How do you help your clients set realistic and achievable career goals?

As a coach or mentor, you want to help your clients achieve their career goals and aspirations. But how do you help them set realistic and achievable goals that align with their values, skills, and interests? In this article, you will learn some tips and strategies to guide your clients through the process of goal setting and help them overcome potential challenges and obstacles.

1 Assess your client's current situation

The first step to help your clients set realistic and achievable career goals is to assess their current situation. You need to understand where they are, what they are doing, and how they feel about their work. You can use various tools and methods to gather this information, such as surveys, interviews, assessments, or feedback. The goal is to identify their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, as well as their motivations, values, and preferences.

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Avinash Anand Singh, PCC

India's Leading Growth Mindset & Peak Performance Coach| Merging Science & Spirituality| Former Member Forbes Coaches | Impacted 15,000+lives | Enabling people to create rapid transformation.
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Clarity is power. And then when you start the goal setting process the first thing you meet is confusion. Confusion is the gateway to greater clarity and more importantly, in the process you develop your mental abilities to navigate through confusion and chaos.

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Sameer Kamat - MBA Crystal Ball

I help professionals transform their careers | MBA Admissions Consultant | Career Counselor
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Other than the regular things that most career counselors do (questionnaires, calls), one key aspect that we focus on is to understand the client's personality. We do this using a homegrown psychometric test that reveals way more than their resume can. Candidates also learn more about themselves in very specific terms, what/how/why they handle specific situations. This clarity often forms the foundation on which we can selectively drop certain career paths that they might've chosen just because they are popular and high-paying.

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2 Explore your client's career options

The next step is to help your clients explore their career options and possibilities. You can help them research different fields, industries, roles, and organizations that match their interests, skills, and values. You can also help them network with people who work in those areas and learn from their experiences and insights. The goal is to help your clients broaden their horizons and discover new opportunities that they may not have considered before.

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3 Define your client's career vision

The third step is to help your clients define their career vision and direction. You can help them articulate what they want to achieve, where they want to go, and why they want to do it. You can also help them align their vision with their purpose and mission. The goal is to help your clients create a clear and compelling picture of their desired future that inspires and motivates them.

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Avinash Anand Singh, PCC

India's Leading Growth Mindset & Peak Performance Coach| Merging Science & Spirituality| Former Member Forbes Coaches | Impacted 15,000+lives | Enabling people to create rapid transformation.
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Vision is possibly the most important of all activities to live a meaningful career. A coach can help a client create a crystal clear clarity about the vision. Vision then needs to be broken down into goals with timelines, and the strategy and processes required to accomplish the vision.

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4 Break down your client's career goals

The fourth step is to help your clients break down their career vision into specific and measurable goals. You can use the SMART framework to help them set goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. You can also help them prioritize their goals and identify the actions and resources they need to achieve them. The goal is to help your clients create a realistic and actionable plan that guides their progress and tracks their results.

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Avinash Anand Singh, PCC

India's Leading Growth Mindset & Peak Performance Coach| Merging Science & Spirituality| Former Member Forbes Coaches | Impacted 15,000+lives | Enabling people to create rapid transformation.
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Creating goals with timelines is super powerful. It gives massive meaning to the journey. But the key is to make the client develop an empowering belief system which can give the boost to take actions to achieve the goals.

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5 Support your client's career journey

The fifth step is to support your clients throughout their career journey and help them overcome any challenges or obstacles they may face. You can provide them with feedback, encouragement, accountability, and coaching. You can also help them celebrate their achievements and learn from their failures. The goal is to help your clients stay focused, motivated, and resilient as they pursue their career goals.

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6 Review and adjust your client's career goals

The sixth and final step is to review and adjust your client's career goals as they evolve and grow. You can help them reflect on their experiences, outcomes, and feedback. You can also help them identify new opportunities, challenges, and trends that may affect their career goals. The goal is to help your clients adapt and update their career goals as they learn and develop.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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How do you help your clients set realistic and achievable career goals?

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2

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4

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1 Assess your client's current situation

2 Explore your client's career options

3 Define your client's career vision

4 Break down your client's career goals

5 Support your client's career journey

6 Review and adjust your client's career goals

7 Here’s what else to consider

Coaching & Mentoring

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How do you help your clients set realistic and achievable career goals?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Assess your client's current situation

2 Explore your client's career options

3 Define your client's career vision

4 Break down your client's career goals

5 Support your client's career journey

6 Review and adjust your client's career goals

7 Here’s what else to consider

Coaching & Mentoring

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