Definition
SMART goals are objectives written to be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound. The checklist turns a vague aim such as 'improve hiring' into a target with a clear measure and a deadline, which makes progress easy to track and review.
What SMART stands for
Specific means the goal says exactly what will change, for whom and where. Measurable means there is a number or observable outcome that shows whether it was met. Achievable means it is stretching but possible with the time, budget and skills available. Relevant means it supports a team or business priority rather than sitting in isolation. Time-bound means it has a deadline or review date.
The letters vary between sources. Some use Attainable instead of Achievable, Realistic instead of Relevant, or Timely instead of Time-bound. The intent is the same.
The same discipline works in hiring: name the skills a role needs, then check them with pre-hire skills tests rather than reading CVs for clues.
Where the SMART framework came from
The acronym is usually traced to George T. Doran, a former corporate planning director, who set it out in a short 1981 article in Management Review about writing management objectives. His original letters stood for Specific, Measurable, Assignable, Realistic and Time-related. Assignable, meaning a named person is responsible, has dropped out of most modern versions, though it is still worth keeping in practice. Doran also noted that not every objective can be quantified.
A SMART goal example
A vague goal: 'Hire faster.' A SMART version: 'Reduce average time to hire for customer support roles from 40 days to 30 days by 31 March, by sending every applicant the same skills test in the first week.'
It is specific (customer support roles), measurable (days to hire), achievable (a ten-day cut with a defined method), relevant (if support is short-staffed, faster hiring matters to the business) and time-bound (31 March). Anyone can check at the deadline whether it was met.
In performance reviews, this is the real benefit. Manager and employee share the same picture of success before the period starts, so the review discusses whether the agreed result was reached, and if not, why. Note alongside each goal how it will be supported, such as training or budget, so that achievable is a shared commitment rather than an assumption.
Common mistakes with SMART goals
The checklist can make a poor goal look rigorous. A goal can tick every letter and still measure the wrong thing, such as the number of interviews held rather than the quality of the people hired. Teams also set safe targets they know they will hit, because achievable is easily read as easy.
SMART says nothing about how many goals to set. A short list of meaningful goals is easier to focus on than a long one. Review progress during the period, not only at the end, and rewrite a goal when the business situation changes.
Frequently asked questions
SMART is an acronym for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound. A SMART goal passes all five tests: it states exactly what will be done, how success is measured, that it is realistic, why it matters and by when. It is a checklist for writing clear objectives.
The idea is usually credited to George T. Doran, who described S.M.A.R.T. objectives in Management Review in 1981. His version used Assignable, Realistic and Time-related for the last three letters. Later writers swapped in Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound, which is the version most people use today.
'Cut average time to hire for support roles from 40 to 30 days by 31 March by using one standard skills test in the first week.' It names the scope, the measure, a realistic target, the method and a deadline, so anyone can check at the end whether it was met.
Related terms
Part of the springhire HR glossary.
