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What do you do when you're not goal-oriented?

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  • What do you do when you're not goal-oriented?

    So I have to make some kind of professional goals and put them on paper. It's some kind of required thing I don't care about because I'm too busy doing what they pay me for. I've never been able to answer the question "So what are your goals for the future?" I'm a let's-take-this-path-and-see-where-it-leads kind of person. I kind of luck into things for lack of a better phrase. (I actually don't believe in luck; things happen for a reason.)

    I supposed if pressed my answer to the above question would be "Don't be homeless" or "don't get the diabetes." Those aren't really goals as much as lifelong pursuits. I think of a goal as having an end point when you reach it. My "goals" don't have end points in my lifetime.

    And anyway, they want some kind of professional goal. I'm over here like "I've been doing this less than a year; I'm just trying to keep my head above water." I suppose I could sit down with my boss as directed in the email I got from HR and figure out some kind of list. But I know as soon as the list is made I will forget about it. I don't have time to worry about my career; my job is just a means to fund my real life. On top of that I am willing to sacrifice my professional well-being in order to help a client. What I mean by that is that if my stats suffer, so be it. I am in the job for me as far as having money to live on, but in day to day operations my mind is on my clients' welfare, not mine. Am I the only one?
    "Is it hot in here to you? It's very warm, isn't it?"--Nero, probably

  • #2
    You've got your answer right there in the last paragraph. "My professional goal is to do my utmost to act in the best interests of my clients". That's all the goal you need, and it's not exactly one they can argue with!
    "It is traditional when asking for help or advice to listen to the answers you receive" - RealUnimportant

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    • #3
      I agree with Greek_Jester. The phrasing of the sentence is great!

      Also, I would take the time (whenever you have it -- I know you're busy) to look up SMART (the acronym) goals.

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SMART_criteria
      Skilled programmers aren't cheap. Cheap programmers aren't skilled.

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      • #4
        Make enough money to be able to retire before I die?

        That probably won't go over very well.

        And before I forget to mention it, I am assuming that this is for your full time job.

        While GJ's answer sounds good, it has one short coming. The goal is not measurable. Try to think of something that you can quantify.

        100% Customer Satisfaction surveys for three calendar months in the next year(Full year is probably too hard to do.).
        Resolve 50% of issues while on the phone with the customer.

        These are nice, but they are short term goals. Including one or two is probably good. They probably want some long term goals.

        Do you want to move up into management?
        How about moving over to QA and teach them how to do their job?
        If those are not things you want to do, are there jobs in other departments that you would like to learn? Try to become a Jack-of-all-trades.

        Another option would be to say, "As this job offers unique career potentials that I have not had in the past. I am still evaluating options and would like to discuss this in greater detail."

        Hope this give you something you can use.
        Life is too short to not eat popcorn.
        Save the Ales!
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        • #5
          My manager asked me this one time. My answer was, "Lose fifty pounds and write a novel." She laughed and asked me for something work oriented so I just pulled something out of my butt. Does your job have sit ins with other departments? That makes managers happy although then you might have to do one.

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