Setting SMART Goals

Setting SMART Goals

 

A goal defines where you are going, and helps motivate you along the way.  The steps toward achieving the goal are the roadmap.  Some parts of the map are difficult, but having the end point helps remind you why your hard work is worth it. 

 

Taking the time to put your goals in writing has many benefits:

·        A goal gives you a target to aim for.  Something that is meaningful to you.

·        A goal helps focus your time and energy.

·        A goal can provide motivation, persistence, and desire.

·        A goal can help you prioritize your activities and choices.

 

Defining your goal takes a little work.  Goals should be SMART:

·        Specific.  Be as specific as you can about your goal.  Want to save $1,000 for an emergency fund within a year?  Want to earn a 3.0 next semester?

·        Measurable.  Define your goal so you can determine if you’ve reached it and/or made steps along the way.  Seeing measurable results will motivate you.

·        Attainable.  Aim high, but also set goals that are achievable.  Make sure you are willing and able to work toward your goal. 

·        Relevant.  Goals should be important to you!  You’ll care more about reaching goals that you’ve chosen and have personal meaning.

·        Time-Bound.  Set a time-frame for meeting your goal.   Without a time-frame, there’s no urgency.  Also, you can monitor your progress and results.

 

Go ahead, take a couple minutes to write out one of your goals, whether it’s in the financial, career, or personal arena.  Make it a SMART goal.  Now tuck that goal someplace where you can look at it from time to time to remind you of one of your priorities.  You deserve to achieve your dreams!

 

 

Got A Resume?

An updated resume prepares you for the job hunt!

Hi!  I’m MJ and I’ll be blogging about resumes, job-hunting and self-marketing.  Some of what I share will be my based on my own experiences when divorce pushed me into the job market after fourteen years as a stay-at-home mom.  That time for me was very challenging (i.e, SCARY!!).  I learned a lot of things I think are worth sharing and talking about.  I hope you will find some of the information helpful.  If you have any questions or want certain issues addressed, please let me know. 

A stand-out resume is still the strongest tool in any job-hunter’s toolbox.  Think of your resume as your advertisement, or your sales brochure, for you as an employee.  That’s what it is, after all - a marketing tool to sell that wonderful, excellent, unique entity that is YOU!

In this post, I will review a few basic rules for updating your resume.   You may have heard them all before but they are worth repeating.

1. Be sure your contact information is current.   If you dropped your land-line service and now use a cellphone exclusively, make sure the correct phone number is on your resume.  The same thing for your email address.  A variety of situations can cause a change in email providers, be sure the email address you list on your resume is current.  Same thing goes for your snail mail address.
2. Keep the fonts uniform.  If your current job titles were listed in bold type, make sure the one you are adding is in bold type as well. 
3. Use correct verb tenses.  In your former jobs, you managed employees.  In your current job, you manage employees.
4. Correct typos and misspellings.  Everyone makes them.  Double-check the spellings of former employers.  Use the spell-check feature on your computer, but don’t rely on it.  It is a good idea to have someone with fresh eyes proofread your resume for you.  

Use this list as a simple guide when updating your resume!  A stand-out resume is still the strongest tool in any job-hunter’s toolbox.  Think of your resume as your advertisement, or your sales brochure, for you as an employee.  That’s what it is, after all - a marketing tool to sell that wonderful, excellent, unique entity that is YOU!

Keep smiling.

Until next time,

MJ

LEARN HOW TO MAKE A SPENDING PLAN

Where did my money go? How am I going to pay this month’s bills?

·       How much is too much to spend on something new?

Have any of these questions passed your mind? These questions and more can be answered in your personal spending plan. This one-page document summarizes all income and expenses in your family. Also known as “budgeting,” making a spending plan allows you to take control over your finances.

On Tuesday, September 25, we’ll spend an hour talking about your personal financial goals. Then we’ll talk about how a spending plan can help you reach those goals. In subsequent webinars, we’ll review our spending plans, talk about tips to living within our means, and share our setbacks and triumphs in a caring space. All you need is a tracking paper and the desire to take control over your finances!

This webinar is designed to give you the tools to make your money work for you. It’s not to pass judgment on how you spend money. We all make choices, every day, about our finances. The purpose of creating a spending plan is to see how your money is earned and spent, and make sure it fits with your life goals. We’ll talk about some general guidelines, and share tips on trimming expenses, eliminating debt, or handling credit. But any changes are up to you. Plain and simple.

Join us to start the process of being intentional with your finances!