Education

• Your career goals determine the educational background you will need in order to achieve your goals. The first thing you should consider after establishing your career goals is what education you will need to achieve them. This includes schooling and ongoing education in the form of seminars and corporate training. It is all part of reaching your career goals.
  
  

Focus

• Reviewing your career goals on a regular basis, and understanding the rewards that you can gain by achieving your goals, will help you to maintain focus on your career. Spend time revising your career goals every two years to help you keep up with changes in your field. By regularly revisiting and renewing your goals, you can stay directed toward achieving your career aspirations.
  
  

Employment

• Career goals help you to create authoritative and definitive career objectives. Employers will see that you have a defined career path and that you know exactly what you are looking for in your job and in your professional growth. Understanding your career goals will also help you in the interview process. Companies spend time asking about your career plans because they want to see if you have any; they are also interested in how their company fits into your future plans. When you have defined career goals, you can explain to a potential employer why you are the right fit for their company.
  
  

Opportunity

• As your career advances, you will be presented with many different kinds of opportunities. The temptation is to get involved in as many opportunities as possible. However, there will be situations in which a new opportunity may not help you achieve your career objectives. Compare opportunities with your career goals and determine which are the best ones for you to get involved in to keep you on track.