3 steps to create your own career development plan

If you're thinking about how to achieve your career goals, there are a few simple steps that will help you create your own career plan.

Don't let the word "simple" confuse you. Sometimes the simplest concepts or steps can be difficult because they require intense thought and effort. However, your time and effort are an investment in your future and professional happiness, which is why it's worth planning your professional development today.

1 . Figure out your goal

As with any endeavor, you need to be clear about your direction when creating your own professional development plan. You don't go on a journey without knowing where you want to end up. You don't need to overcomplicate this task either. I think the following questions are helpful in getting clear on your goal.

Where do you want your career to be in two years?

• I like this question because this window is so close to your current reality that it is easy to visualize.

Where do you want your career to be in five years?

• If you see that your two-year goal is just a step in a general direction, then this question will help you define a longer-term professional development goal. Sometimes it's difficult to look so far into the future because life and other opportunities come along and can cause you to put your plans on hold. That's fine, but it's good to be "two steps ahead."

What makes these goals so interesting for you?

• Don't set a goal just for the sake of a goal. You need a goal that motivates you to take action. If you set a goal based on what other people want, it won't be particularly compelling for you either. When you are clear about your direction, you need to be clear that that direction is inspiring and motivating and know what drives you towards it.

2. Conduct a gap analysis

A gap analysis is where you identify the skill gaps between where you are now and your two-year goal or next step. A job posting or job description for the position you are applying for is a good way to get specific information about the expected skills and experience. I think it's good to get more than one job description (perhaps one from your company and one from a competitor) to make sure you don't miss any important points in your analysis.

Go through the job description line by line and evaluate how your current skills, education or experience match the information provided. Your scoring system can be as simple as 1-10, where 10 represents a perfect match and 1 represents a complete lack. During the assessment, take notes on your thought process for future reference.

Once you have completed this exercise, identify any points that require some to major development. Look for similarities and group them into a category. You will find that there are topics for your gaps.

Also, don't get too obsessive if you don't think you're perfect for each other, but rather think you're pretty good for each other. developed skills. If these points are largely present, they will make you a competitive candidate and should not require too much development work. You now have a list of development points.

3. Create your development plan

You now have a clear two-year goal in mind and know exactly where and what you need to develop to achieve your goal. Your plan will be best if you can consult with your boss and/or a mentor to help you with ideas on how to acquire the necessary skills.

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Some of the items on your list need to be completed in a logical order. Sometimes you have to do X before you can do Y. Put these items at the top so you can get these things done and move on to others. There are usually several ways to acquire the skills needed for professional development.

You may also want to have multiple opportunities to hone your skills to deepen them. If you e.g. For example, if you want to get a job in project management, you should get certified and also apply for project tasks. At first they may just be small tasks, but that's okay because they give you the opportunity to grow and learn. Additionally, you may need to explore different options to acquire the skills you need for your professional development.

Once you've completed your research, you'll have ideas on how to address these points. You need appointments. You have to stick to your plan yourself. And the best way to do this is to set a “start date”.

You can't predict how long or how much you'll have to work to develop the skills to the level you need, but you have control over the actions you take to get started. Keep track of things. You must address your professional development plan at least twice a year. This allows you to focus on your progress and remember the next steps.

Career development is one thing that can be easy to forget about until you wake up one day and realize you're stuck and not having fun. You are responsible for where you go in your career. With a little planning you can achieve great things.