Goal setting as a process of individual career planning and career success relationship

The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between career success and goal setting as a process of individual career planning. After reviewing the literature, firstly career and career planning concepts were defined, than individual career planning and goal setting processes are handled. Secondly, goal concept and its effects on individual and work life domain is discussed. Finally career success concept and factors effecting career success were discussed.In this study survey instrument was used to collect data from the white collar workers of a private company founded in İstanbul. In order to measure worker?s career planning and goal setting attitudes Gould?s Career Planning Scale was used. Career success was measured with objective varibales like salary, promotion and status and with career satisfaction scale as a subjective variable. Finally questions were asked to measure how much effective are internal factors on goal setting in career planning.The results indicate that sociodemographic variables, like sex, age and education were significantly related with objective career success but not with subjective career success. On the other hand individual career planning and goal setting had a positive but low effect on objective career success while had a significantly positive effect on subjective career success. In adition people considering internal factors more effective on goal setting were more satisfied with their careers than people not considering internal factors as effective on goal setting.Key words: Career planning, goal setting, career success.