6 Writing a Goal Statement

Achieving Goals with Goal Statements

We all want to be successful, but sometimes it’s hard to reach the goals we set for ourselves. In this chapter, we will think about the goals we have set for ourselves and what we can do to make sure we can reach them.

We will write a goal statement that will help you in many different ways. This will help you think about and plan for your future, and it will also be helpful for many different things you may need to write.

A goal statement is one or two paragraphs that tells your audience your goals for the future and how you plan to achieve them. You will see goal statements in things like:

• Job applications (especially for office-based jobs)
• School program applications
• Transferring to competitive colleges and universities
• Scholarship, grant, and award applications
• Asking about job openings
• Setting up meetings with important people

Let’s get started!

Decide Your Goals

First, it’s important to have a clear idea of what your goals for school and career are. Here are some steps to help you get started:

1. What do you love to do? What are some things that you are interested in, curious about, or want to do more of? For example, do you enjoy being with children? Do you enjoy building things? Do you like to use and learn about technology? Knowing what you enjoy can help you find a job that you will like to do.
2. What are your strengths? Everyone has different things that they are good at doing. Even though we can all keep learning and improving, it is helpful to know what strengths you have already so you can reach your goals successfully. Use this checklist to help you think about what strengths you have that can help you in a career.
3. What do you want your future to look like? For example, where do you want to live? How much time do you want to spend working? Do you want to have your own business or work for a company? What pay do you need?

Learn About the Job You Want

It’s important to know what you need to do to get the job you want. Each job is different, so do some research to find out what skills and education you need. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has lots of information about different jobs, including average pay, education needed, and descriptions of what the work is like. Visit their Career Exploration Website to find a job that fits your interests and strengths.

Make SMART Goals

SMART stands for specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound. This means your goals should be clear, achievable, and have a deadline.

Use the questions below to help you make a SMART goal.

Write Your Goal Statement

Now that you know what you want to do and have a SMART goal, let’s write a goal statement that you can use in applications and interviews.

Directions

1. Write one sentence that states your end goal clearly. In the example goal statement, this is the first sentence:
   My goal is to graduate with a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting and begin working as a Certified Personal Accountant (CPA) in Seattle by the end of 2030.
2. Write one sentence that explains why you want to do this. Why do you care? Why do you think you would be good at this? In the example, this is the second sentence:
   I believe that being a CPA will allow me to combine my desire to help people and my strengths in working with numbers and finances. 
3. Write 2-3 sentences that explain how you are going to achieve your goal. Look at the answers to the questions in the SMART goal section above to help you with this. In the example, these are the last three sentences:
   To achieve this, I will enroll in the Jumpstart program in Spring 2025 and begin taking accounting classes in Fall 2025. After receiving an Associate’s Degree from Highline in 2028, I will complete the last two years of my degree at the University of Washington. During this time, I will intern at a local accounting firm and begin applying to jobs so I can be employed shortly after graduation.