Make your job goals concrete and achievable with the SMART method.
What is the SMART method?
SMART is an acronym for five criteria that make your goals clear and achievable. The method was originally developed for project management but is highly effective for job searching.
The five criteria
S – Specific
Your goal must be precisely defined. What exactly do you want to achieve?
Example: "I want to become a marketing coordinator in a tech company"
M – Measurable
How will you know you've achieved your goal? Define concrete criteria.
Example: "I will send 5 applications per week and attend at least 2 interviews per month"
A – Achievable
The goal must be realistic given your qualifications and the market.
Example: "With my 3 years of experience in social media, marketing coordinator is a realistic next step"
R – Relevant
The goal must be meaningful for you and fit your career path.
Example: "This role builds on my current skills and brings me closer to a marketing manager position"
T – Time-bound
Set a deadline for your goal. This creates urgency and focus.
Example: "I aim to have a new job within 3 months"
SMART goal example
Here's how a complete SMART goal might look:
My goal: "I will find a position as marketing coordinator in a tech company in the Greater Copenhagen area within the next 3 months. I will achieve this by sending at least 5 targeted applications per week and reaching out to 2 companies via LinkedIn each week. I will participate in all interviews I'm invited to and actively expand my professional network."
Notice how this goal is:
- Specific: Marketing coordinator in a tech company, Greater Copenhagen
- Measurable: 5 applications/week, 2 LinkedIn contacts/week
- Achievable: Based on realistic actions you can control
- Relevant: Matches your career direction
- Time-bound: 3 months
Using SMART for your job search
Here are tips for applying SMART to your job search:
Focus on what you can control
You can't control getting hired, but you can control how many applications you send and the quality of each one.
Set both activity and result goals
Activity goals (applications sent) are 100% within your control. Result goals (interviews, job offers) depend on others but give direction.
Review weekly
Evaluate your progress every week. Are you on track? What needs adjustment?
Write down your goals
Written goals are more likely to be achieved. Put them somewhere you'll see them daily.
Next step
Now that you can set SMART goals, let's explore how professional and geographic mobility can expand your job opportunities.