Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

We all have goals, aims, ambitions, and dreams. But having focused, achievable future goals and structuring your efforts towards achieving them is necessary. Any important decision you make concerning your career should be aligned with your goals. And many interviewers will assess this by asking you ‘Where do you see yourself in 5 years?’

For Example – If you are taking up a job in the Finance Sector and you want to be a Mortgage SME or housing Loan SME in the next 5 years, you need to pick the company where you feel you will be able to grow and reach that place in the next few years.

This is one of the most common questions that arise during goal-setting. We want so much in life, and we don’t know where to start. The easy way here is to begin with thinking about the bigger picture of your life and career goals, and then divide them into smaller achievable goals that you can work towards.

Keep your goals SMART.

Set Smaller Goals - Divide your goals into multiple smaller goals because this will help you set your objectives in a structured and targeted manner.

Write Them Down - Make a note of your goals so you do not lose your sense of direction at any given point.

Prioritize Your Goals - You may have multiple goals in mind, but you need to prioritize which one is most important to start with, and arrange them as stepping stones to finally reach your destination.

Be Precise - Do not set unachievable or vague goals. Instead, be precise in what you want to achieve. Goals should be such that they can be measured and tracked.

Add Timelines Against Each Goal - This is important since it is human nature to procrastinate. If we have timelines against each goal, we will have a target time to achieve it and it will be easier to focus on.

Track Your Goals - It is easier to track and gauge your performance and where you stand against the set goal when you have measurable goals. This structured approach will help you change your objectives or way of working whenever you feel that you are lagging behind or moving away from pursuing your goals.

The next time you get the question, ‘Where do you see yourself in 5 years?’ think back on the above points and give your best answer!