Setting SMART Objectives Why Set Objectives l l

Setting SMART Objectives

Why Set Objectives? l l Set targets and deadlines Clearly express what you need to do – l l Helps clarify the tasks to be done Help motivate yourself Assess progress against the plan – Know when you have achieved the objective

Outcomes and Objectives Outcome : To make myself more employable before I finish my course OUTCOMES must be POSITIVE for the individual ! Objective: To become more employable by

SMART Objectives l l l Specific Measurable Achievable Relevant Time Bound

Specific l Make the objective specific – Break large tasks down into smaller tasks – X Get a degree Research jobs in the area I’m interested in Research courses to find something appropriate for career choice – – l Breaking large tasks into smaller ones makes it easier to assess progress

Measurable l How do you know when you have completed the work – – l X Pass my degree Apply to ? University to take ? course X Pass HNC Complete 15 credits on the HNC Course by June 2013 Make sure they are evidenced based – you should have a deliverable attached to the objective

Achievable l Can you meet the objective within the time and resources available to you – Are your goals reasonable? – X I will finish my HND course in August 2013 I will finish the HNC Computing by mid June 2013 X I will set up a new company and achieve a turnover of £ 200000 by April 2013 I will have a business plan for my company by April 2013 – – –

Relevant l Are your targets relevant and appropriate to your situation and circumstances? – Doing something that is relevant to your wider aims is motivating

Time Bound l Set timescales on your objectives – l Deadlines and Milestones Review progress against these deadlines – – X Finish my HNC Project Finish the planning stage of my Project by 22 nd March

Time scales l Set objectives at multiple timescales – – – l This week I will research 4 jobs that I would like to do This month I will find an appropriate course to help me in my career In the next 6 months I will pass my HNC to allow me to progress to a degree This ties into project management

Plan your time l Be professional, use your time efficiently – – – It is a marathon, not a sprint ! 3 year plan; prepare at outset Annual year plan; prepare annually Monthly and weekly plans; prepare, revise A daily “to do” list; prepare, revise Use your diary daily

Objective Setting l l In pairs discuss what you are aiming to achieve in the next 6 months Spend some time turning these into SMART objectives Check with your partner – are these really SMART? Discuss them with your supervisor