Dog Days Consulting, Miller manages clients’ social media accounts. She is a certified compassion fatigue professional and a certified master life coach. Her passion lies in teaching skills and providing staff with the necessary tools to help them sustain a long enjoyable career in the veterinary industry. References Lindberg, S. (2020, November 26). Tips For Goal Setting - Helpful Suggestions for Self-Improvement. Retrieved from verywellmind: https://www.verywellmind.com/tips-for-goal-setting-self-improvement-4688587 Robbins, T. (n.d.). How Can I Set Compelling Goals? Retrieved from tonyrobbins.com: https://www.tonyrobbins.com/ask-tony/can-create-compelling-future/
