A new year is here, and it’s the perfect time to reflect on last year and create goals for 2023. Setting tangible goals for the year ahead will help you determine the steps to achieving them. Making plans is also a way to motivate yourself and help you focus on the direction you want to take.

In this article, we’ll share our top tips on goal setting for students looking to achieve career success in the wealth management industry.

How to set wealth management career goals

If you’re a college student working toward a career in wealth management, setting goals is a great way to get focused and ensure you’re making progress in achieving your dreams.

Outline your goals

Start by outlining some of your wealth management career goals. Here are some tips:

• Consider creating SMART goals which are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely.
• Write your goals down on paper. Numerous studies have shown that writing your goals down helps you focus on what you want to achieve and even get closer to accomplishing it!

Creating SMART goals, and writing them down, will help you focus on the precise steps you need to take to achieve them.

Research related opportunities

Informing yourself on how to reach your goals will make the work a little easier. Here are some ideas:

• Research opportunities that may help you reach your goals, such as getting an internship or learning more about a firm you are interested in working with. Specifically, research which firms are leaders in DEI if that’s important to you.
• You may also research networking opportunities. Meeting new people, especially in the financial industry, can get you closer to that dream career.

Start working toward your goals

It’s important to actively make time and effort toward achieving your dreams, and hold yourself accountable.

• Create calendar reminders for upcoming deadlines. You don’t want to miss a deadline to submit a resume, an internship application, a class signup, etc. And consider putting in reminders a week early, not just on the deadline.
• Connect with other students working towards the same goals and work to help keep each other on track. This could be with students in your finance classes or related groups on campus.
• Use professional networking platforms like LinkedIn to leverage your current contacts, reach new ones, and get closer to career-related opportunities.

Set aside regular time to check-in with yourself regarding your goal progress. Are you on track to reaching your goals? Do you need to change timelines or seek extra help to get back on track? Staying on top of your progress will help you reach benchmarks in a timely manner.

Whether you’re just beginning to study wealth management or in the final semesters of school, there are ways to create measurable goals for the coming year. Now’s the time to reflect on the last year and set yourself up for future success.

If you’re looking for an internship, check out the Careers tab on our website, and stay in touch with us to hear about upcoming events and opportunities!