What are your professional goals?

[proximitywithoutintimacy]

I want to get my degree in Social Work and start working on my dream to get homeless youth off the streets, permanently

[DapperButch]

Originally Posted by citybutch

Professionally I have many goals... but the one that is on top of my list for this year has to do with Charitable Giving. I have worked long and hard for many years in the Non-Profit world.... and I am finally setting up my first Planned Giving Program for a local Non-Profit where I once served on the Board... My goal is to have accomplished this effort for three different Non-Profits in the San Diego area. I love working with charitably minded people... a LOT... and I love doing work for these types of organizations. To be known as one of the top financial planners for small Non-Profits is a goal of mine... and one that is within reach!

I hope you don't encourage annuities for their 403(b)s. ;-)

<---thinking about certified financial planning for a new career, so all into learning about it (but admittedly still learning!)

[DapperButch]

I reached my educational goals at age 24 (was fortunate I was able to go to school full-time) and have reached my goals in terms of work itself.

I feel like I am just floating along in some ways. I have considered getting my Diplomate in Social Work (some new certification you can get as a clinical social worker), but it will not impact my career in anyway (money or position), so it would only be for me and impact my wallet!

Something I have considered for the last few years is looking into becoming a certified financial planner. I have always enjoyed learning about investing and what I like about being a CFP, specifically, is that you can charge just a flat rate fee for your services. I would be uncomfortable making commissions off of trades. Also, my understanding is that CFPs help people look at the WHOLE picture of their lives....their retirement, their life insurance, planning to save for college for their kids, etc., which I think would be more interesting to me than day trading, for example. I think I also would be better at that.

Anyway, I go back and forth, but it would be hard to make the decision to start at the bottom again in a career (loss of income), but might be worth it. Fortunately, I pretty much live at my means or even below my means (and have no debt besides house), so I could still manage my house payment, for example, even with a paycut.

At some point I need to make a decision about it, instead of dragging my feet!

[diamondrose]

I am being pulled to Accounting.

[theoddz]

I've done, pretty much, everything I've hoped to really do in my profession, sans being the actual Department Chief of my department. I used to think that I wanted to run a department of my own, be "THE Supervisor", but I've had a lot of time to actually observe "that job", and I've decided that I really don't have much of a taste for being a "management type". In fact, I don't really have a whole lot of respect for Management, per se, and I've discovered, over time, that I much prefer the company of the "working guys".

That said, I've had a hella lot more fun being a Union Steward and *fighting* management!!! I really feel like I've found my niche with this, and I really like the "fight" for the workers, like myself. I think I have more self respect this way, and I know my coworkers and fellow Union folks respect me, too.....because I REALLY enjoy "the fight"!!

Also, I've had to come to the reality that I won't be able to physically do this job for much longer, due to my crappy knees and the effects of my other disabilities I incurred while serving on active duty in the military. The VA has been a great place for a guy like me to work. I've had a lot of protections that other employees have not had, but I think I've kind of "reciprocated" that "privilege" in a good way.....as in fighting for others' rights as a Union Rep. I wasn't able to serve out my first full 4 year hitch in the Marine Corps. That's always haunted me, because I loved, loved LOVED the Corps and being a Marine. I'd have done 20 - 30 years and retired, had my health allowed me to. So, since I wasn't able to do that, I've spent nearly 16 years in the military/federal civil service system, serving other Veterans in the only way I could. That's gone a good piece towards healing that wound of not having been able to serve a career in uniform. My goal now is to finish out my 20 years' service and, at age 54, take a disability retirement because of my knees (both have been totally replaced and they'll be shot by then, too), my military pension, and quietly retire to do other things........like my dream job.......being a part-time projectionist at a local movie complex, where I can watch movies for free.

Good luck to all!!!

~Theo~

[Martina]

i just completed a big goal. i think this is it till retirement. i might add on an authorization, but i am not sure. Kinda done with the school thing.

[DressyFemme]

Originally Posted by Chancie

What have you set out to accomplish?

How will you know when you have been successful?

I was a concert pianist from age 7 to 18 (classical and also I wrote my own music). Had to drop out of music college when I came out. Have missed music ever since, but went on to earn my BSW and MSW degrees and am now working as a social worker in kinship care.

I love my job, but what I would eventually like to do is music therapy. I see a path of re-training in piano, guitar and voice at the local community music school for a few years. Then I want to audition for the local Master's/bachelor's equivalency program at Nazareth College here in Rochester for music therapy.

Nothing would make me happier than using music to communicate with my clients. Being able to actually DO that for a living would show when I have been successful.

DressyFemme

[citybutch]

I don't think this is a professional goal of mine... but I seem to be naturally responsive as a mentor. I am mentoring a new planner at the moment and it makes me think that being a District Agency MAY be in my professional future. I dunno... we will see... There is a lot to manage and I am not sure that I want to incorporate that into my business practice....

[Ciaran]

I leave for work shortly after 5am each morning (Monday to Friday) and usually arrive back close to 9pm, sometimes later. I work long and hard but am conscious that I don't define myself, nor want to be defined, by my work / profession.

Therefore, my professional goals are limited. My role is, at times, reasonably stressful especially over recent years given the difficulties faced by the banking industry but, overall, it's a job that I enjoy more days than not and a supportive employer. That said, I intend to retire by mid-40s and spend time working on a freelance or voluntary basis as, quite simply, working the hours and way I do at present could be detrimental to my longer-term health.

[Soft*Silver]

I have had the most uplifting experience recently. I have found my faith again, and upon doing so, I know that I shall be called upon to serve my Universe as I once did before my accident and before all my health problems began. I had given up hope of ever being able to do that...and I believe that is why it spiraled out of control. No more. I now know I got the message and I will now start to mend...

my professional goal is simply to serve. I miss it. I know that I will not be able to serve in the same capacity as I did before, because I am limited, but I am sure that that is all part of the plan too. And I am also sure that my love of animals will play a huge part of it too. No doubt. This, I have faith in...

[Lady_Di]

Originally Posted by Miss_Tia

I have had the most uplifting experience recently. I have found my faith again, and upon doing so, I know that I shall be called upon to serve my Universe as I once did before my accident and before all my health problems began. I had given up hope of ever being able to do that...and I believe that is why it spiraled out of control. No more. I now know I got the message and I will now start to mend...

my professional goal is simply to serve. I miss it. I know that I will not be able to serve in the same capacity as I did before, because I am limited, but I am sure that that is all part of the plan too. And I am also sure that my love of animals will play a huge part of it too. No doubt. This, I have faith in...

I love your goal!

I believe we all serve, one way or another. Even the Queen of England serves her people.

Dedicating your life to service is such an amazing decision and positive action for the community, the world at large.

Since moving here last summer I have met a divine spirit, a very funny woman, always full of laughter and joy, making the funniest jokes I have ever heard. Rip roaring funny, seriously!

She is about to take her final vows and I am so impressed with her decision.

She is one of the few that will have that honour of taking all the vows, all the rites that her faith allows. She was once married, has children and now will be a nun. How cool is that? Not even the Pope can say that!

In love and service,
Di

[Lady_Di]

Originally Posted by Blade

I had professional goals for a very long time. Now after aging and maturing and wasting the best working years of my life for a company that has a "boys club" mentality, I need to rethink the rest of my working life which is only 20 more years and set some new goals.

I met most of my professional goals several years before I had intended to. The one goal I didn't achieve, I realize now was because I am "nonpenile". Being penile is an unspoken requirement to achieve supervisor or management status in my company or even in sales. We have no female bodied people in outside sales.

Sooo I'm kicking myself in the ass for wasting so many years of my life being loyal this company. I'd like to go into something in the medical field but either there is a long waiting list and I don't test well on written test anyway or there are no schools close to my hometown that offer what I'm looking for that probably doesn't have a waiting list. So maybe before I'm 50, I'll have made another plan.

As I am inspired here, reading everyone's professional goals and aspirations. I wanted to thank everyone yet again

But this I had to address and publically as I know others might benefit from this as well.

I am working on my Master's to be able to teach online, which means I can work from home. Or anywhere on the planet I would like to be. I had one nursing professor I talked to while at the University of Phoenix and was very impressed with what she has been able to do.

The bottomline is you can get health degrees, including nursing via the online universities out there. There are many many programs, with many different focuses.

I have a mad passion for medical infomatics and love addictionology, gerontology, amoung other things I have been recently reminded of. I intend to go for a dual degree. Why not, eh?

And if you choose to work in an under served area, your complete student loans can be repaid. Also a lot of scholarship money for many diverse folks, such as us~ There is a dire shortage out there in some fields... like nursing. And one of the biggest problems is the lack of Nurse Educators, willing to work for less money, but help foster and form the next generation of nurses. Something I am also mad passionate about. I love the history of nursing, and will probably go all the way to a PhD. Between my love of writing and forensics, the sky's the limit!


On track and highly motivated,
Di

[Tawse]

Hmmmm

I enjoy being able to shift and evolve with my job. It's gone from being a glorified supervisor to data analysis / statistics and being a super user for our maintenance software. And yeah - I still have the supervisors hat as well.

I used to want to run a garage - but I've watched the people in that position and there's no way in hell you could pay me to run a garage now. Nu uh. And the Directors have their heads on the chop block and have a definite life span so I have no interest there.

No at this point - my goal is to learn as much about statistics that I can without going to school for it and to leave work at work. I refuse to become the person who is called at all hours of the day / night. I don't need to feel or be that important.

So yeah - I want to stay below the chopping block and still maintain an important seat beside those who ARE on the chopping block. I love being the right hand (left hand in my case) guy...

[Ciaran]

Originally Posted by Tawse

No at this point - my goal is to learn as much about statistics that I can without going to school for it and to leave work at work. I refuse to become the person who is called at all hours of the day / night. I don't need to feel or be that important.

In any case, that wouldn't make me feel important ..... it would make me feel used.

[Soft*Silver]

Its been a year since I wrote this. I am opening a plus size woman's clothing resale and consignment shop. The retail part of it is exciting but what I am getting the most pleasure out of, is the service to women this store is offering! I cant tell you how many stories I have already heard, of how being "more" is "less" in this country if you are female. (Also, for men too but they dont get hit as hard as women do in the stigma of a larger size.)

I feel my spirit being replenished everytime I am called upon to listen. To be present. To attend.

I am so honored. And so grateful I have recovered enough to again serve...

Originally Posted by Miss_Tia

I have had the most uplifting experience recently. I have found my faith again, and upon doing so, I know that I shall be called upon to serve my Universe as I once did before my accident and before all my health problems began. I had given up hope of ever being able to do that...and I believe that is why it spiraled out of control. No more. I now know I got the message and I will now start to mend...

my professional goal is simply to serve. I miss it. I know that I will not be able to serve in the same capacity as I did before, because I am limited, but I am sure that that is all part of the plan too. And I am also sure that my love of animals will play a huge part of it too. No doubt. This, I have faith in...

[girl_dee]

Originally Posted by Tawse

Hmmmm



No at this point - my goal is to learn as much about statistics that I can without going to school for it and to leave work at work. I refuse to become the person who is called at all hours of the day / night. I don't need to feel or be that important.

Originally Posted by Ciaran

In any case, that wouldn't make me feel important ..... it would make me feel used.

i agree, i remember feeling so "important" because it was me that kept things going in different jobs, i did it all, i had no life except to be there for my job, day or night didn't matter, because i was THAT important. i could never be sick or take time off because the whole universe would implode because i was THAT important... i now realize it was my own ego i was feeding and i was being taken advantage of... i worked more than my boss(es)!

today i love in control of me and being sort of my own boss, not having to give my soul to someone else's business. My future will be just how i make it, and i give one heck of a bodyworking session, but for me it's much more than that.

[Thinker]

I feel like the "professional" me has retired. I started college right after high school and did the traditional route.....live on campus, attend full-time, and have a BA in four years. After that, I started teaching and coaching.

In my third year of teaching and coaching, I started working on my MA. I finished that in just under four years. And in my 14th year of teaching, I started working on my second MA and finished that in two years.

I spent 20 years serving in public education in Texas and northern Virginia.

When I moved out west, I left that part of me behind; and for the better part of the three years that followed, I felt like an absolute zero. My wife and I decided that I would be a stay-at-home parent and handle our home and business affairs. I thought I would enjoy my "early retirement", but I struggled on a very deep level with it.

I'm just now getting to a place where I truly value what I do for *us*, and I know that her son is better now for having had the structure and consistency I've provided.

I've learned a lot of skills in these past four years.....things I most likely would not have learned if I had remained in education. For that, I am grateful and happy.

Alllllll that being said, I'm not sure which direction I'll go once the boy graduates in two years (Yay!!!!!!). We've talked about getting licensed, buying a rig, and being our own boss transporting goods around the country. We've also talked about adopting a great number of the older dogs that have been in the local shelters a while once we get our ten acres set up to live on. I could see us offering boarding services if we do that.

Most days, though, I think my "white collar" days are done. I was a pretty damn good trainer and public speaker and wouldn't mind doing that from time to time, but those kinds of gigs would have to find me.

Like Tia said, I want to serve. I want to do something that will benefit God's creatures (2-legged and 4-legged). ???? So who knows...

[Gaige]

Last night was my first night managing my coworkers...people I’ve been working side by side with...people that are my friends. Since I’ve had their respect as team leader I thought I would go in and not much would change. I believe that you get more productivity from people that are happier in the workplace so I didn’t want to come on too strong on my first night. I wanted to see if maintaining the same relationship would continue to produce the same results. It didn’t. Maybe it’s just me seeing things differently now that my ass is on the line for the workflow but they seemed to be slacking. It was as though they think they have a free pass to slack now that someone who is their friend is in charge. So now I have to be a hardass and after having to work a 12 hour shift to pick up their slack it won’t be a problem. It’s unfortunate but really I’m not there to make friends. My goals:

1.) Work more efficiently
2.) Maintain an adequate production rate from employees
3.) Have all scripts filled and to the patient before the dose is due.
4.) Accrue no wait time

Overall, be successful as the evening workflow manager.

[Hack]

I have already achieved one of my career goals -- work for a Democratic governor.

I am sort of at a crossroads at the moment with my career. At my age (48), I am starting to lose flexibility in my field (public relations, media relations) because it is a field that is changing rapidly. I have an itch to get back into politics. I'm trying to ignore it, though, because it does consume my life, and I am rather enjoying having a life at the moment. I've spent the bulk of my career in public service and it highly appeals to me. So, I am plotting my next move career-wise, though I would like at least another year doing what I am doing now to sort of sort out what I want to do next.

[aishah]

things i have accomplished that i am proud of...
* getting my bachelor's degree
* moving full-time into being self-employed
* moving to where i want to live and building a home for myself here
* becoming a leader in disability & mental health advocacy and doing speaking and consulting
* getting to organize conferences i love
* getting to work with people who i have looked up to for a long time

my goals for the next few years...
* balance paid and unpaid commitments so that i can sustain living and also do things that matter deeply to me...and hopefully have more overlap between the two
* make a certain amount monthly with my current paid gig so that it will be sustainable long term
* stop doing web design altogether!
* do more modeling work, speaking, and workshop engagements
* deepen involvement with local non-profits and with samhsa and add
* only take on consulting and organizing commitments that are in line with my values and principles
* pay off all debt but student loans, and start paying student loans
* save up a 6 month safety net (at least)

things i'm thinking i might want to do, but am not sure about yet...
* get an office job - i miss interacting with people every day and it would be great if i could get a job with benefits. but i struggle with balancing my health and an inflexible or overloaded work schedule, plus it would keep me from traveling for other work that i do.
* maybe go back to school for an msw. this would mean re-taking the gre, possibly taking extra social science courses to prepare, and figuring out a way to pay for it because i don't want to take anymore loans. it's something i would love to do because it would expand professional opportunities in areas i am already working in, but it would also be extremely hard on my body and mind. it would take at least two more years in grad school. and i'm not sure i want to do it while my partner is also thinking of pursuing a nursing degree.