USING YOUR PERSONAL GOALS TO GET THE JOB YOU WANT By Anthony Raja M. Devadoss "Every human mind is a great slumbering power until awakened by a keen desire and by definite resolution to do." Edgar F. Roberts THE QUESTIONS "What are your personal goals for working? Where do you see yourself in five years?" These are questions which most of us are not prepared to answer, when asked. These are also inescapable questions often asked by every employer who wants a new hire. Coming from a friend or relative, such queries may seem benign, perhaps even a little whimsical or philosophical as those closest to you are truly interested in your future plans. On the other hand, during a job interview, the same questions can disqualify you for employment and send you straight out the door. The basics of goal management are simple and easy to apply to any career advancement strategy. They include: setting priorities; taking a long-term view; planning your daily monthly, yearly activities; taking time to organise; and maintaining a sound mind and body. DOING THE RIGHT THING Long-term goal management offers you the skills and tools required to decide how best to utilise your time right now so that you will be more likely to be doing the right thing for your career in future. How then do you guard against the myriad of interruptions and distractions that can throw you off course? The first step is having clear long-term and short-term goals and prioritising what you need to do to achieve them. There are always more things to do than there is time to do them. The number of responsibilities we are obligated to do have greatly increased especially in the last 10 years but there is still only 1,440 minutes in a day. That is an element that will never change. Tom Bay, a former consultant for Franklin Covey Co. Inc., recommends designating tasks you simply must do as priorities. If you have ten or fifteen items on your to-do list, choose three to five that are truly double AA priorities. "Invest your time in those [priorities] that will give you the best ROI - return on investment," he says. TAKE THE LONG VIEW When making decisions about how to spend your time, weigh the short-term benefits against the long-term ones. Choices made for the long-term ones often lead to a greater payoff. Tom Ferrara, 29, President and CEO of CareerEngine.com says that a common mistake people his age often make is chasing money rather than opportunity. "I could have, at any time, taken a sales job and made more money than starting up a new business," he says. "If I was just after the money, I'd have chosen a path other than the one I chose, which was more time consuming and more stressful." But, he says, the career experiences and satisfaction of building a business from the ground up far outweigh the short-term financial benefits of working for someone else. When thinking about what you want to do, consider what will be best for you in the long run. DAILY FOCUS TIME Call it quiet time, planning time or focus time. Make time to prepare for the coming day. Tom Bay, author of "Change Your Attitude: Creating Success One Thought at a Time" (Career Press, 1998), says, "Get focused either at the end of the day for tomorrow or at the beginning of the day for that same day. You've got to take time in the morning to really get yourself organised." Take 15 minutes to plan and focus on what you want to accomplish for the day and the amount of time you have to do it. "Instead of just charging ahead, as so many seem to do, in a reactive mode, carefully consider all the possibilities and actively plan the steps you will take," says Mr. Bay. This will help make sure you plan to do the right thing. UPGRADE TIME Being organised will also save you time. While you need to concentrate on your high-priority tasks, you won't be able to find those crucial documents and papers you need to work on if you are disorganised. Budget time for organising. It could be just an hour every day, week, month or even just 15 minutes… whatever suits your work style and schedule. Consider fitting an "upgrade" day into your schedule. This will motivate you to finally learn the software you have been using but never really understood, or experiment with new equipment that could multiply your productivity tenfold. Use this time to take a seminar, hire a consultant or attend a trade show. The time and energy you devote to upgrading skills and equipment will work to boost your career. SOUND MIND, SOUND BODY Many say, "I don't have time to exercise" or "I don't have time for lunch." Think again, if you want to maximise your efficiency and advance your career in the long run. Taking some time to exercise, even if it means taking the stairs instead of the elevator or parking your car a little further from the door, will increase your daily productivity as it improves your fitness and stamina. THE ANSWER Questions about future career plans have become interview classics. Job seekers cannot expect to avoid the issue. Therefore, if someone asks you about your next five years, you should realise that there is no perfect answer. After being out of the comforting structure of college a while, you will realise that life doesn't often respect your plans. While it is good to have goals, it is not recommended to stick to them too rigidly. An important point to remember: companies want people who are flexible and will not panic if the unexpected happens. But you also do not want to seem disorganised by just giving an "I don't know" answer. Be honest, focused, realistic and flexible. Just keep in mind what your interviewer really wants: someone who will work well on the job. That should guide you to giving an appropriate answer. Anthony Raja M. Devadoss is the Consulting Manager with Information Technology Specialists (ITS), the IT recruitment division of Agensi Pekerjaan Business Trends Sdn Bhd, A Kelly Services Company. As part of Kelly Services, a Fortune 500 staffing company with more than 2,200 offices world wide, ITS is strategically positioned to assist organisations in the selection and recruitment of quality IT talent globally. For more details, visit ITS's website at www.its-asiapac.com.