A job interview will not consist of simple questions all the time. Sometimes you have to face difficult ones too. One frequently asked HR interview question is “What are your short term and long term goals?” While there can be plenty of goals in your career, you have to carefully pick the relevant ones to talk about during your interview.

Prepare confidently! Here’s the complete list of 53 commonly asked HR interview questions and answers.

Structuring your answer according to the needs of the organization is a good way to approach this question. You can prepare a list to answer the question ‘What are Your Short Term and Long Term Goals?’ in your mind. Be positive while answering. Your confidence shows your determination to move ahead in your career. Similarly, avoid exaggeration. It can possibly make the answer lame. Here are ten sample answers to help you prepare confidently.

Possible Answer #1

“I have always categorized my career into short term and long term goals. It is beneficial as well as promising. I have worked for several years on the same principle. Surely I have a list of goals prepared for this job position. My short-term goals are fairly simple. I want to settle down in the new work environment as quickly as I can. It is necessary to adapt oneself to a new environment for better performance. Apart from this, my long-term goals are to grow into the job. Progress is the key. I want to see myself extracting every single drop of experience as I move ahead. These are not just goals but a guideline that I have to follow. In the end, it can be advantageous to me as well as this organization.”

Possible Answer #2

“To be honest, I have always seen this job as an answer to my career objectives. It would not be wrong to say that I had set up goals to reach this position. Now that I have achieved those, I look forward to setting up new objectives. As a short-term goal, I see myself gaining trust and credibility. If I can be reliable within a short period of time, I can be trusted with various new tasks. While the short-term goal can be achieved within the initial years, my long term goals are related to my development in upcoming years. I want to see myself taking bigger responsibilities. Bigger responsibilities mature your decision making. I understand this can take some time but I am ready to work for the cause. These goals would always be motivating me to achieve new heights.”

Possible Answer #3

“For what it seems, objectives determine your growth in any field. During my graduation years, I did not emphasize much on goals and objectives. After a certain point of time, I understood how important it is to set up targets. Otherwise, I would be lost in the dark. I have set up both short term and long term goals to enlighten my path. Initially, I want to learn the basics of working in a corporate environment. It is important to know the right and wrong. As I work on this goal, I will plan on my long-term objective as well. I picture myself having grown in the field and dealing with clients on a higher level. To deal with the bigger clients is what I have in mind. It can take a while but I have plenty of things to learn initially. I hope I can stand firm on my ground in the upcoming years.”

Possible Answer #4

“I have been in this field for a few years now. I have set up an overall short term and long term goal for my career. Following a similar pattern here, I have added few points to the goals. As a short-term targets, I want myself to utilize the entire set of skills I possess. In the past years, I haven’t been able to use my full potential. This job opportunity has given me the chance to test my skills to the full. Elaborating my long-term plans, I want to take up leadership responsibilities. Like, being in charge of a team for a certain task. While I will work on the long-term plans, the short-term goals can pave the way for it. I am confident that I can help myself to accomplish these objectives.”

Possible Answer #5

“I have kept my short-term goals fairly simple. As I went through the job description for this position, I set up the goals to achieve the required targets mentioned in the description. I want to deliver more than what is expected of me. As for the long-term goal, I seek bigger targets so that I can continuously test myself. Bigger targets can be tough. I need to shape myself during these initial years so that when the bigger targets are set, I can deliver the best outcomes. I have decided to work on these principles.”

Possible Answer #6

“My take on short term and long term goals is pretty clear. The long-term goals constitute of short-term goals. Let me explain this a bit. In short-term goals, I want to learn multiple sets of skills and master them. I can do this by working on various tasks from different fields with an experienced team. As soon as I feel that I am efficient in multiple skills, my long-term goal comes into play. I want to be assigned different responsibilities which suit my wide range of skills. To be able to give results in different sectors can be a fruitful way to progress in my career. You can see that the short term and long term goals are correlated. It is how I want them to inspire me.”

Possible Answer #7

“Being a fresher, my short-term targets relate to breaking into this field. I have to gain knowledge and experience while I work during these initial years. For a beginner, short-term goals play an important role. They help in shaping the career’s path. My long-term plans are simple and straightforward. I want to move through the ranks and perform my duties as a team leader. While the short-term goals are a priority now, the long-term plans will ignite my desire to work hard in this field.”

Possible Answer #8

“I have worked in this particular field for a while now. I set up goals to test myself accordingly. Here, my short-term targets remain basic. I will work on the tasks assigned to yield the expected outcomes. The targets are clear in the job description. Further, as I settle down here, I want to take more part in decision making roles. I see myself involved in bigger responsibilities, taking tougher decisions which can benefit the organization. For the sake ofmutual growth, I have to work with the experience I have accumulated in all these years.”

Possible Answer #9

“For any career-oriented individual, short term and long term goals play a major role. Working in a corporate atmosphere can teach you to set up targets. For me, the targets are interrelated. As for now, I want to work with the team offering my full cooperation. Contributing new ideas and sharing my experience are my initial steps. In the future, I want to guide new recruits to the work environment. Helping them settle down in this field can benefit the organization as well as my abilities. These are the goals I want to achieve in the near future.”

Possible Answer #10

“When I read about an opening in this esteemed organization, I prepared a blueprint of things I want to accomplish with this job. Let me get this straight, I have a little experience and a room for improvement. So, my primary goal is to obtain as much knowledge about different circumstances as I can. “Never stop the learning process” is my short-term goal. Moving on to the bigger objective, I am aware of the opportunities for advancements given in this organization. I want to progress through my hard work and attain a new set of accomplishments in the coming years. I am sure these two would go hand in hand to bring out the best in me.”

These answers can help you figure out your idea of short-term and long-term goals. You have to keep your answer relevant to the job description. To enhance the impact, you can interrelate your short term and long term goals. If you are able to visualize your plans with confidence, the doors of the organization will open. Be crystal clear with your plans. Do not forget to add a little modesty. All the best!