SMART Targets

1. Explain what SMART targets are

Specific - this is when you are going into detail on what you are going to be
doing. it is when you have clearly defined and identified exactly what your
goal is. For example, I know that I would like to pursue a career in Business,
however this isn’t a very specific target. in order to make this target more
specific, I would need to go into more details on may be which part of
Business I would like to go into, and then the specific job role also.

Measurable - measurable is when you know what you want to achieve in the
time limits that you have, and knowing that it is possible to achieve this within
them time limits. For example, it would be classed as measurable to say that
within the next 5 years, I would like to achieve a degree and maybe do a
years worth of work. This would be measurable because a degree would only
take me 3 years and so I would still have 1 and a half years left to do a work
placement. It wouldn't be measurable if I said I wanted to get a degree within
the next year because I would have enough time to get a whole degree in a
year.

Achievable - this is making sure that you are actually able to reach up to the
goals that you have set yourself. You would need to make sure that your goal
is something that you are honestly be able to do. This is by making sure that
you have the drive and the motivation to do this. You have to be honest with
yourself and think will you actually push yourself to do it and are you actually
capable. For example, it would be unrealistic of me to become a doctor if I
didn’t plan on going to uni.

Realistic - realistic is thinking about whether your goal is actually able to

happen, and whether it is possible. for example, it would be impossible to
finish a degree within three years and this is realistic. However, it wouldn’t be
realistic if I said I wanted to get a degree without enrolling onto any courses or
joining a university. Another example would be to say that I wanted to achieve
the highest grade in my BTEC’s, however if my grades are quite low from the
previous year then it might affect my grades this year and result in it being
impossible for me to get these grades because of what I have previously
done.

Timely - timely is to do with the amount of time you have to do things. for
example, I might say that I want to finish an assignment within the next hour
and receive a distinction on this assignment. This would be a good time limit if
I had already started the assignment and got the majority of the assignment
done because I might just need to go over everything and check it. if this was
the case, then an hour to do this would be a reasonable time limit. If I hadn't
started the assignment, it could be untimely of me to do this because

2. What are your SMART targets for your career plan? Explain how each
of the are SMART.
Specific - I have always known that I would like to go into a career within
Business but this isn’t really specific due to the fact that there are lots of
different careers within business like marketing and finance careers. It would
be specific to me to say that I would like to have an HR career within the
business sector.

Measurable - I am going to give myself 5 years to complete the degree and

get some experience in HR. this is measurable because a degree only takes 3
years and so I would be able to achieve it within the time span of 5 years.

Achievable - It would be achievable because I am giving myself a reasonable

amount of time and I am going to make sure that I am constantly motivated to
do this in order to make sure that it is achievable.

Realistic - This is realistic because I am giving myself a lot of time to do it. If

something happens and I decide on taking a gap year, then at least I know
that I still am able to achieve this goal within the % years because I would still
have two years spare.

Timely - By giving myself 5 years to achieve this then I am giving myself a

good time limit because I know that if I do something wrong or need to retake
a year, then I would still be able to achieve this goal because I have given
myself more time than I need to make sure that if I do have any problems
along the way, then I have some extra time to fix this and still reach my goals.

3. For each of your targets – when are you going to review them and
how?

Specific - I have decided that it would be important for me to review the

specific part of my target quite often for the time being, due to me not having a
clear understanding of what I properly want to do yet. Therefore, I would say
every week until I have a detailed idea of what I would like to do. Once I have
mastered this, I would say that it would be ideal for me to review it every 1-2
months in order to make sure there are no changes or anything.

Measurable - I am going to be reviewing the measurable side of my target

every year in order to check if I am on track.

Achievable - I have also decided that a good time to review if my goals of

working within HR are still achievable would be each year. This is because it
would allow me to check if I still have time to complete what I need to do
within the next year, and if I can’t achieve it within the next year I would need
to either make my goals more achievable by making them either more realistic
or giving myself a larger time frame.

Realistic - I would constantly be reviewing whether my goals are realistic or

not and I would do this by seeing what I need to do next, and if I am able to do
them. For example, it is currently realistic for me to go to uni next year due to
my target grades being realistic for me. However, if I fail all of my units this
year, then it may result in me being unable to go to uni next year.
Timely - I would keep checking if it is timely each year because I have given
myself 5 years to complete this goal, and so every year I would set small
goals and make sure that I am able to achieve them within the next year. For
example, my goal for next year is to start uni.