How to Answer the Question “What Are Your Short-Term and Long-Term Goals?

Be it a fresher or an experienced candidate, you have to encounter a very basic interview question: “What are your short-term and long-term goals?” Do you have any idea about how to answer such a simple question? This question might sound simple, but framing a perfect answer to this question might sound like an interesting and tricky task.

While posing the question “What are your short-term and long-term goals?” the interviewer is expecting to expose your future career plans. The major objective of this question is to identify the career vision of the potential candidate sitting in front of the interviewer.

Sounds simple! But is it simple? No. You have to frame the answer to this question in a logical way that aligns with the career aspirants and planning. By answering this question, you have to make the interviewer believe that you have high career motivations that can distinguish you from other candidates.

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You can also talk about how you are planning to incorporate new career visions suitable for the future growth of your company.

The answer to the question “What are your short-term and long-term goals?” should be properly structured, aligned, and balanced with more focus on the career plans and desire for career advancements. Read more on how to structure a polished answer to the question “What are your short-term and long-term goals? Here!

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Difference Between Short-Term and Long-Term Goals

Are you able to answer questions such as:

What are short-term goals? What about long-term goals? What are the differences between short-term goals and long-term goals? Why are short-term and long-term goals important?

Is it aligned with your career aspirations? If not? You have to gain a crystal-clear understanding of the key fundamentals of short-term and long-term goals. If you have an idea about both, you can frame a short yet compelling response to this question.

Short-Term Goals

Short-term goals can be achieved within a limited period. It talks about the nearest goal possible that you wish to achieve in your life. While you talk about short-term goals, it can be about a goal that you wish to accomplish within six months or one year.

The short-term goals explore the growth opportunities of a candidate and how well they are trained to achieve the desired outcomes. Your short-term goals explore your ambition to develop a new skill, complete a crash course, prepare for the test, have a job interview, attend a workshop, do internship projects, get certifications, and gain experience in the industry. Your short term can also help to develop yourself for better opportunities.

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Long-Term Goals

A long-term goal focuses on the goal that you keep in mind to achieve within a period of 5 to 10 years. The long-term goal focuses on the professional growth of the candidates.

You can aspire to achieve a new career title, acquire more financial stability, gain more experience and knowledge in your desired field, pursue entrepreneurship, etc. The long-term goal always focuses on life success. Based on your experience and expertise, the long-term goal focuses on career growth and vision.

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How to Structure Your Answer

A structured response makes you a better candidate with more career goals and visions. You have to structure your answer in a way to creates a lasting impression in the mind of the interviewer. You have to be very careful to deliver your answers with clarity and precision.

Your answer to the question “What are your short-term and long-term goals?” should align with your desire to grow. Your answer should show professionalism. Here is the key guidance to answer the question, What are your short-term and long-term goals?” with more confidence:

• Introduce your answer with more confidence.
• Frame an answer beforehand.
• Start your answer with your basic career goals.
• Describe briefly your career objectives in common.
• Never talk about the same things written in your resume.
• Mention your short-term career goals.
• Explain your ambitions to acquire more skills.
• Make sure that you mention the immediate career path that you wish to pursue.
• Talk about the experience you wish to achieve.

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• Slowly change your topic to the long-term goals.
• Describe the link between your short-term and long-term goals.
• Mention your long-term career objectives.
• Make the interviewer understand your alignment with the goals and company objectives.
• Associate your desired job role with your career aspirations.
• Keep your answers simple.
• Be specific while answering the question.
• Never complicate your answers.
• Show enthusiasm while answering the question.
• Make the interviewer understand that you are a dedicated employee with strong career aspirations.

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Best Sample Answers for Different Scenarios

Know how to frame sample answers to the question, What are your short-term and long-term goals?” here!

Your answer to the question “What are your short-term and long-term goals?” should align with the current situation. You should express three key points while answering the question.

• Alignment with growth
• Determination to acquire experience
• Enthusiasm to learn
• Logical approach
• Confidence to face challenges

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If you are a fresher, make sure that you frame your answer thus:

“My short-term goal is to improve the quality and expertise in the industry and achieve more industry-driven opportunities. My long-term goal is to take the leadership positions and lead a team together to the successful growth of the company.”

Intermediate professionals

“My short-term goal is to expand my portfolio and create more inclusive opportunities for career growth. As for my long-term goal, I wish to reach more career heights by exploring new levels of professional growth. I am striving hard to achieve more skills to speed up my career explorations”.

Experienced professionals

“Developing and improving my skills in dealing with prestigious projects is my short-term goal. In the long term, I wish to push my limits and desire to grow to lead in managerial roles”.

While answering such a question, you need to be very vigilant. Make sure that your answer reflects your confidence about your career prospects. You have to align your expectations with your level of dedication and hard work. Your answer should expose your flexibility to work even in challenging situations.

With proper guidance, you can answer this question more effectively. Your language should be remarkably simple and easy for the interviewer to understand your goals and aspirations.

Entri’s spoken English training will allow you to explore the language’s intricacies and help you frame more realistic and authentic answers. The expert team at Entri will equip you to answer this question more skillfully. The daily practice sessions and conversations with mentors will aid you in talking like a professional. Join Entri’s exclusive training experts now!