A career development plan is a method of determining future goals for advancement in a chosen field. An employee’s plan could be something he or she comes up with on their own, with the help of a career counselor, or even with the help of a current employer. When trying to advance in a career, making a list of goals, as well as strategies for achieving those goals and a target completion date, can be a good start.
A career development plan can be started before college or, more commonly, when a person wants to change careers in their forties or get promoted to a higher position. To begin, visualize the desired outcome. Consider whether your goal is to learn skills for a specific trade, advance in management, or even start your own company. However, keep in mind that career development plans aren’t set in stone and can be changed at any time. They are only intended to serve as guidelines.
Once you’ve decided on your long-term objectives, it’s time to break them down into smaller steps. At this point, a realistic assessment of one’s current skills, abilities, and education is critical. This will show you your current qualifications as well as the areas where you need to improve. Keep in mind that the steps to achieve the goals can be formal or informal when making a list.
A list of classes to take, exams to pass, or certifications to obtain are all examples of formal steps. Informal steps could include doing research on the desired career or meeting with people to network. A career development plan should include any steps that appear to be necessary to help achieve the end goal. It’s a good idea to include a general deadline for completing the goals. This will not only help motivate you, but it will also help you remember important test dates or application deadlines.
A career development plan can be as long or as short as the situation requires. It is possible to achieve the goal in as little as one year or as long as five years. Setting small, attainable goals that can be easily achieved along the way will help you feel accomplished while also motivating you to work harder on the next step.