What are your professional goals?
 

My professional goals:

1. Get my company's highest certification (means doing full paper and defense of that paper)
2. Write at least one technical book.

My goals:

• To be accepted into National Health Service Corps this fiscal year. I'll be able to work in a Health Professional Shortage Area and be free of my student loans.
• Get back into working with the clients I enjoy the most.
• Have my own office again (sounds silly but long story)
• Always be learning. Once that is gone I will know my passion for my career will be gone and I really don't want that to happen.

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! :thumbsup:

oh gawd, just had an hour long "development" meeting last week. we need to submit goals in another month I believe.

I do think if they'll reimburse the cost, I'll get a digital marketing certificate at NYU. Not sure if they'll cover non degree work and since I already have an MBA I think I'm done the official school stuff. :)

My goals are the next step in my plan for a master's degree and getting a job teaching that actually pays similarly to what I could make in the health care industry. . .

This year is a busy year . . .
1. Become a certified ICD-10 trainer, scheduled for July
2. Sit for and pass my RHIT, scheduled for June
3. Get a job making beaucoup dough so I can fiance the end of my degrees without student loans, (after 1 and 2)
4. Run ICD-10 training seminars around the US (after 1 and 2)

I am 42 years old. I had a very bad upbringing because of my gender identity and my parents lack of acceptance.. As a result, I was denied a good education to the point of where I dropped out of school because of the stresses at home and because of bullying.. I got my GED in 2000.

This year, I am starting classes to go for an AA degree with a main course of study being on the Japanese language. If I can go to a 4-year college, I will pursue East Asian Studies and Journalism or Mass Communications.

One of my professional goals is to work in Japan which would be a double challenge for me considering that I am over 40 and transgender. There's a lot of discrimination in Japan still, mainly around age and gender but things are getting better.

Good luck to everyone and I hope you all achieve your goals! (*^u^*)/

=m

My professional goals have changed as I have aged (whose haven't)...I actually did all of the being in charge of everything that I ever wanted to do, and now I would settle for playing Blackjack professionally for the rest of my life.

A girl can dream....:praying:

It's interesting that you asked this question because I've been thinking about this a great deal lately. I thought I was settled, although I did want to own my own business eventually. Then out of nowhere I applied to graduate school this week. I might not get accepted, but I decided that after being in business management for over 10 years that it's time for a change. I would like to work as a LMSW for a maximum security prison or at a VA hospital working with people that suffer from post traumatic stress disorder. The money won't be as good, but I think the work would be more satisfying.

I hear you on this...I can remember sitting at breakfast with my best friend and saying "If I'm ever going to get beyond where I am now...I either have to grow a penis, or get my Masters degree."

I chose going back to school. :cheesy:

Seriously, I have achieved many of my goals. I got my MBA and have a wonderful job that lets me work from home and have great flexibility in my life.

I'm enjoying project management work tremendously (it lets me use my pushy side to great advantage), and will be working on getting my professional certification in that field as well...especially since my company will provide the course work for free.

Other than that, I have always wanted to publish...and possibly teach...and that's next on my list. :)

-Finish my second BA

-Masters

-Phd

-Open my own gym, or at least enter a position at a more welcoming gym that would allow me to focus on training/providing an athletic/physical outlet for LGBT youth. Gyms are not always the most welcoming places for those who don't fit the norm, and fitness is so important in our age that I'd honestly like to provide a more welcoming physical space.

-Find a way to balance my love for academics, physical culture and incessant, sporadic travel :p

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

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!)

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!

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.

I have a dream......
 

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

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....

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.

long story
 

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

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

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...

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

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...

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.

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...

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.

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.