Take action on your career decision, Whakatutukihia tō whakatau aramahi
Updated 26 Mar 2025
You’ve thought hard, done your research and made a career decision. Now it’s time to set some goals and work out the steps to achieve them.
How to set a great career goalMe pēhea te tautuhi i te whāinga aramahi hira,
A goal is different to a dream because it points you towards a definite achievement. There will be a day when you know you’ve got there and it’s time to celebrate.
Set 3 to 5 big goals to take you from where you are now to where you want to be in 5 or even 10 years. The goals could cover qualifications, work experience, personal development – anything you need to progress along your career path.
The SMART goal system is a useful way to decide exactly what your career goals will be.
- Specific - Be clear about exactly what you want to accomplish.
- Measurable - This is how you know if you’ve reached your goal – think about how many or how much.
- Achievable - The goal should stretch your abilities but still be possible within the limits of your time and money.
- Relevant - Make sure it contributes to your overall career plan and what you want to be.
- Time-bound - Give yourself a deadline to complete the goal.
Here are some examples of goals.
“I will complete my New Zealand Certificate in Animal Care through distance learning by the end of the year as a step towards running my own dog grooming shop.”
“I will meet with one marketing manager every month for the next three months to find out more about the best pathway for me to get into the industry.”
Break each goal into stepsWāhia ia whāinga ki ngā hipanga,
Figure out what steps you need to take to reach your goal. Form them into an action plan by working out how you’ll do each step. Make each step small enough to feel like you can easily do it.
If you've decided to do study or training, you can use our 'Plan your study and training' worksheet to create an action plan.
- Plan your study and training worksheet
If you've decided to go straight into work, you can use the following action plan example to get you started.
My goal: Find a part-time job looking after dogs in the next 3 months as a step towards running my own dog grooming shop.
What? | How? | What will I need? | By When? | Done |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1. Prepare my CV | Find a CV template | Internet | 31 Jan | ✓ |
Talk to a career adviser | 7 Feb | ✓ | ||
Write my CV | Library computer | ✓ | ||
2. Do some voluntary work to get experience | Get my uncle to ask his doggy day care | 7 Feb | ✓ | |
Visit the SPCA | Bus money | |||
Ring the dog pound | Phone minutes | 18 Feb | ||
3. Explore job opportunities | Choose 3 businesses I'd like to work at | Internet | 15 Feb | |
Ring the managers and ask about opportunities | Phone minutes | 18 Feb | ||
4. Apply for jobs | Check job websites every day | Internet | 1 March | |
Draft a cover letter I can change to suit different businesses | Library computer | 5 March |
Your action plan is for youMāu anō tō mahere mahi,
- Your goals and action plan are there to help you. If things change, you can change your action plan too.
- If you run into a barrier, add another set of actions that will help you find a way around it. Keep breaking problems into smaller pieces.
- You can ask for help any time along the way.
- Share your goals and progress with whānau and friends so they can support you and celebrate your achievements.
- Tick off your actions as you achieve them – it’s super-satisfying.