Career Goals Interview Preparation Guide

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Think about your future and where you would like to be in five to 10 years because it's highly likely you'll be asked this question directly. Interviewers are not looking for information about your personal life when they ask about your future plans; they don't want to know if you're planning to have children or get married. They do however use this question to gauge your maturity and your thought processes. In this question, they are trying to glean what is most important to you. You should develop a response that includes continuing education to play a bigger role in the company or about your determination to move into management or become the top salesperson in the firm.

If you are the type of person who prefers an organized way of life, you may find this question a piece of cake to answer. But if you're among the majority of people who let life happen as it comes along, you will probably not have a smooth answer without some forethought.
What are your goals? Think about what you really want. Most successful business people will tell you that a key success factor is the ability to set and achieve goals.
Begin by setting short-term goals. Right now your goal may be to get a job. But what kind of job? And where do you go from there?
Be employer-centered. The employer is looking for someone to come in and solve problems. Since planning is a key factor in this job, think of examples where your planning has affected the results.

Show the future employer that it is not your habit to change jobs frequently. Tell the employer that you are impressed with the team and the work environment. In addition, show that you are enthusiastic about joining the team to meet the challenges and development opportunities in this job. If your CV shows that you changed jobs quite frequently in the past, give reasons and try to ensure that this will not happen in the future.

I have learned that long-term goals are best achieved when I break them into shorter goals. My short-term goal is to find a position that will put me in a forward-moving company with solid performance and future projections. As part of a team, I want to add value and continue to grow the company. My long-term goal will depend on where the company goes. My plan is to move into a position of responsibility where I can lead a team.

Good answer implies, but does not assume that you will stick with the company you are interviewing with, since an interviewer is unlikely to believe that you believe you will be with the company forever. However, the fact that you are willing shows that are you might commit, and the company likes to see people whose short and long term goals have them potentially staying with the company.

My short term goals are to simply break into the field. As a college graduate, I need to start building a strong presence in the industry, working for a company I respect and doing a job that I enjoy. My long term goals are to earn new responsibilities within the company, ultimately reaching higher positions as they open and helping the company succeed in the long term.

Your short and long term goals need to be related. For example, you can't claim your short term goal is to work in technology, but your long term goal is to open your own restaurant. Also, your goals should relate to the job. It's a good idea to focus on intangible qualities of work for example, I would like to work somewhere that makes me happy, instead of more tangible goals, I would like to be CEO of your company.

It's hard to know exactly what someone's goals actually tell the interviewer. Goals are always changing. Most employers ask in order to see if you are going to commit to the company and judge whether or not you have ambition.

I plan to return to school to earn my MBA and have my own consulting business one day. While it pays to be honest, this answer could turn the interview in the wrong direction very quickly. The employer is looking for someone to stick around for the long run, not to stop over on the way to a new career.

Tell the employer how and what you are going to contribute to the company with your career knowledge and experience. You can also mention the achievements and developments you expect in your career. Let the employer know that these can be realized in the job they are going to offer.

Though, it is difficult to flesh out an answer but if you prioritize things, you would be able to come up with an appropriate statement.
Example of good career objective statement as an answer: I believe long terms goals are achieved when we break them into smaller achievable goals. My short term goal is to get a job in an organization that is progressive and performance driven. I wish to join a competent team wherein I can add value to projects and in turn, take home learning as well. My long term plan is to secure a challenging position as ABC in the organization and deliver my best.

A common, open-ended question asked by recruiters is "tell me about yourself." You want to have a one- to two-minute answer prepared for this questions that should include your career objectives. Briefly outline your background without repeating information that's on your resume word for word and add that your background has thoroughly prepared you for this position. Include a sentence about your plans to grow with the company and make yourself a valuable asset.

Ten years from now I see myself as a successful consultant for a world-class firm like yours. I want to have developed a wonderful bond with my employer. I will have proven myself a highly competent systems analyst and will represent my company in helping others find solutions to their information-systems needs in a professional and timely manner.

Although it is hard to predict the future, I sincerely believe that I will become a very good financial consultant. I believe that my abilities will allow me to excel to the point that I can seek other opportunities as a portfolio manager (the next step) and possibly even higher. My ultimate goal continues to be, and will always be, to be the best at whatever level I am working at within ABC corporate structure.

My primary objectives are to learn as much as possible about your company's product offering, organizational structure, and professional sales techniques so that I may become the most productive member of your sales team.

My short-term objectives are to graduate from the Professional Development Program before the standard two years and begin developing a clientele. As an intern, I prepared ahead of time by studying for the Series 7 and Series 64 exams that constitute a majority of a beginning financial consultant's time. I'd like to make make the company that hires me wonder what it ever did without me.

My first few years in banking had me on the fast track to branch management. I realized at some point along the way that my true passion was in offering financial advice not limited to checking accounts and loans. It was at that point that I made the necessary arrangements to go back to school full-time to pursue my goal, which I am just about to achieve.

When you are asked about what are your career goals, it is the time to communicate your short and long term plans with the interview - the interviewer would want to learn how stable you are in your professional/personal life, how you plan to achieve your goals and how you will grow with the company that you are working for.

Yes, and I demonstrated my goal orientation as president of the local Jaycees, a community-service organization. I am very proud of the fact that I set a goal of signing 50 new members by the end of the year, and I accomplished that.

If you happen to be a methodical person who seems to plan for everything under the sun, then such a question would be a 'cake-walk' for you. However, if you are one of those who lead an un-planned life, you need to be prepared.

I wish to do my MBA and later on, set up my own business.
It is an honest answer. However, no interviewer would be keen to appoint a candidate that wishes to retire from the job soon and start of a venture on his own. He would want the candidate to stick around for some time.

The primary reason to bounce off such a question is to check an interviewee's level of self-awareness and his planning skills.

Demonstrates honesty, persistence and enthusiasm in their plans for the future, especially with this new position; shows they learn from past mistakes; they are not quitters.

Job seeker should demonstrate clear purpose, enthusiasm and commitment to own goals; plans ahead; do they see the company intertwined with their future plans?

Do they see their future intertwined with the company; have they done enough research into the company; do their answers demonstrate that they are ambitious, energetic, goal-oriented, and enthusiastic?