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Most highly successful individuals do not achieve their positions of prominence by happenstance or luck. Even though the stars may seem to align for some figures, their stories often show that they had a dream and, more importantly, a plan to make it happen. From Oprah Winfrey to Steve Jobs, the majority of today’s titans got to where they are today with a plan, fortitude and determination.
While you may not aspire to become a celebrity or public figure, creating a roadmap for career development is essential for professional progress. Ahead, we discuss what a career development plan is and how you can create one in five simple steps.
What Is a Career Development Plan?
A career development plan, also called a career management plan, is a guide that outlines the steps you can take to reach your career goals. There is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to creating a career development plan because it should be unique to each person’s goals.
Good career development plans include actionable steps with short-, medium- and long-term benchmarks. That way, you will have a clear understanding of the actions you need to complete and a way to track your progress.
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Get Industry leading insights from Robert F. Smith directly in your LinkedIn feed.
How to Create a Career Development Plan in 5 Steps
1. Think About Your Current Position
2. Identify Your End Goal
After you consider what you like and dislike about your current position, you can use that information to set a long-term goal(s). Start by brainstorming what you want to achieve in the next five to ten years. For example, if you want to become the vice president of a department at a company, you should add that to your plan as a long-term goal.
If you find it easier, start by setting goals in smaller increments. Consider setting goals for the next year or two. Once you establish your big goal, it is easier to see the incremental steps you need to take to make that goal a reality.
3. Research the Position and Consider Areas for Improvement
To create the steps necessary to reach your goal, research the skills and actions required to get there. Start by reviewing the required skills in comparable job descriptions. Another option is scheduling time to talk to someone who is currently in your desired position about their career journey. Find out what steps they took and what skills they used or acquired to move forward. If you want to discuss their career path and how you can develop a long-term plan to reach your goal, consider mentorship.
After gathering information about required skills, reflect on current strengths and weaknesses, and identify gaps in your skills and knowledge. Having a solid understanding of your weaknesses will help you build a plan that includes professional development to close those gaps. If you actively work to overcome your shortcomings, you will be better equipped to handle new challenges as you progress toward your goal.
4. Create a Strategy to Achieve Your Goals
After researching and collecting information about the steps needed to reach a goal, it is time to craft a plan. There are several approaches you can use to create goals for a professional development plan. One of the best ways to create realistic goals is by using the SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound) goal template. The template guides you through the creation of thoughtful goals that meet the requirements of each letter of the acronym.
Another method you can use is writing an action plan. This type of plan requires you to set a series of smaller, task-oriented goals related to gaining or improving the skills you need to achieve the goal. For each step, you should include dates that serve as benchmarks along the path toward accomplishing each of your goals. Creating a series of measurable smaller tasks will go a long way toward helping you achieve your career goals.
5. Check Progress
Periodically reviewing the status of your career development plan is essential. That is because it is an opportunity to ensure accountability and focus. A periodic evaluation of your goals offers the opportunity to adjust the plan if your circumstances change.
The timing of these reviews can be daily, weekly or monthly, depending on your preference or work style. If you lack motivation, you may want to consider reviewing the status of your goals more often to hold yourself accountable.
To learn more about career development and other help topics, follow philanthropist and entrepreneur Robert F. Smith on LinkedIn.
