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Career Services in Coda! [Katie Rivard]

Career Services Orientation

Lesson: Setting Daily and Weekly Goals

10 minute read

“If a goal is worth having, it's worth blocking out the time in your day-to-day life necessary to achieve it.” — Jill Koenig

Setting goals! Most likely, this is not a new concept, and while you might want to start shooting off those applications in every which way, it’s best to start this journey with setting some goals in a smart way.

Finding a new position is a full-time job in itself, and to succeed you need to keep yourself focused on your goals in a smart way. Your goal during Career Services is to apply to at least 5 jobs per week, or, one new job application per weekday.

It’s essential that you hit this weekly goal, track your progress in Huntr, and keep your Career Coach informed through your weekly sessions. You will have up to 26 sessions with your Career Coach to discuss your job hunt goals, review your application materials, and help you prepare for interviews.

To make the most of this time in Career Services, here are some tips to help you tackle your job search through setting daily and weekly goals.

Why is it important to set goals?

Goal setting is an important skill to master, and one that can be applied to all areas of your life. By breaking your goals down into daily and weekly tasks, though, you’ll be much more likely to actually execute the tasks, prevent procrastination, and ultimately reach your goals.

You have up to 26 weeks in Career Services, and want to land a job as soon as possible, so ensuring you make effective use of your time is critical. Setting daily and weekly goals will ensure that no time is wasted, and that you’re moving forward at a steady pace—increasing the odds of landing your first product design role, every day.

This continuous forward momentum will help to build your confidence, which will shine through in your interviews.

The next best step

“One part at a time, one day at a time, we can accomplish any goal we set for ourselves.” — Karen Casey

While it’s important to keep your end goal of landing a job in mind, it can also be intimidating and overwhelming. When tackling a task, simply ask yourself, “What is the next best step?”

Thinking only one step—or one job application, or one question in an application (depending on your level of overwhelm)—at a time, will make your goals seem easier to achieve. So, take a deep breath, and focus on the next right move.

How do I set weekly goals?

Setting your goals each Sunday or Monday (or, possibly your personal goals on Sunday, and professional goals on Monday), and then reflecting on your progress on Friday or Saturday, is a proven habit to help you stay on track.

The SMART framework

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To break your big goal into a series of actionable micro-goals. Try using the SMART framework. SMART stands for:

S = Specific: Make it clear.

M = Measurable: Assign a number to the result.

A = Achievable: Ensure it’s possible by keeping extenuating circumstances in mind.

R = Relevant: Question if each task will help you achieve your goal.

T = Time-Bound: Schedule within a time frame that’s doable.

How do I create realistic timelines?

To get started, take that time on Sunday or Monday to plan exactly when you’ll do your job hunt-related tasks throughout the week. Make sure you’re being realistic about how long you’ll need for each task. This will get easier as you do these tasks week over week and gain a clear picture of how long each task takes.

Don’t forget to consider how you’ll feel at the time scheduled to complete these tasks, and make sure you’re setting yourself up for success based on how your energy fluctuates throughout the day. You probably wouldn’t schedule an hour-long workout right before bed, so chances are you might not be very motivated to apply for jobs an hour at that time—or maybe you are!

Everyone has a different working style, so it is important to pick times when you know you’ll be able to concentrate and capitalize on feeling motivated. It can be useful to think about your experience of previous occupations or education. You may even want to keep a journal of when you feel most productive to help you figure out when this will be for you.

What does organizing my goals into a seven-day schedule look like?

To help you follow the steps above, we created a

free downloadable calendar⁠

. You can save it to your desktop to edit digitally, or print it out and update with ink each week. We recommend trying out the analog version—scientists say you are 42% more likely to achieve your goals if you write them down.

⁠

Sunday: Review your schedule and set your goals for the week

Monday: Follow up with last week's applications

Tuesday: Spend 1-hour sourcing roles, with a goal to apply to at least 5 you are very excited about

Wednesday: Networking activity (live event, set up a coffee chat or outreach on LinkedIn

Thursday: Take a break!

Friday: Spend 1-hour sourcing roles, with a goal to apply to at least 5 you are very excited about

Saturday: Read weekly Career Services course materials

How do I get unstuck?

If you find yourself stuck, or falling behind, give yourself grace. You’re building a new life for yourself, and that takes a lot of time and energy.

To maintain motivation and momentum, take breaks often. Focusing on one task for too long can create a sense of fatigue and exhaustion. Map out each day in 30 minute blocks. Time-blocking can also be a good way of constraining tasks (like writing) that could easily become open-ended otherwise.

Try the Pomodoro Technique: every 25 minutes take a 5-minute break away from your computer. This can be even more effective if you use a timer. Start a 25-minute stopwatch (your phone’s Clock app will do), and work on a single task until the timer finishes. Then, take a break.

Here are some ways to refresh your body and mind regularly throughout the day:

Shake it out—dance, wiggle, just move

Stretch and lean into what feels good

Say three nice things about yourself

Strike a power pose

Also, ask for help if you need it. No question should be left unanswered. If you’re confused, frustrated, or are just in need of a helping hand, reach out to your peers in Discord, Career Coach, or Designlab staff to get the assistance you need.

Remember to celebrate your achievements

Make sure to celebrate your achievements and take the time to honor both your efforts and those who have supported you on your journey.

This celebration can be as simple as doing a victory dance around your living room after completing your daily job application, or as big as taking yourself to Disney World when you land a job.

Start planning those celebrations now and give yourself something to look forward to when you inevitably crush your goals—we know you will!

Additional Resources:

PDFs

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SMART Goals Planning⁠

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Goal Setting Exercise Template⁠

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Weekly Planner⁠

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Blog Posts

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How To Set SMART Goals For Your Career⁠

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How to Develop Atomic Habits That Drive Better Time Management⁠

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Books

Atomic Habits by James Clear

The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey

Make Time: How to Focus on What Matters Every Day by Jake Knapp and John Zeratsky

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