Career Goal Setting in an Unprecedented World

As we approach a new year, it’s time to set some goals for your career goal setting in an unprecedented world and your future in the food and beverage industry. Whether you’re just starting out in your first “real” job or well-established in your career, having goals and objectives will help keep you motivated and working toward something new.

2020 has made it difficult to know what to strive for. COVID-19 and other uncertainties threw the world for a loop, and it’s likely to have some long-term ripples going into 2021.

That doesn’t mean you can’t identify some career goals! It just means you might need a little more flexibility and wiggle room when establishing those objectives and setting deadlines.

Keep these things in mind moving forward to set yourself up for success.

1) Create a list of what you would like to achieve if time weren’t an obstacle.

Here’s where you can look as far into the future as you’d like. Where do you want to be? Would you like to run a food processing plant? Manage a chain of restaurants? Lead a team of new product developers for an emerging brand? Do you want to be CEO someday? Dream big and bold. Then take a step back and think about what it might take to get there. This is mostly an aspirational daydreaming session, but it can help you clarify your true career goals, which can then be broken down into smaller steps in order to achieve.

Looking for a new job? Be sure to do your homework first! Read more. 

2) Set short-term goals.

Focus on the things that can be achieved in a smaller window of time to help set you up for bigger wins in the long run. How does your resume look? Can you set aside time to refresh it, update the information to reflect your current position and any recent training?

Time to update your resume? Here’s some more advice.

3) Prioritize, prioritize, prioritize.

Now that you have an idea of where you want to go and the steps you can take to get there – ideally a written list in bulleted format – think about which ones must be completed first. Then, think about which ones you’d most like to accomplish first vs. which ones may be the most difficult. Keep the list handy and give yourself satisfaction in both the short and long term by crossing items off as they’re completed. Set your priorities now and check back in a few weeks or months to see if anything’s changed – reorganizing and reconsidering, even deleting items. It’s all fair game here.

Need help setting goals? Read this and be inspired.

4) Break big projects up into smaller pieces.

Someone who wants a garden must first purchase seeds and tend to the ground. Someone who wants to cook needs to find a recipe, purchase ingredients, and follow instructions. Some of your goals should be very big in scope. Once you’ve envisioned the overall goal for your career, break it down into steps. Register for that class and start learning. Find and join an organization that can help you network. Devise a sequence of steps that will lead you, piece by piece, toward your goal and commit to keep moving forward. These cumulative goals will build you up and help you achieve your larger objective in smaller segments, letting you work toward something, continuously, without missing a step due to uncertainty.

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5) Remain optimistic, determined, and focused (even though that might be difficult sometimes).

Remember to believe in yourself and why you’re working toward these goals. Bet on yourself! Many people have found themselves out of work, for long or short periods, during the pandemic, but not all have found ways to use that time productively. Utilize your time to your advantage. We don’t know what the future might bring, but we’re all optimistic that things will resume some order, hopefully, sooner rather than later. And if you work hard to achieve your goals, you’ll be better prepared and equipped to take that next step when the time comes.

Do you know your worth? Review Kinsa Group’s latest salary guide here.

Start small and smart to achieve big.

It’s hard to stay focused when the ground feels like it’s shifting under our feet all the time. But with more than 35 years’ experience helping food and beverage industry professionals find new positions and advance their careers, Kinsa Group is ready to support you as you work to achieve your career goals. Share your updated resume with Kinsa Group today so that we can help you get where you want to go. Don’t give up!