How to turn your biggest goals into weekly to-dos

If you’ve dived into the job search before, you’ll know that it can be a big process with lots of steps – long before you may be offered the chance to fill that dream job vacancy. That’s why goal-setting in the job-hunting process is so important.

But because finding a new role can be one of the biggest goals you’ll tackle, how can you prevent yourself from getting overwhelmed and distracted? The secret to success is this: you have to break your goal into manageable chunks or weekly to-dos.

Here’s how to get started.

Create an action plan

So often in goal-setting, we talk about the SMART goal framework – which stands for Specific, Measurable, Action-Oriented, Realistic and Time-bound. You want all your goals to be SMART goals, which applies some clear understanding and strategy to what you’re trying to achieve, rather than creating wishy-washy goals you may lose interest in.

And our action plan begins with defining exactly what your goals are. Download our free goal-setting guide and write it down. You might write something like, “Find a new job as a receptionist by June 2023”. This is a SMART goal – it’s specific, you know the steps involved to achieve it and measure your progress, it’s a realistic job you know you can get, and you’ve got a deadline for it.

Break down your goal into weekly to-do’s

This is where we take a systematic approach to figuring out how to achieve your goal – and it begins with breaking down the steps involved, so you can work on it in stages.

For example, when looking for jobs, your tasks might involve scouring jobs boards, talking to recruitment specialists, writing cover letters, updating your CV – and that’s just for starters! So here are the steps to break down all the tasks involved in meeting your goal.

1. Divide and conquer: Write down all the tasks involved in reaching your goal – it helps split your big goal into a more manageable weekly to-do list. You might have a to-do list that stretches over a number of weeks or months, depending on your goal’s deadline.
2. Set priorities: Decide which tasks are most important and should be done first – this might be ‘updating your CV’ or making a short list of jobs to apply for. Also consider which tasks are easier to complete and can be done quickly, to build momentum.
3. Schedule your tasks or to-dos: Now’s the time to add the tasks to your weekly schedule, making sure you allocate enough time to complete each one. Consider setting deadlines for each task as this will help you stay on track.
4. Review and adjust: At the end of each week, you’ll want to review your progress and adjust your plan as needed. If you’re not making progress or finishing the tasks you’d scheduled, consider breaking down your goals into even smaller steps.

What else can help with achieving goals?

Staying accountable is huge – whether you find an accountability partner who’ll help keep you on track, or using systems or templates to tracking your progress.

A one-page goal-setting worksheet you can refer to and tick things off can be invaluable in helping you clarify your goal, set priorities for your tasks and track how you’re going. You can keep track of your goals in our goal-setting guide, otherwise, you could track tasks and goals in a planner, diary, or a bullet journal.

Many people also find a vision board helpful for meeting goals – as it provides an at-a-glance visual representation of what you’re aspiring to. You might stick up pictures of yourself in work clothes or photos of companies you’d like to work for. You can also stick positive affirmations on your vision board that state what you’re trying to achieve and how you will achieve it.

Chatting to a recruitment specialist should also be part of your goals

When you’re looking for jobs in specific industries, you’ll want to have your finger in all the pies – and that includes not just setting up job alerts or looking at jobs boards, but chatting to recruiters too. Our specialists can chat to you about your goals, provide some inspiration and even give you out of the box career ideas you may not have thought of yourself! Our recruiters are pros in matching your current skillset to potential jobs. Want to know the best part? Our services and advice is free to job seekers!

We recommend booking in a confidential discussion with a recruitment specialist as part of your goal-setting strategy, so you can start moving towards the ultimate result: finding a new job you love. Good luck!