Created by CakeIn this article, you will learn:Why Do Interviewers Ask “What Are Your Career Goals?”How to Answer “What Are Your Career Goals?”Tips for Answering “What Are Your Career Goals”“What Are Your Career Goals?” Best Sample AnswersWhether you are just starting your professional career or trying to tackle a new challenge, you will most likely have to go through a couple of job interviews. Recruiters do not have a standardized script for an interview. Nonetheless, most of the time, you will hear this question, “What are your career goals?”. Talking about your goals in the interview shines a light on how you expect to advance in the career path. The goals you set provide a clear view of the milestones you want to achieve in the short and long run. They also ask about your short and long-term goals during an interview in different ways:What do you expect to achieve with this position?Where do you see yourself in five to ten years?What do you intend to achieve in the coming years?What would your objectives be for the following five years if you get this position?What is your career goal? No matter how the interviewer phrases the question, you should be ready to answer what are your goals in an interview.Why Do Interviewers Ask “What Are Your Career Goals?”Recruiters need to find the closest-to-perfect match for any position they list; hence, asking about your short-term and long-term goals in the interview allows them to gain valuable insight into your motivation, goals, and expected job tenure. 💭 To know your motivations When it comes to choosing who to recruit, employers are likely to ask career aspirations interview questions; they need to know if your motives fit the position for a couple of reasons. By focusing on your future goals in the interview, they can assess whether you might get bored of the job or not. In the end, highly motivated individuals tend to be more loyal to their companies. Moreover, they are more productive. 💭 To know if your goals align with the company’s Another purpose of interview questions about professional goals is to check if your objectives overlap with the company’s goals. While you might feel your future goals are too personal to talk about in an interview, they can score you some extra points if they align with what the company expects to achieve. Therefore, consider what the company is looking for when telling them your short-term and long-term goals in the interview. 💭 To know if you are likely to work in the company for a long time Additionally, career goals interview questions investigate how committed you will be to a company. If you mention that you only see the position as a stepping stone, it will raise some red flags. Turnover is quite costly, so companies try to avoid it as much as possible. That’s why they ask questions about your long-term goals in the interview. Keep this in mind when you prepare the answer about career objectives for an interview. How to Answer “What Are Your Career Goals?”Do consider that aside from preparing answers for your short-term goals for an interview, you should also work on your long-term goals interview answers. Read the following to learn how to talk about your goals in an interview.💡 Set up career goals. If you want to prepare some killer answers for short and long-term goals for an interview, you need to make them SMART. Specific: The more specific your goals are, the clearer how to achieve them is.Measurable: You need to track your work to remain focused and motivated.Achievable: Set realistic goals. Work towards something challenging but doable.Relevant: Come up with objectives valuable to you and your company.Time-bound: State your deadline to achieve your goals. If you come up with SMART goals in an interview, you will increase your chances of leaving a positive impression. Additionally, you need to ensure that the short-term goals for your job interview match your answer when they ask about long-term career goals as an interview question. After all, they are the small stepping stones you will use to get closer to your future ambitions. Take a look at the following “what are your career goals” example answers to help you prepare your short-term goals for an interview, as well as coming up with great long-term goal interview answers. Here are ten short-term goals you can incorporate into your answer when you prepare for interviews: Change to a new career path and become very knowledgeableLearn from the bests to improve your skillsGrow your professional networkPut your academic background to practice and grow professionallyFind a fulfilling and well-balanced positionTake on new challenges, such as a more demanding positionKeep polishing your technical abilitiesUse your free time to learn new skills that will push you aheadProduce satisfactory results for both customers and the companyHave a well-organized workstation that can help your productivity and bring better results Similarly, these are ten examples of long-term goals for you to say in the interview. Become an expert in the position and get a promotionReach the highest level on a certain skillDevelop a powerful professional network and help others become their best selvesBe a leader in your field and obtain a higher positionGain the ability to manage large groups of peopleQualify for a managerial/senior jobGain enough experience to lead an international teamHave the seniority and recognition so you can publish professional articlesGive back to the community and use your experience to help others as a coachTransfer to a foreign branch of the company to challenge yourself in a new environment We hope you get inspired by these examples so you can come up with your future goals in the interview 💡 Research the company and the desired job. Recruiters like to ask what your goals are for the future as an interview question. Therefore, to be prepared to answer what your aspirations are as an interview question, do your homework. Take the time to understand what the company needs and the requirements for the position. After you’ve done your research, you can better answer the question about your career goals in an interview to match what the company desires. 💡 Prepare an answer based on your research. If you make your goals SMART and make sure they go in the same direction as the company’s goals in the interview, you will have no problems. Remember to mention your short-term goals in the job interview to show them you know what you want now and how you can benefit them. Moreover, prepare some long-term goals for the interview that show your ambition and loyalty to the company. A tailored answer to the interview question about goals covers the skills you can learn from a position and other relevant benefits that help you reach the future goals you mention in the interview.Read the tips to know how to better answer what your goals are in a job interview. Tips for Answering “What Are Your Career Goals”The following tips are to help prepare for questions about your career objectives for the interview. ✏️ Keep your answer relevant to the role. It is vital that when you mention your goals in the interview you keep the job position in mind. Remember to do your homework. Analyze what the company requires so the recruiter can see how you and the company can benefit from each other when you tell them your short and long-term goals in the interview. ✏️ Include both short-term and long-term goals. As we mentioned, when disclosing your goals in an interview you need to include both short and long-term goals. When you talk about your long-term goals in the interview, you show your ambition for professional development. By telling the recruiter what your short-term goal is during the interview questions you show them how you plan to achieve your ambitions. Your short-term goals need to be coherent with your plan to achieve your goal for the further future. ✏️ Keep your answers short and focused. One of the principles of SMART goal setting is to make it specific. Therefore, when you answer the interview question concerning career goals, try your best to avoid coming up with a long list of goals. Instead, choose a couple of your main goals and focus on how you intend to make them come true. When you clearly state what your career goals are during the interview question, you show the recruiter you have your head in the game. ✏️ Avoid talking about money. Avoid focusing on money when you talk about your short-term and long-term goals in an interview. Tell them goals related to the work you want to achieve, not about the salary you expect to obtain. Certainly, money can be your drive to look for a job, but that is not what recruiters want to hear when they ask career aspirations questions in the interview. Instead of saying that you want to earn $80,000 a year by the time you are 30, focus on the position you want. Try saying you want to be in a managerial position instead when they ask for your long-term goals in the interview. “What Are Your Career Goals?” Best Sample AnswersWhether you are looking for short-term goals examples for an interview or you are stuck searching for example answers of long-term goals for an interview, we got you covered. Sample answers for when recruiters ask what your career goals are in an interview. “What Are Your Career Goals?” Sample Answer for Freshers This question can be a bit complicated for freshers. Look at this sample on how to answer what your goals are for the future in a job interview: I desire to take advantage of this possibility of becoming an intern to learn as much as possible about project management. I hope to train under your expert project managers and expect my hard work to grant me a more permanent position, such as a project management assistant, in your company within the first year. I anticipate achieving a project manager position within the next five years. “What Are Your Career Goals?” Sample Answer for Digital Marketing Freelancers Freelancers’ goals tend to focus on setting an income objective or a specific number of clients. However, when recruiters ask what your goals are as an interview question, you should refrain from focusing on those details. Instead, you can try the following. I have been working as a freelancer for a couple of years and am now hoping to switch to an in-house position to learn how to manage a team. I hope to use my experience in digital marketing to bring you good results while developing my managerial skills. “What Are Your Career Goals?” Sample Answer for Human Resources Managers In an interview for an HR role, your short-term and long-term goals can heavily influence the interview result. Here is an example of how to answer what your future plan is as an interview question if you are trying to advance your career in HR. I have worked as a human resources specialist for the past four years. However, now I wish to tackle new challenges and obtain the HR generalist position you offer. I expect to become an expert on recruiting and selection. Moreover, I hope to take on more administrative responsibilities. I aim to become an HR and an HR Manager in the future. “What Are Your Career Goals?” Sample Answer for a Sales Entry Position Check this sample on how to answer what your goals are for the future when looking for an entry-level sales-related position. My immediate goal is to become your sales representative. During the first year, I expect to become an exemplary employee. I want to learn about negotiation, liaising with customers, and cooperating with departments. I intend to get the best certifications like CPSP. I wish to snatch a sales executive position within the first four years. Moreover, I expect to become an account manager for your company in the distant future. “What Are Your Career Goals?” Sample Answer for a Full-Stack Engineer Those interested in mentioning their short-term and long-term goals in an interview for a full/stack engineer position, consider the following sample. I became familiar with HTML, Java, and Python in high school. I had some part-time jobs that allowed me to build a portfolio in college. Now, I am looking for a full-time position like the one you offer. I intend to refine my skills and put my experience at your service. I wish to move from the junior position to a senior one in four to five years. 🔑 Key Takeaways:Before we finish, let us do a quick recap. It is important to plan your answers for short-term goals for an interview to show you have a clear idea of how the position matches your immediate needs. Moreover, make sure your short-term goals match your answer when they ask you what your long-term goal is like in an interview question. Your vision needs a mission. Don’t forget to make your goals SMART, relevant to the position (don’t get greedy, avoid making them about money). Finally, remember that those career aspirations interview questions are designed to assess how well you fit the company. Make sure to keep their needs in mind! We wish you the best in your interview and hope you found our information on career goals interview questions useful! Cake provides the best resume making tools templates to help you create the perfect resume for your job hunt. Take your career journeyto new heights - create a resume online (free download) now!Create CV--- Originally written by Roger Rene Ortega Figueroa---

Created by CakeIn this article, we’ll cover: What Is an Employee Performance Review?Employee Performance Appraisal Form TemplatePerformance Review Question ExamplesPerformance Evaluation TipsPhrases Not to Use in a Performance ReviewWhether you are new to a job or a veteran in your position, you will likely encounter regular performance reviews. Employers conduct performance evaluations to assess their employees’ progress, offer feedback, and make adjustments. Performance appraisals are also used to evaluate a raise. Employee reviews help keep everyone on task and give both management and employees a chance to verbalize their needs. There are different types of performance reviews for different positions or the length of employment. Someone new to a job might have weekly employee evaluations during their probation period. Monthly performance reviews might be necessary for positions with sales quotas or commissions. Quarterly and year-end reviews are more common for workers who have been in their role for a longer period and are used for the purpose of establishing a raise. Performance reviews are an important part of company culture across different industries, and they are useful for both the employer and the employee.What Is an Employee Performance Review?A performance review is an assessment performed by management about an employee’s work performance since their last meeting. It could cover a variety of topics related to the position. The process of a performance appraisal can include a two-way discussion as well as some performance review questions. There is typically an employee evaluation form involved, and the employee can also fill out a self-assessment questionnaire. Performance reviews are common tools in the workplace, as there are many benefits to conducting regular employee reviews. Here are a few advantages to systematic performance evaluations. ✅ Align personal goals to business goals A performance review gives management and employees an opportunity to discuss their goals. Employees naturally have their own personal vision and career objectives, and they might feel that their current role is incompatible with their needs. Management and employees can use performance evaluations to make sure they’re in harmony. ✅ Help improve both the employer and the employee Companies use performance reviews to identify issues that can be addressed on both sides. It could be the employee needs more support in their position, and adjustments can be made. Neither party can make changes without first discussing the areas of improvement, so performance appraisals are vital. ✅ Help the employee with career development An employee performance review is a chance for management to discuss the employee’s career goals and see how they can help. When employees are content and making progress towards their goals, they tend to stay and contribute more to their company. An employer can use a performance review to identify how they can help the employee achieve their purpose. ✅ Provide a chance to reward good performance Performance reviews don’t need to be negative or stressful. A performance evaluation is an opportunity for the employee to emphasize their accomplishments, and the company can use a performance review to highlight what the employee has done well. Companies and employees also use performance evaluations to negotiate a raise. ✅ Encourage open communication It can be difficult for workers and management to discuss their needs and concerns without causing tension. A performance review is a chance to talk openly about changes that should be made or goals that haven’t been reached. An employee performance appraisal is a safe space to air grievances and discuss issues. Employee Performance Appraisal Form TemplateIf you are unsure of what elements to include in a performance review, the following is a basic guide that can be used as an employee review template. It’s important to customize any performance appraisal template to fit the exact needs of your company. Some sections may not apply to the role you’re reviewing, while other important qualities could be missing. Basic InformationDateReviewerReview periodEmployee InformationNamePositionManagerResponsibilitiesEmployee’s current tasksSkill RatingEfficiencyTeamworkLeadershipIndependencePunctualityReliabilityCommunicationConsistencyGoalsHas the employee met goals from the last review period?Performance goals for the next review periodAreas of ImprovementCommentsPerformance Review Question ExamplesIt’s important to have some questions prepared in advance for the performance review, to avoid forgetting anything relevant. Good performance evaluation questions are also necessary to set the right tone.Here are some employee review example questions to help you nail your next performance appraisal: What accomplishments are you proud of during this review period?Is there anything you need from management to make your role more efficient?What skills would you like to build during the next review period?What are your goals for the next quarter?What do you like least about your position?What do you think is the best part of working for this company?What can management do to improve our relationship with you?How does your position contribute to our success as a team?Do you see yourself in this role in a year?What would you like to change about your role?How did your team help you succeed during this review period?What would your teammates say about their latest interactions with you?How can I support you to achieve your next performance goals?Is there any thing you wish you had done differently during this review period?What motivates you in this role? Performance Evaluation TipsPerformance reviews require attention and care to get right. A performance appraisal can make an employee feel valued if done well or frustrated if not. Here are some tips to ensure your performance review is successful and smooth for everyone. ✨ Be clear about the purpose and the evaluation process. It’s important to inform the employee what the purpose of the performance review is to avoid any unnecessary anxiety. Be clear about why they are being evaluated and what the review process entails. Is it one brief conversation? Do they need to prepare a self-evaluation form? Be specific about what they can expect from their employee performance evaluation. ✨ Chose a suitable rating system. During a performance review, you need a scale to measure an employee’s success and skills. Your performance appraisal scale could be numerical, or it could be a spectrum ranging from ‘needs improvement’ to ‘excellent.’ ✨ Set SMART goals. SMART stands for specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. During a performance review you will likely discuss the employee’s performance goals, and together you can set objectives that follow the SMART system. For example, setting a goal of increasing the employee’s monthly sales numbers isn’t specific or measurable, and therefore impossible to meet. ✨ Provide detailed feedback with specific examples. It’s helpful to be specific when you are doing a performance review. Ambiguity can confuse or frustrate your employee. Feedback like “I think you should be more of a team player” is much less effective than “I’d like to see you communicating with your team at least once a day.” Specific feedback is easier to follow and makes a performance review clearer. ✨ Make it motivational. Performance evaluations can feel uncomfortable, especially if some of the feedback is perceived as negative by the employee. It’s helpful to strike a more motivational tone for your performance review, so they are inspired to keep working on themselves. A good appraisal example is “your sales numbers are up from your last review and I’m very happy with your progress.” ✨ Be encouraging. A performance review should be more encouraging than critical. Even if the employee needs some help, it’s best to focus on what they can do to succeed, rather than what they haven’t been doing. Emphasize the good qualities they have or their accomplishments. An example of positive feedback for your employee is “you’ve shown a lot of progress this quarter” instead of “you still have some room to grow.” Phrases Not to Use in a Performance ReviewPerformance reviews can be tense and stressful for everyone. There are some expressions that could derail a performance evaluation and leave the employee with a negative impression. For a successful performance review, avoid the following phrases. ❌ “I don’t really have any feedback, good job.” This gives the employee the impression that you haven’t put much thought into their performance or the employee review. It’s important to make space in your performance evaluation for both praise and constructive criticism, and without it your employee can feel like you don’t care. ❌ “I’m disappointed with your performance.”This performance evaluation example is too vague, and it also doesn’t give the employee a chance to explain their side. To create a more open, safe space for your performance review, ask questions instead of passing harsh judgement. ❌ “You never hand your work in on time.” When you’re going through an employee performance review, avoid the use of the word “never”, since it’s hyperbolic and can make your employee feel attacked. ❌ “You could have done this better.” This performance review example doesn’t work because it gives no details or information. It’s best to be specific in your feedback during an employee evaluation. It also doesn’t inform the employee what they can change going forward. ❌ “If you keep going like this, there’s a promotion in your future.” Try to avoid making promises during an employee review. It could affect their performance and you can’t know where that employee will be down the road. ❌ “You should be more careful with the tone you take.” Warnings and “you should” statements can come off harsh in a performance review. It’s also important to avoid making these types of statements to female employees, since it’s the kind of thing that is more often directed at women and tends to sound biased. ❌ “I’ve heard some complaints about your work ethic.” Telling the employee that their coworkers or management have been talking about them creates a hostile work environment. It also implies that you personally haven’t seen what they’ve done wrong and can make the performance review feel more like a witch hunt. ❌ “You’re doing much better than the rest of the team.” Although this employee performance review example sounds positive, you shouldn’t compare your employee to their coworkers, regardless of tone. It can create a work environment that is too competitive or resentful. The performance review is about that one employee’s performance, and no one else’s. ❌ “You’re always late.” Like “never” statements, you should avoid using the word ‘always’ in performance evaluations, because it likely isn’t true. It can also make the employee feel like your performance appraisal is unfair. ❌ “I’d like to see you be less bossy.” This employee feedback example doesn’t work because it criticizes personality characteristics instead of behaviours. Elaborate on actions the employee took and not their traits, since those are internal and subjective. This is another criticism more often directed at women and should be avoided in a performance review.🔑 Key TakeawaysPerformance reviews can be stressful for everyone involved, but they don’t need to be a negative event. A successful performance evaluation is one where the reviewer gives specific, constructive feedback. Think of some questions to ask the employee and use an employee performance review template as a starting point for your evaluation. Review some performance evaluation phrases to avoid and think carefully about what you will say. If you treat an employee appraisal as an opportunity to discuss goals and reward progress, your next review will be smooth and successful.With Cake, you can easily create a resume online, free download your resume in PDF, and utilize ATS-compliant templates to create a resume. Create your resume online (free download) now and land your dream job!Create resume--- Originally written by Tiffany Quinn---

How to Take Initiative at Work? Essential Tips, Examples, and Best PracticesTaking initiative at work means being more proactive in a job without anyone else asking for it. An employee full of initiative is not satisfied with simply performing a regular basis job; they desire to take on additional responsibilities and contribute more. If the company faces a problem, they are eager to be part of the solution. Research confirms that employees with initiative are better performers, make great contributors, and have tons of amazing ideas for their workplace. This type of person will be valued by their boss for a long time. And to your surprise, an initiative person also brings significant benefits to the company. How so? Well, it’s a win-win situation. Having such individuals increases the productivity within the company, and they also bring forth an unlimited source of innovations for their development. Meanwhile, the employee also has an opportunity to make a positive impression on their bosses. Building initiative at work may be more challenging than you think. You want to demonstrate your skills, but at the same time, you don't want to be bossy or to sound like a know-it-all. Let us guide you to strategize showing your initiative in the right time and situations. TABLE OF CONTENTSHow to Take Initiative at Work: Steps and Examples1. Identify Opportunities2. Setting SMART Goals3. Be Proactive4. Dealing with Resistance5. Learning from Setbacks6. Stay Informed about Industry Trends7. Initiate Cross-Departmental CollaborationConclusion How to Take Initiative at Work: Steps and Examples You may have heard that taking initiative can be draining on your energy, mind, and sometimes your attention. Some individuals have experienced exhaustion from dedicating more time to their initiative than their regular tasks. As a result, they stop after one trial. And it’s normal. An important mindset to have before striving to do more than is required is understanding that you can't do everything. It's good to set your limits. When you’re ready to go beyond after learning about your capacity, here are the 7 steps you need to know about how to show initiative at work:1. Identify Opportunities Knowing where and when to offer your help and ideas requires an awareness of your surroundings. It requires you to observe and stay curious about what’s happening in your workplace without seeming too obvious. For example: One day your coworkers decide to resign and there is a pile of workloads. You know very well that your skills are a good match to fill the gap, plus the company needs a backup. In response, you voluntarily replaced your coworker’s position.Your decision to take that chance is based on many considerations: you’ve already counted the time to finish both your jobs and your coworker's tasks, and you already made sure of the compensation and benefits. 2. Setting SMART Goals SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely. These five points help you to stay focused on your career goals. With this principle, you can determine the worth of your initiatives and the rewards you can expect. Some employees set vague goals when it comes to a career. They want to be the best at work. But, what does ‘being the best’ mean? Taking initiative at work will be in vain if you use it solely to appear superior to other employees, rather than aiming for a specific promotion or position. Your SMART will guide your actions, give you powerful motivation to move forward, clear irrelevant and unrealistic goals that will hold you back, and lastly provide clarity in your decision-making.3. Be Proactive Proactive means becoming more engaged in a project given by the company. Employees not only finish their regular tasks but also take part in the aftermath. A proactive person measures every possibility, is more vocal regarding the project’s result, and tries to take control of the situation. For instance, you work as a designer in a cosmetic company. You and the team are given the responsibility to create the latest product promotion. And you have an idea to invite one of the Kpop groups as a Brand Ambassador.There is resistance from the C-Level because they know the cost would be very high. On the other hand, you believe this kind of promotion will blow up because you already measured and researched carefully. If everything goes according to plan, your career path will be wide open. 💡Pro tips: Being proactive at work is like wielding a double-edged sword. If you are too bold to push your idea in the wrong situation, it can backfire. That's why being proactive has to be based on careful consideration, in-depth research, and prudence. 4. Dealing with Resistance As mentioned above, not all employees will welcome your initiative with open arms. According to McKinsey and Company, at least 70 percent of new programs fail to achieve their goals due to employee resistance and lack of support from management. Facing resistance can be exhausting. But if you are committed to seeing it through here are some ways to confront and overcome resistance:Identifying Resistance: Do the employees refuse your idea because they don’t want to step out of their comfort zone?Providing Alternatives: Understand that it is difficult to make massive changes in such a short time. So when the resistance comes out, offer another choice that is good for all parties.Effective Communication: Ensure that all the communications are properly delivered to the team. Remember that communication is the key. 5. Learning from Setbacks Showing initiative at work is a big step. So you have to learn to accept that sometimes failure is inevitable in any decision. We often hear that defeat, setbacks, and missteps are part of the road to success. The crucial aspect of such a situation is how you handle it properly. Of course, facing the consequences can be overwhelming. First, take the time to examine the entire situation. Then, manage yourself by taking responsibility for your failure instead of blaming others. Don't forget to always keep the lines of communication open with your managers or other people who can provide feedback. You can also ask for training or courses to show that you are willing to learn from past mistakes.6. Stay Informed about Industry Trends How can we take a big leap at work if we're ill-informed? Showing your determination is not enough when it comes to taking initiative in the workplace. As an employee, initiative needs knowledge and a lot of sources of information. Let’s take an example: you are a social media admin who wants to become a social media manager. One of the essential skills to get that position is the ability to conceptualize a campaign for the company.Concepting a thing requires you to stay informed and know what the trends are. It requires a lot of research, monitoring every social media platform, and discussing with another team. 💡Pro tips: This also applies to other professions as well. Although it may be slightly different in some ways. But the highlight is the ability and willingness to learn new things, to absorb new information, and to be open to trends in the industry. 7. Initiate Cross-Departmental Collaboration When ambition for the realization of the challenges and ideas can’t be done on your own, initiating a cross-departmental collaboration can be the answer. Interdepartmental collaboration is a vital component of building a successful business and company. It’s also a chance for a larger project to be handled by various people with various skill sets. But before inviting other teams to collaborate, there are a few steps that must be taken:Research the initiative projectsThe first step is to determine the market opportunity and scope of the project. What is the success rate? Is the project profitable? Who is the target market? Does this project require a large team? How much will the cost be?Analyze the risksBy doing so, you will have a backup if the project doesn’t go as planned. What is the percentage chance that this project will fail? What can we do to prevent failure? What should be done if the plan doesn’t go as intended? Who will take the responsibilities?Analyze the impact of this projectWhen submitting the proposal to supervisors, highlight the benefit of interdepartmental collaboration. This working system canhelp to build strong bonds between teams. Strong teams, in turn, are good for the business. Hopefully, these tips and examples of taking initiative at work will help you in your career future. But keep in mind, don’t take on more initiative than you can handle. Overwork will lead to burnout and mental health problems.Conclusion Taking initiative at work involves proactively generating ideas, devising plans, or undertaking tasks that extend beyond one's regular job responsibilities, often as a means to advance professionally. Before presenting these initiatives to managers, thorough research and risk analysis are essential to enhance their persuasiveness and viability. Following a structured approach, such as identifying opportunities, setting SMART goals, being proactive in projects, addressing resistance, acknowledging setbacks, staying informed about industry trends, and fostering interdepartmental collaborations, facilitates effective initiative-taking. It's crucial to balance this proactive behavior with self-awareness of one's capacity to prevent burnout and safeguard both work and personal well-being.Get recruiter-ready in minutes. Our AI resume checker reviews your resume for common pitfalls and suggests targeted improvements.Get Recruiter-Ready -- Originally Written by Erika Rizqi Rachmani ---

Created by CakeIn this article, we'll cover:What Is Offshore Software Development?When to Hire Offshore IT ServicesHow to Hire Offshore Software Development TeamsWhat to Consider When OffshoringIt can sometimes be hard for companies to keep up with the speed they grow. Projects can be too demanding sometimes; therefore, outsourcing some tasks becomes a helpful alternative. Thanks to globalization, even offshore outsourcing has become a lot easier nowadays. There are three common types of outsourcing and offshoring: Onshore, nearshore, and offshore outsourcing. Onshore outsourcing: hiring people in your home country for specific projects or tasks. It has an ethnocentric approach, eases communication, and diminishes cultural shock; Nonetheless, it is the most costly of the three. The contractor operates in the same region as the company; Therefore, you need to consider taxes and labor remunerations when you pay the expenses. Nearshore outsourcing: hiring contractors or teams in a neighboring country. While it provides advantages in communication (similar cultures), it tends to be costlier than the offshoring of services. Offshore outsourcing: hiring partner operates in a more remote region, like Asia or Europe. Although hiring offshore software development usually brings communication issues due to time zone differences and cultural and language barriers, it is the most flexible option. It also tends to be the most cost-effective and has a vast pool of talented resources. Deciding which one to use is never an easy task. However, given their many benefits, offshoring IT services are becoming a popular alternative. Software development requires time and resources. Technology changes fastly, making it costly to catch up with an in-house team, especially for smaller companies. Therefore, offshore software development has become one of the most sought-after alternatives. Aside from the talent and cost-related benefits, other advantages of offshoring are a reduced load of work for the company, a faster delivery of projects, and flexibility. Such advantages result in increased efficiency and leverage a company’s growth. Henceforth, more companies are noticing the potential of offshore software outsourcing.What Is Offshore Software Development?Offshoring of services is when a company hands a project to a third-party developer; It can either be the whole project or just some tasks that the company cannot handle on its own. The offshore development team works in a remote location, usually another country. Big companies sometimes create an offshore software development center and hire dedicated developers. Among the tasks offshore software developers can do for you, you can find the following: ✅ Mobile app development: Offshore app development frees you from having an in-house team. Hiring an offshore software development team gives you access to top-notch talent that will help both your app projects and your pocket. ✅ Web development: Offshore web development can help you boost your company’s online image. The flexibility that an offshore software development team offers can help you create an innovative page in much less time than it would take to do it at home. ✅ UI/UX design: Another common offshoring IT service is to have developers help you come up with a suitable interface to create a great user experience. By cooperating with offshore developers, you take a complicated task off of your shoulders. You can focus on core related issues while they create an intuitive, modern, and easy-to-use experience. ✅ QA services: Offshore developers are still humans and can make mistakes. However, making sure software runs smoothly without bugs that could affect the user’s experience is time-consuming. A great way to get a fresh set of hands and eyes is to hire an offshoring development team for quality assurance. When to Hire Offshore IT ServicesDeciding to use offshore development services is not a decision that companies can make on a whim. They have to consider many factors such as budget, cultural barriers, and how urgent the project is before deciding whether they will hire offshore software development services or not. 💡 When you are on a tight budget Offshore software development cost is much lower than keeping a specialized time in the company. You don’t need to allocate as many resources since you won’t train anyone nor pay taxes or other administrative expenses. Additionally, you won’t spend on equipment and software. Thus, making offshore software development a more cost-effective solution. 💡 When you want to improve your services/products quality Hiring offshore development teams allows you to reach highly talented individuals around the world. You can hire excellent talent to help your project advance and yield positive results. If your products or services are diminishing in quality, it might be a red flag that indicates that you cannot keep up with the market requirements. It is an indicator that you should consider hiring offshore developers or even an offshore software outsourcing company. 💡 When you need more flexibility Another advantage of offshoring is that you may hire an offshore development team for one or a couple of projects rather than a full-time contract. Therefore, you can easily explore other options to find the best match for your needs. 💡 When you need to speed up development time The flexibility of offshore software development also brings another advantage; it usually takes less time for developers to finish your project. First, the recruitment and selection process is simple. Second, you can hire as many experts as you need. Therefore, the time offshore software companies and individuals need to finish tasks can diminish as long as you allocate tasks efficiently. 💡 When you want to focus on your core business strategies Offshore outsourcing software development companies allow you to fully dedicate your time to the core tasks for your company. You will be able to focus on the core activities rather than micromanaging the time-consuming obligations of a software development department. How to Hire Offshore Software Development TeamsYou are probably wondering how to hire offshore software developers after learning all the benefits offshore outsourcing brings to the table. You will have to do some extra work on your side before you start offshoring IT services. Here are some of the best practices that will help you make the best decision: 🎯 Research your target audience. Spend time to know what your clients need before hiring a company or team for offshore outsourcing software development. You will make a more fitting choice if you find out the technologies they work with, which platforms they use, and where their traffic comes to their websites and apps. You can benchmark with what competitors are offering to gather a general idea of additional services or features you will need to get from offshore sourcing to gain the upper hand in the competition. 🎯 Identify your needs. Dedicate a few hours to analyzing your needs before hiring any offshore developers. Find out what technologies you will need for different objectives. For example, you might need offshore programming to develop an app. However, hiring an offshore web development company is better if the project involves creating a website. Many offshore companies even offer consultations to help you determine your needs. 🎯 Define your goals. The lack of a proper strategy hurts any project. A company with clear goals knows the steps they need to take to reach them. Setting SMART goals you expect the offshore development team to obtain is the best way to assure high quality and efficiency. SMART goals are specific, and they clearly define what you want to reach. They are measurable so that you can check your progress. Make them achievable and relevant to keep the offshore developers interested. Finally, timely goals include a limit that creates a sense of urgency and encourages better management. 🎯 Choose the right offshore IT companies. As we mentioned, we can find many companies that offer offshore web development and other IT services out there. How to choose the best one? Consider the following tips. Check references, reviews, and rankings: Put on your detective hat to find the most trustworthy offshore software outsourcing company. Look at their website for references from previous projects and partners. You can also find websites where customers evaluate firms and read their reviews before selecting a company. Privacy is important: There are many risks involved when offshore outsourcing. Assure the company you work for will respect your intellectual property and your customer’s data. A great way to secure your idea is by making the offshore software company sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA). What to Consider When OffshoringHere are some of the most important aspects to consider when offshoring IT services. 💭 Location During the past few years, India has positioned itself as one of the best offshore sourcing countries. It offers the best price-quality relationship. Eastern Europe and Latin America are also popular options depending on your needs (Time difference, language, culture).📚 Further reading:10 Best Software Outsourcing Destinations 💭 Agility and Cost-Effectiveness Companies need flexibility when outsourcing and offshoring. You will have to ponder what type of contract you need depending on the nature of your product. Fixed contracts may be cheaper and more fitting for smaller projects. On the other hand, the flexibility required for big tasks might be costlier. 💭 Skills and Expertise Offshore custom software development and other IT activities require highly technical knowledge. You need to research the company you are interested in collaborating with to assure that they will deliver and meet your requirements. Read their information online like websites and reviews to check if they can provide what you need. 💭 Security Issues Data breaches and cyber-attacks are a constant threat to IT companies. Therefore, you need to investigate the company’s internal framework for data protection when deciding to go for offshore development. Make sure that they comply with international security standards. 💭 Communication Issues Finally, most of the time, you will be working with people located far from you when offshoring IT services. Communication is key to success. Assure you understand each other’s language and culture as they can become obstacles otherwise. Moreover, make sure you will be able to overcome time-zone differences. 🔑 Key takeaways:Offshore software development is a good alternative for companies to be time and money efficient. Companies can deliver high-quality results and focus on their core business activities by outsourcing IT services.To decide when to offshore IT services, you need to consider your budget, time, and flexibility needs. Also, you have to consider whether you are willing to delegate some control to a partner you consider trustworthy.Invest time and effort into effective hiring of offshore software development services. Analyze what your customer needs and your requirements. Moreover, define SMART goals and analyze your potential partners before deciding who to hire.Consider the potential partner location and skills before hiring offshore software developers. Additionally, pay attention to any potential cultural or communication barrier that can hinder the communication. Finally, do not forget to verify that the company can provide the security you and your clients need.Cake has developed a large tech talent pool and been trusted by more than 5,000 corporations. We can help you hire the right offshore or remote development team, offering you better flexibility and efficiency in recruitment.Build a dev team--- Originally written by Roger Rene Ortega Figueroa---

Team leading is one of the most influential tasks a manager takes responsibility for. Keeping high morale in teams can be tricky, but you can tackle the situation effectively with adequate methods of motivating employees in an organization. As reported by Forbes, motivation and job satisfaction lead to improvement in a company’s profitability (up to 21%) and a reduction in absenteeism (41%) as well as turnover rates (59%). Hence, team motivation should be your prioritized action point to excel as a leader. Despite the positive impact of staff motivation being rather evident, Gallup has reported that only 21% of employees feel engaged at work. So what can a manager do to increase their team's motivation at work? Let's have a look at our top 12 tips. Here are 12 tips on how to motivate your employees:Create a Pleasant EnvironmentReward EmployeesTrust Your EmployeesGive Positive and Constructive FeedbackOffer AccommodationsProvide Snack CateringRespect Your EmployeesBe Transparent about the Business PlanSet Small, Weekly GoalsMake Employees Feel Safe and Comfortable to Talk with YouMotivate Individual Employees DifferentlyPrioritize Work-Life Balance Tips on How to Motivate Employees 1. Create a Pleasant Environment Think about it. No one feels pleased staying in a dull workspace for too long. Decorate your office to be aesthetic appealing, functional, and pleasant will boost motivation in the workplace - just think of how many people say they would love to work for Google just because of how creative and welcoming their office is. Simple actions like providing your staff with comfortable chairs, updated computer screens, or even a nice break room can also boost morale and motivation at work. You can also consider lifting the working atmosphere as a way to motivate employees, try hosting birthday celebrations, casual Fridays, team-building activities, and more. Remember that even the color of the office walls can be influential in motivating your team. For example, red walls can increase anxiety as we interpret it as a danger signal. Conversely, shades of blue tend to be more accepted by most people. 2. Reward Employees Managers need to consider the most suitable rewards to motivate their employees. Although a good salary might be the obvious answer, plenty of other non-monetary rewards can improve your relationship with your team and their productivity. For financial motivation, you want to offer incentives that give your employee a push and make them feel appreciated — for example, end-of-the-year bonuses, profit-sharing, or a well-designed employee stock purchase plan. On the other hand, extra leaves, one-on-one meetings, allowing employees to take on more responsibilities, social media shout-outs, and mentorships are some great non-financial ways to increase motivation in the office. 3. Trust Your Employees People like being trusted, especially by their colleagues and line managers. Showing them that you're confident in their skills is the best way to motivate them in a company. Another way to motivate your team members is by fostering the employee autonomy. This leads to increased job satisfaction and positively affects employees' well-being. Avoid micro-managing employees and allow them to work remotely/independently. Motivated employees will work harder to reach the milestones you set for them.Here are some team motivation ideas that you can use as a reference:Set rewards based on milestonesAllow employees to take extra paid hours or work from home.Allow different team member to lead important team meetings rather than only having the head of departments present. 4. Give Positive and Constructive Feedback Another non-financial method of motivation worth considering is making your employees aware of their contributions. Letting people know they did well fuels their spirit and improves efficiency. Kindness and optimism go a long way. On the other hand, managers who want to motivate their employees need to learn how to deliver feedback in a constructive way to avoid demoralizing employees. Mind your tone of voice and choose the words beforehand to avoid undermining someone’s self-confidence. Whenever you want to provide feedback, remember to align your thoughts, be tactful, focus on the solutions/accomplishments, and give them a chance to respond. If possible, try to have the conversation face-to-face, and do not forget to follow up to see if the feedback helped to motivate the individual.Here are a few examples to boost your motivational leadership skills:“I am very pleased with the visuals you turned in this week. All of them performed excellently on our social media channels.”“Congratulations on your proposal during the meeting. We will consider your suggestion for our action plan.”“Good job today. One small sales tip, I’d recommend you send a follow-up email thanking the clients for their time.”“I can tell you put a lot of work into your report. Thank you for investing the time. Please make sure to have it done before our meeting next time. I recommend you to create a template you can update rather than starting from scratch.”“We could not have finished the project without your help. Thank you for your valuable contributions.” 5. Offer Accommodations Companies aiming to be inclusive need to offer installations, equipment, and other facilities that can allocate anyone and help augment performance motivation. Employees with different conditions (disabilities or chronicle diseases) may need accommodations to guarantee they can perform in ideal conditions. As a leader, it’s your job to motivate your employees to perform to the maximum by providing them with a comfortable and appropriate environment. Having one-on-one conversations with them can help you understand their needs and adapt accordingly to increase your team’s motivation.Here are a few examples of what kind of accommodations can help your employees do their best and raise motivation in an organization:Offering flexible work schedules.Designing wide hallways and proper access for wheelchairs.Providing alternative material such as braille or large prints.Providing necessary tools such as mouth stick devices and telephones compatible with hearing aid.Offering software that aids employees, like computer text readers and color-changing apps for those who are color blind.Guaranteeing break times for those who need to take medicationsProviding sign language interpreters.Restructuring jobs to avoid conflicting tasks.Allowing employees to attend doctor appointments.Providing reserved parking. 6. Provide Snack Catering Providing your staff with snacks and drinks at the office is also a way to motivate employees and increase productivity. An exemplary employee motivation technique is making everyone feel included by taking their suggestions when buying the products. Moreover, remember to be inclusive and consider different dietary preferences/restrictions (buy vegan/vegetarian/gluten-free/low-calorie options). 7. Respect Your Employees If you search “how to motivate employees as a manager” online, most searches will come back with one result in common - if you want to motivate your team, you need to have a respectful relationship with them. You need to learn a respectful way of communicating things to motivate people. Whether providing positive feedback, sending an email, or solving an internal conflict, keep your delivery professional and be respectful. Let’s look at these examples that can do so: Active listening - especially during one-on-one meetings.Avoid using nicknames unless the person expresses they like being addressed like that.Express your gratitude in person and via email.Mind your tone of voice and body language.Encourage a praising culture among employees and supervisors. 8. Be Transparent about the Business Plan Being transparent about companies’ activities can boost employee engagement and motivation since it creates a sense of belonging and trust among employees. If possible, you can comfortably share with your team important details about the company and value their feedback. When employees feel that managers include them in big decisions, it leads to motivation in the workplace. Furthermore, it increases their commitment to the company's goals. Think of a manager who shares the new product launch information with her team. She can gather valuable opinions and learn from contrasting points of view. A team that feels heard tends to be more supportive and such motivation increases their performance. 9. Set Small, Weekly Goals Given the impact of motivation on employee performance, you must pay attention to setting goals that they can reach to increase their morale. Set SMART goals as a way to motivate employees. Make them specific to them so they are relevant and measurable. Making them small and weekly helps keep them attainable and time-bound. These are a few ideas of SMART goals to motivate employees: Copywriter: Write five pages of an article by Friday.Social Media Manager: Increase our followers on Instagram by 15 people by the end of the week.Graphic Designer: Deliver the proposal for three visuals before our Monday meeting.Web Developer: Dedicate 50% of your working hours to developing the new user dashboard.Event Planner: Research and present your top 5 suggestions for events we should attend next quarter on Monday. 10. Make Employees Feel Safe and Comfortable to Talk with You Being a good leader is an important part of effective employee motivation. If you fail to be reachable, employees probably see you as a scary boss rather than a team leader. To motivate team members, you need to make them feel comfortable to talk with you - their feedback is the key to improving your managerial style and becoming the leader they need. For example, try sitting down with them in the break area or having a hallway conversation rather than calling them to your scary office. Showing a welcoming friendly face is helpful to motivate employees in the workplace to talk with you. You could also try to use an open-door policy to motivate employees. Make it clear that you welcome any suggestions and ideas and it will more than likely help you boost your staff’s motivation. 11. Motivate Individual Employees Differently There are several types of employee motivation techniques you can use. But they are not one size fits all, every person has their preferences. Therefore, it is best to learn how to motivate employees individually. The most straightforward solution is to ask your employees what they want. You could spend lots of hours guessing on your own or directly gather team motivation ideas from them and save both time and resources. One-on-one sessions are also great to find out the most suitable employee motivation strategies for each individual. Go to the meeting with an mindset and listen to their suggestions. For example, if your copywriters and designers tell you that the office is so loud that they get distracted, you could offer them noise-canceling headphones or even the chance to work from home. Similarly, you could offer your social media manager or sales team members some financial motivation in case they reach a given milestone. 12. Prioritize Work-Life Balance Caring about your employees' wellness goes a long way in increasing the motivation level in the company. Prioritizing fun activities that lighten up the mood (such as team-building activities, yoga classes, videogames pizza parties) during the workday can help. Make sure you plan activities that include everyone and be wary of focusing on a niche group of employees, for instance, do not only plan sport activities if you have team members with fragile physiques or disabilities. To avoid alienating your employees, you can offer alternatives - you can plan a bowling/arcade-themed get-together for those not into sports and a softball game for the more active team members. Remember, there are different types of employee motivation techniques - explore your options! Key Takeaways It might feel like common sense to acknowledge that good managers should motivate their employees. Managers need to learn the different motivational techniques to effectively boost employee encouragement. There are a few common tips that can help managers improve the work environment and lift their team’s motivation: Create a pleasant and inclusive environment (e.g. provide accommodations, snacks, and a balanced work-life relationship).Reward employees with individually catered prizes – listen to what they want.Show respect, trust, and openness to make your employees comfortable with you.Provide positive and constructive feedback. Whichever tip you decide to follow, keep in mind that increasing motivation in the workplace is beneficial for the employees and the company. Do not look at it as an expense - it is an investment.Want to read more HR blogs and recruitment news? Follow our blog for more! Cake is one of the best professional resume builder tools in the market. We also offer other HR-related services like Job Search, Job Posting, Talent Search, Recruitment Services, and Employer Branding. — Originally written by Roger Rene Ortega Figueroa—

Created by CakeIn this article, you'll learn:What Are Career Goals?How to Set Career GoalsTips on How to Set Professional GoalsProfessional Development Goals ExamplesSetting and achieving career goals are essential for professional development and fulfillment. Before we get to that, it’s important to know that professional goals are different from personal goals. While personal goals are connected to maintaining health, happiness, relationship, and well-being, professional goals are related to accomplishments in education and work. Your long-term personal and professional goals may lead to interdependent or even contradictory results, so it is important to prioritize and set clear milestones beforehand to achieve the best possible results. People who have clear career aspirations spend their time wisely and are guided to accomplish necessary milestones to reach their ultimate goals. For starters, here are some benefits of clarifying your job goals before and after a job search: Before a job search, you want to:Think about the challenges and growth that the next opportunity will bring you, not just better a title or salary package.Find a job that aligns with your passion and interests that would fuel your well-being at work.Seek out ways to improve your current skill set to apply for better job opportunities.After getting the job:Identify your professional values and give priorities to what matters for your work-related goals.You will feel motivated to do your job and make the most out of it, sometimes leading to better performance outcomes than what was asked.With measurable and objective goals, you can immediately see the results and decide whether you need more time to complete a goal or move on to the next challenge, which could mean a promotion or a timely job change.What Are Career Goals?Before we get into the intricate details, let’s talk about general meanings. What is the meaning of having career aspirations? How do we define career goals? While most may think of career goals as the dream position or job they want to have, career goals or objectives can also be short-term career goals that will take you to accomplish your long-term career aspirations. Thus, having career goals means determining your desired career path, and recognizing the stepping stones that would take you to your dream role. In general, you could categorize your goals for the future into short-term, mid-term(optional), and long-term goals. Short-term Career Goals These include the skills, experience, or accomplishments achievable in 1 to 1.5 years to help you reach your mid-term career objectives.Some examples of short-term career objectives are:Acquire a new skill or learn a new languageDevelop professional contacts with leaders and influencers in your field Mid-term Career Goals Mid-term career goals define as 3 to 5 years stepping stones that guide you to your long-term professional goals. Some examples of mid-term career goals are:Move to a larger city with more decent job opportunitiesSwitch to a different industry to build experience and gain new skill set Long-term Career Goals These are your vision and mission statements. They are the future state of your career. Long term career goals should sound something like these:Being promoted to managerial roles at your dream companyBecome a CEO of a Fortune 500 company How to Set Career GoalsConsider the following steps when exploring and setting your career aspirations. 1. Conduct thorough self-assessment. Examine your career values, interests, skills, experience, and personality traits to formulate your career goals thoughtfully. One could do this by reflecting upon their academic and work history, finding out the activities that they enjoy the most, and determining the skills and personality traits that enabled them to achieve success. If you get stuck during the process of determining your career development goals, meet up with a career coach or advisor for guidance when assessing your background and planning out your future career. Example:Max, a senior student at college, struggled to map out a career plan that suits him and determine his career plans after graduation. He examined his academic and work history and recalled spending a meaningful summer job shadowing for a clinical social worker and volunteering at hospitals. He enjoyed helping out the clients and monitoring their progress over time. After Max conducted his self-assessment, he listed verbal communication, problem-solving, and ethical decision-making skills as key skills that suited his interests and personality. 2. Consider different career paths. After you’ve created a comprehensive list of personal interests and professional strengths, you can start to brainstorm on the type of career path that fits you, that you can see yourself achieving as your future aspirations. Try taking a career quiz or searching for local or online resources that list out a variety of career options for the particular field(s) that you are interested in. Minimize the list to about 10 careers that you have a strong interest to learn more about. Example:Ann, a freshman seeking a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts, is still exploring her options and figuring out the potential careers she wants to pursue. She searched online with “careers for artists” and came down to a list of 5 occupations that she is interested in learning more about including graphic designer, UX/UI designer, illustrator, animator, and photographer. She also found out that many artists acquire additional skill sets in other disciplines for cross-functional opportunities. To diversify her lists, she’s eager to learn more about careers in digital marketing and online teaching as part of her professional career goals. 3. Research your selected career options. The next step is to research in detail the career options you’ve identified and determine if any of them matches your skills, interests, and career values. You can refer to their career journey when setting your own career goals. Some effective ways to get insiders’ perspectives include conducting informational interviews with alumni or people in similar positions on LinkedIn, searching career information online (articles, videos, podcasts), and looking for job shadowing or internship opportunities for occupations that you are most interested in. Example:Jules researched online and read about the careers she identified. She found out some of the occupations she listed don’t quite suit her interests and personality traits, so she narrowed down her career aspirations selections to two main careers: art director and digital marketer. She wanted to gain a deeper understanding of the two careers, so she reached out to a college alumnus and a local professional in each of the fields to learn more about what their day-to-day looks like and how they’ve planned out their careers. 4. Analyze the pros and cons and decide your career aspirations. Once you have a better understanding of the career options worth considering, it’s time to analyze and weigh your options to plan out your future goals. List out the pros and cons of the remaining options and pick the ones that best match your key criteria. Tips on How to Set Professional GoalsOne of the most common ways to set professional goals is to follow the SMART goal framework. To create effective career goals, your goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. Let’s take a closer look at how to set SMART professional goals: 💡 Be clear and specific about your career aspirations. To become successful, you have to first define what success means to you. Making your career goal as detailed as possible would help you decide whether you have accomplished it or if you need more time. For instance, instead of saying “I want to learn the Japanese language”, you can say, “I will take two years of Japanese language lessons and pass JLPT N2 level.” This will allow you to have a clearer direction of where you want to go and what you want to achieve in terms of your career goals. 💡 Determine how to measure success. As you set your career goals, make sure to come up with a way to measure your success. Success metrics serve as important criteria for measuring your outcomes. Without it, you won’t know when to move on to the next career objective. It could be setting a timeframe or a KPI to your goal. Instead of a subjective statement like “I want to perform better at work this quarter,” put numbers into it by saying “I want to reach $X sales goals this quarter to get a $Y bonus.” 💡 Break goals down into smaller steps. If you keep setting big goals that you can’t achieve in the short run, you will lose the momentum to keep going because you aren’t seeing immediate results and achievements. Rather, make your career goals attainable by breaking your long-term vision into short-term and mid-term goals. This will also prevent you from procrastinating since it is easier to take smaller steps that accumulate to high aims. 💡 Set realistic but challenging goals. Your goals have to be relevant and realistic, yet challenging. The goals you set should make sense to your values and your long-term career aspirations. For instance, it wouldn’t make sense for someone to win a medal in the Olympics when he/she isn’t an athlete at all. A truly effective career development goal should also challenge you to accomplish great things. Set goals that push your limits and contribute to your long-term career goals. 💡 Set a timeline for goals. Plan out a timetable for your goals. With a duration date to accomplish a work-related goal, you will be motivated to keep yourself accountable and on schedule. Setting a goal end date will also prompt you to scrutinize your goals and give enough time for potential roadblocks. Allow room for change and flexibility when giving your goals a due date. If you didn’t complete a goal on time, it doesn’t mean you failed as long as you are moving in the right direction. Professional Development Goals ExamplesOutline Short-term and Long-term Goals for Students ExamplesShort-term and Long-term Goals for FreshersExamples of Professional Nursing GoalsCareer Goals for Accountants ExampleHR Professionals Development GoalsEngineering Career GoalsCareer Aspirations for ManagersCareer Aspirations Examples for Software EngineersCareer Objectives Examples of Social WorkersMarketing Career GoalsFinance Career ObjectivesCustomer Service Career ObjectivesCareer Objectives for Project ManagersExecutive Assistant Career GoalsTeacher Career GoalsCareer Aspirations Examples for LeadershipCareer Goals Examples for Performance ReviewCareer Plan Examples for InternshipCareer Development Plan Examples for Postdoctoral ScholarsShort-term and Long-term Goals in InterviewShort-term and Long-term Goals for Students ExamplesShort-term:Submit all class assignments a week in advanceAchieve good test and participation grades in all coursesGet to know and maintain good relationships with professors and TAs Long-term:Attain a board position in student organization(s) for each academic yearMaintain a GPA above 3.75 and attain Dean’s List each semesterComplete at least 15 credits per semester to graduate on time Short-term and Long-term Goals for Freshers Short-term:Build a LinkedIn profile and hone resume writing and interviewing skillsNetwork and conduct informational interviews with alumni and professionals in the fieldPlan the college courses to take for each year and join professional student organizations to access more information about college and internships Long-term:Acquire internship, volunteer, or job-shadowing opportunitiesSeek out entry-level opportunities to get in-depth hands-on experiencePlan for the time to start preparing for grad school and certifications Examples of Professional Nursing Goals Short-term:Optimize the quality of patient care and increase work efficiencyImprove technical skills by attending in-service trainingEnhance communication and interpersonal skills Long-term:Get nursing certifications or an advanced degree in the next 3 yearsBecome a mentor or nursing advocate to share industry insight outside the organizationContinue self-education through medical newsletters, publications, forums, and networking events Career Goals for Accountants Example Short-term:Attend various training in different aspects of accounting to expand skill setTake management courses to prepare for a higher positionReduce paperwork and improve productivity by transferring all procedures to digital format Long-term:Help create $X new revenue by securing additional $Y financingCreate new policies and procedures that help reduce the average invoice processing timeObtain primary credentials including passing the CPA exam in the next 2 years HR Professionals Development Goals Short-term:Boost the percentage of job openings filled within the expected deadline from 40% to 50% this yearIncrease the annual talent retention rate by 20% this yearPromote good company culture and improve employee satisfaction with rewards and recognition Long-term:Streamline the remote hiring process for greater hiring efficiencyIncrease the number of available onboarding and training programs in the next 2 yearsAchieve an average of over 80% participation rate in team-building activities for the next 3 years Engineering Career Goals Short-term:Work on at least 2 features using Java and PythonTake and pass 1 online course on SQLGet positive feedback from 3 co-workers on technical communication skills Long-term:Become a Senior Software Engineer in the next 2 yearsFix 3 critical-important level bugs as a Senior EngineerMentor a small group of interns or new hires joining the team Career Aspirations for Managers Short-term:Complete all performance reviews within 8 weeks by conducting 6 interview sessions per weekReduce weekly meeting time from 1 hour to 30 minutes each with meeting agenda prepared beforehand to increase efficiencyKeep track of team productivity and achieve quarterly KPIs Long-term:Increase department sales by 20% in the next 2 yearsLaunch 2 new company products in 3 yearsAttend networking sessions each month to keep up with other industry professionals Career Aspirations Examples for Software EngineersLong-term:Get computer security certification this yearDeepen knowledge of additional programming languagesComplete a coding project from start to finish using JavaScript Long-term:Become a team lead in the next two years to manage and solve complex problemsObtain a Master’s degree in software engineering in the next two yearsEarn a promotion to the senior developer within 3 to 5 years Career Objectives Examples of Social Workers Short-term:Utilize project management software to increase administrative work efficiencyFollow-up with two clients each day to establish a better long-term relationshipImplement a tracking plan for clients suffering from alcoholism and review the plan each month Long-term:Join professional organizations to network with other social work professionalsCreate a resource platform to spread awareness about social programs and support available for struggling communitiesIncrease authority in the field to advocate change in social policies Marketing Career Goals Short-term:Increase collaboration with other departments, promotion channels, and externally outside the organizationConnect with customers(interviews, surveys, focus groups, social listening) to deepen market insightsDevelop a good understanding of horizontal marketing functions and their KPIs Long-term:Specialize in one or more specific marketing functionsBecome comfortable setting and managing large marketing budgetsAchieve a managerial position and/or spread influence beyond the organization Finance Career Objectives Short-term:Develop leadership and project management skills during internshipsFind a job as a financial analyst postgraduateOptimize company budget by analyzing recurring costs and reducing company expenses Long-term:Acquire a Master’s degree in Risk ManagementEnroll and pass all three levels of CFA within 4 yearsOpen own financial consulting company at hometown Customer Service Career Objectives Short-term:Increase staffing by 15% for the next budget year by onboarding 3 new call center representatives each monthMaintain an average of 95% customer satisfaction score each quarterBecome compliant with electronic filing requirements by the end of the year Long-term:Increase sales by 5% each year for the next five yearsMaintain Top 5 internal ranking in the next 3 yearsMaster a second language to serve the next prominent customer group Career Objectives for Project Managers Short-term:Prioritize and refine projects backlog for the monthOptimize the communication between the team and each stakeholderDeliver projects within time and budget by keeping track of all the progress information in digital format Long-term:Being promoted to Senior Project ManagerGain a strategic understanding of organizational goals and implement relevant initiativesBuild both internal and external networks and get buy-ins from long-term stakeholder relationships Executive Assistant Career Goals Short-term:Make sure all meetings are scheduled in time each week and prevent any time conflict from happeningStay organized with all work messages and updates by dedicating 15 minutes each day to clear out any clusters or unclear to-do itemsImprove technical skills on office computer systems Long-term:Work proactively and provide effective problem-solving skills when accidents happen or when there’s a sudden change in scheduleBeing promoted to Senior Executive Assistant in 2 yearsGet a Master’s degree in Business in 2 years Teacher Career Goals Short-term:Plan and revise the curriculum for next semester to comply with remote learning requirementsTeach a new course under the same departmentSuccessfully manage 3 courses of over 50 students with a TA this semester Long-term:Complete a Master’s degree in education administration in 2 yearsBuild a strong network with regional and international professors, educators, and lecturersBecome department head in the next 5 years Career Aspirations Examples for LeadershipShort-term:Develop strong interpersonal, decision-making, problem-solving, and critical thinking skillsMeet up individually with each person in the team to discuss their career goals and provide effective feedback this weekPlan and set milestones for the month and ask for team feedback Long-term:Become familiar with multiple project management tools and stick to a few necessary ones to streamline the task tracking processAccept more responsibilities by managing a department in the next 2 yearsPractice listening to diverse feedback and solving them when making decisions Career Goals Examples for Performance Review Short-term:Collect at least 5 business cards from new networks at every networking eventSchedule meetings with other managers that might be interested in investing in your organizationRevamp the office environment to improve employee productivity Long-term:Improve communication channels across all departments with a better all-in-one communication platformOffer live assistance to customers through phone calls and direct messagesHost monthly educational events for employees on topics of interests Career Plan Examples for Internship Short-term:Learn how to build professional presentations (storyboard, design, copywriting, etc.)Gain a working knowledge of Excel data manipulation, formulas, and modeling techniquesLearn to conduct online market research with Google Analytics Long-term:Hone the ability to connect with co-workers and managersNetwork with other like-minded studentsBuild relationships with supervisors who can serve as career advisers or future reference Career Development Plan Examples for Postdoctoral Scholars Short-term:Write and submit a draft of the review article to the mentors by the end of the monthApply for a fellowship by the deadlineAttend the professional skills development workshop next month Long-term:Chair multiple sessions of international meetingsAdvise graduate students for their thesesSeek a tenure-track faculty position at a college or university Short-term and Long-term Goals in Interview Short-term:“I will plan the video contents for the month and compose 1 script per week.”“My goal is to earn $100K this year as a manager with flexible work hours to put more time in networking and self-education.”“I want to improve my productivity by prioritizing the work and reducing the time spent on replying to emails and setting schedules.” Long-term:“My long-term career goal is to lead a regional sales team into the most competitive team in the organization with millions of annual sales in three years.”“I will work my way up the corporate ladder to become a senior executive at your organization.”“I will pursue a Master’s degree in Business Management in the next two years.” 🔑 Key Takeaways:In this article, we’ve walked through the ways to define career goals, steps to develop professional goals, tips to follow the SMART framework when creating career goals, and career objective examples for different roles and scenarios. While it may seem like a difficult and time-consuming process, having your career goals ready before you apply or accept another convenient job offer would help you make efficient decisions for your career.With Cake, you can easily create a resume online, free download your resume’s PDF formats, and utilize ATS-compliant templates to create a resume. Land your dream job, create your resume online (free download) now!Create resume --- Originally written by Sandy Tuo ---

Created by CakeTABLEOFCONTENTSWhat Are Time Management Skills for Resumes?10 Examples of Time Management Skills for ResumesWhere to List Time Management Skills on a Resume/CVTips on How to Describe Time Management Skills on a ResumeHow to Improve Your Time Management SkillsIn today's fast-paced society, time has become a rare resource that people are expected to manage effectively. Research done by Zippia showed that an average corporate employee normally spent 51% of their daily work on low to no value tasks. It is therefore important to include time management skills when crafting a resume. As multitasking becomes more prevalent today, hiring managers seek candidates who possess good time management skills to handle tasks in an organized, productive, and effective way. According to LinkedIn, time management skill is one of the top five most sought after soft skills. Let’s discuss what time management skills are in more detail. Time management skills come in different forms and structures, but they emphasize the process of taking conscious control over time spent on specific tasks, particularly to enhance effectiveness, efficiency, and productivity. Let's also take a closer look at the importance of time management in two cases. Both time management skills in a workplace and time management skills for students are important as time management skills can be seen as an asset in terms of learning, solving a problem, and conducting tasks. When time management skills are incorporated in a resume, it can especially boost both professionals and students in both career and academic applications.What Are Time Management Skills? By definition, time management skills refer to a wide range of skills that allow you to manage your time and work effective. They are valuable skills as more often than not you need to handle more than one taskat the same time. Time management skills are not easy to master, but once you do, they can benefit you substantially both in and out of the office.Below are four ways good time management skills can help you: ☑️ Better concentration When you manage your time well, you'll always be able to determine which task/project to focus on at any given time. There will be no distractions from everything else on your mind. ☑️ Highly-organized and clear-minded With the increased focus/clarity summarized above, you will have more mental power to carry out your daily tasks. You'll also have well-structured thoughts because you've planned your time effectively. ☑️ On track Proactive time management at work requires systematic planning and scheduling to help you stay on track, make appointments, and meet deadlines. ☑️ Low level of stress You can easily become overwhelmed when you have so much going on at once. Acquiring good time management skills will bring structure to the chaos, subsequently helping you to feel less stressed. 10 Examples of Time Management Skills for ResumesAs mentioned before, time management skills are difficult to say on a resume. It is mostly because there's no universal way to measure them and time management skills encompass more than keeping an eye on the clock. We break them down into 10 skills that you can put on your resume to show the recruiter your time management ability and provide examples for your reference.1. Planning Good time management starts with strong planning skills. Without a good schedule of which tasks should be completed, it can be very difficult to manage your day or week.For example, you have a pile of research to hand in on an early Monday. By planning your energy and time accordingly, you will be able to finish the task in a timely manner. Time management skills resume phrases related to planning that you can put in your resume are:SchedulingMemoryDelegationSummarizingOptimization 2. Prioritizing Prioritizing is an essential time management skill where it allows you to identify what needs to be done based on limited time and energy. For example, your pile of research comes in various levels of importance and urgency. It is possible to use the priority matrix where you allocate your tasks according to urgency and importance. By this simple approach, you understand what tasks to focus on and what things to put behind.Prioritizing-related time management resume phrases that you can include are:Team-mindedMonitoringGoal settingMultitaskingAccountability 3. Goal Setting No matter what target you are setting - short-term or long-term - goal setting is a fundamental time management skill where it pushes you forward with concrete motive, method, and direction. Also, having goals when managing a task provides a shared recognition of small victories which help to build momentum towards big achievements. As an example, a product manager may set attainable and measurable milestones such as KPI or performance targets to acknowledge small victories throughout a long-term project. 4. Problem Solving Problem solving often demands good time management skills.The ability to manage and solve problems in a given time is an important quality when hiring managers assess job candidates.The ideal candidate has the ability to mix analytical thinking with creative problem-solving. They are comfortable in making decisions, and they can handle challenging situations in the workplace. 5. Multitasking Multitasking is a time management skill where candidates switch focus between tasks so effortlessly that it appears as though they are doing several things at once. For example as the head of the hospital’s emergency department, you must manage your time between various incoming patients, while making accurate decisions at the same time. 6. Delegating Effective time management skills also involve prioritizing and managing tasks according to one's expertise and that of others. For instance, a good product manager assigns tasks like market research, cost structure analysis, and quality control to subordinates where he or she concentrates on analyzing a market entrance strategy towards a new product. By utilizing time and energy wisely, the goal can be achieved efficiently with minimal stress. 7. Breaking Down Tasks This time management skill is important when it comes to a huge and complicated task where different factors and decisions affect one another. Therefore the ability to break down tasks into milestones will help you simply visualize your ultimate goal, thus allowing for easy monitoring of progress. Imagine yourself managing a one-month project proposal where your goal is to increase the user rate of an app. You might need to break down the project by weeks, followed by days and milestones to get the job done on time. Your small objectives in a timeline might start with a focus group interview, followed by problem identification, customer analysis, product research, etc, then coming up with a proposal that fits the needs of the consumer, to increase the usage rate. This example shows effective time management skills where you break tasks down into smaller parts. 8. Scheduling People may get confused between scheduling and prioritizing. Scheduling centers on the skill of managing time between various tasks, which is quite different from prioritizing. For example, as a marketer, you are required to conduct several interviews and focus group studies before you can determine your marketing strategy. The results 1ision-making process, so it is important to schedule the work flow accordingly. Good time management skills are vital in these situations. 9. Decision Making Another key time management skill is the ability to make a quick decision. That's because second guessing may lead to a waste of time, resources and energy. For example, as a business manager, you are required to make decisions upon a MA case. Those decisions involve complex evaluations under a certain amount of time pressure and is where decision making skills come into play. 10. Managing Stress Stress management as a form of time management skills in the workplace can prevent mental breakdowns and burnouts. Although crunch times and emergency situations are unpredictable, having a certain amount of skill in managing stress will eliminate unnecessary tension when delivering results.For example, you can cultivate good time management skill by :Creating realistic deadlines and making a plan to meet themEliminating long hours workingAllocating time and resources appropriately to goalsIncluding risk management and contingency plans Where to List Time Management Skills on a Resume/CVNow that we've looked at individual skills that are part of time management skills, we can move on to where you can put them in your resume. There are three major sections on your resume where you can include descriptions of your time management skills1. Resume Summary/Objective You can also incorporate your time management skills in your resume summary and objective section. By doing so, you immediately catch the attention of the hiring manager. Using effective phrases on a resume will highlight your time management skills.Example of time management skills in the resume summary/objective section:"Objective: To obtain a position at ABC company as a product manager, with effective time management skills in delegating and prioritizing.""Product Manager looking to put my excellent time management skills to good use at BPW Company." 💡 Tip:To show you have good time management skills, tailor the resume statement with the right time management skills resume phrases to ensure you are effective in communicating with potential employers. 2. Work Experience Section The primary way to mention good time management skills is to incorporate them into your work experience section, in which you describe your past accomplishments and experiences.Take a look at this time management skills on resume example for a project manager resume: Product Manager | OSIM Integrated Technology2018 - 2020Averaging 10% under budget, completing projects within deadlines on 15 products.Assisted in restructuring the product development process to meet deadlines for all critical projects.Maintain team's on-time schedules throughout 3 high-priority launches, completing all deliverables before deadlines. 💡 Tip:Mentioning past experiences that show your time management skills will give the hiring manager a more comprehensive picture of your capabilities. 3. Skills Section Another effective method to show time management skills on your resume is to assign an independent section where skills are highlighted. It is best to customize for each job application to demonstrate how time management skills correspond with job requirements.The first step is to identify keywords from the job description and create a checklist of time management skills. Using the identified keywords, you now can elaborate and give specific details on your time management skills.Example of how to demonstrate time management skills:Planning and Scheduling:Implemented a deadline incentive scheme that offered a bonus based on the article fee if writers submitted articles early. As a result, additional days were available for editing and layout, which greatly reduced error rates and boosted morale in the company.Delegating:Delegated tasks to team members according to their expertise, facilitated weekly 30-minute meetings to review progress and reevaluate direction, reducing the amount of time spent communicating mutual goals and updating.Cake provides the best resume builder with many templates examples for talents to demonstrate your qualifications. Let us help you land the dream with a strong resume (free download)!Create ResumeTips on How to Describe Time Management Skills on a Resume 💡 Describe your time management skills using descriptive resume keywords. Include strong and compelling action words like enhanced, achieved, influenced, etc. to describe relevant time management skills that draw attention to your strengths and show an employer why you deserve the job.💡 Look for the skills that your employer is looking for in the job description.As mentioned before, it is vital to identify relevant time management skills according to the job description. So let us examine how to accurately identify the skills.First, most managers will list down relevant soft skills (time management skills in this case) necessary for the position. All you need to do is to take note of all your skills and make sure to include them in your resume.However, some employers do not mention skill requirements for job positions. In this case, you have to imply relevant time management skills required from the job position, qualifications, duties, and so on. 💡 Be very precise on your capacity to manage time. As we all know, time management is a transferable and unmeasurable skill.Therefore, when writing time management skills on your resume, make sure you show your skills in a measurable way, whether it's by statistics, numbers orany concrete results. How to Improve Your Time Management SkillsYou can improve your time management skills in order to be a more competitive candidate for new positions. Here are some tips on how to do so: 1. Establish short-term and long-term goals. You can learn time management through setting goals on a daily basis and by assessing short and long-term objectives. There are online and offline tools available such as Notion and Trello that help you visualize goals in an organized way. In addition, SMART principles allow you to set specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound goals.2. Keep a calendar. A calendar is a simple way of visualizing and managing your tasks according to dates, weeks, and time frames. By keeping a calendar while you manage your everyday tasks and jobs, you will gradually gain knowledge and control over time. 3. Optimize and find the best way to manage your time. There are tons of ways to develop good time management skills, whether it's by forming a to-do-list or setting a countdown timer. Keep in mind that whatever you choose, find and develop the best approach where you can keep on track effectively according to your preference and suitability. Don't worry about trying other time management tools as time management skills require practice through trial and error. 🔑 Key Takeaways:To conclude, time management is an essential skill that hiring managers value in the workplace. Keep in mind the required time management skills on a job application so that you understand what employers expect to see on your resume. Moreover, offering a structured and detailed explanation that makes you stand out. Identify a suitable section on your resume where time management skills can be included. Then, you're more than ready to showcase your time management skills on your resume. --- Originally written by Vivian Chen ---