A lot of us take up jobs and within a while, find ourselves going into the 'where is my career going' phase. It is kind of unnerving at that time, though it may just be a passing phase. But, such a situation arises when we fail to plan the career goals we wanted to achieve within a given time limit. So, the best solution to avoid entering such a phase and expending tons of energy getting through it is to draft at least a basic career development plan, so that you have a rough idea about what you want to achieve within a specific period. Here, we provide you with a simple career development plan template that you can use to create your plan. How to Draft a Career Development Plan To be able to draft an effective career development plan, you have to first decide what your career goals are. A lot of us find ourselves aimless, but there must be something that we see ourselves doing in the future. Even if you are performing a particular job just to gather finances to start up your dream business, having a career development plan will always aid you with it. Alternately, if you wish to move up the ladder even within your organization, there are definitely some steps that you will have to take to get there. So, what goes into a career development plan? What goes into a career development plan, largely depends on your personal choice. It can be as detailed or as rough as you want it to be. As long as it gives you a perspective of the bigger picture, any template for a career development plan can be helpful. Developing a career plan should be viewed as a long term process, a document that will keep evolving as your time passes and as you continue achieving your career goals. It can include the motivators that drive you toward your goals, the values you would like to keep in mind while you are trying to achieve them, and the resources you are going to use to get there. It could also include your key strengths and your weaknesses, and areas where you have to put in that extra effort to get better toward goal achievement. Also, this plan has to be before you at all times, so that whenever you find yourself questioning what you are doing, you can look at it and remind yourself of what you have set out to achieve. It will also help you monitor your progress and growth over time.

Career Development Plan Template

Name: Position: Duration (Position Occupied): Date:

Indicators Description Personal Mission Statement This is where you will provide an overview of your goals and a method by which you will achieve them. Motivators What motivates you to perform better? Teamwork, leadership, challenging situations, pressure, etc. Key Strengths What is it within you that will drive you toward success? Areas of Improvement Enlist areas where you can work to enhance your skills and abilities better. Don't be too harsh on yourself. Just be realistic. Short-Term Career Goals Goals Development Areas Measures Resources Time Duration Success Enlist the goals you would like to achieve within the near future, say within one to two years. Enlist the skills you need to develop to achieve these goals. Enlist the steps you have to take toward achieving the goals. What kind of resources do you intend to use to achieve your goal? Finances, additional help, contacts, networking, time, etc. How much time are you going to give yourself to achieve each goal? Evaluate your success in terms of the values and skills you have developed towards goal achievement, the goals you have achieved, or how close you have been toward achieving the goal. Long-Term Career Goals Goals Development Areas Measures Resources Time Duration Success Enlist the goals you would like to achieve in the long run, say within three to five years. Enlist the skills you need to develop to achieve these goals. Enlist the steps you have to take toward achieving the goals. What kind of resources do you intend to use to achieve your goal? Finances, additional help, contacts, networking, time, etc. How much time are you going to give yourself to achieve each goal? Evaluate your success in terms of the values and skills you have developed towards goal achievement, the goals you have achieved, or how close you have been toward achieving the goal.

To this template, you can add or deduct whatever you like, so that it suits your personal needs. As mentioned earlier, every time you find yourself feeling weak or unable to perform a particular job, look at this career development plan, and muster all the strength and motivation you need to see yourself through. Good luck!