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Your career development plan can have a profound impact on your career, especially if you’re thinking about how you put one together.

In today’s competitive job market, it’s more important than ever to have a clear plan to help you achieve your career goals.

It might feel like a daunting process to create a plan, but it can actually be quite simple.

Your career development plan is like a roadmap that helps you map out your goals, develop the skills and experience you need to achieve those goals, and track your progress over time. 

Read on to get the 10 simple steps you can take to create a career development plan that will help you achieve your most ambitious career goals.

Your Career Development Plan in 10 Steps

1. Assess your skills, interests, and experiences. 

The first step in creating a career development plan is to take an honest assessment of your existing skills and interests. 

What are you good at? What do you enjoy doing? Do you know what skills you have that would be valuable in your chosen field? What experience do you have that would make you a competitive candidate for jobs? 

Once you have a good understanding of your strengths and weaknesses, you can start to identify career paths that are a good fit for you. Additionally, you can use this information to help you identify the areas where you need to develop further.

Be honest with yourself about your skills and experience, and you’ll be able to develop a realistic plan.

Psst… if you need help uncovering your innate skills and talents, I recommend reading Strengths Finder which comes with a free personality test when you buy the book new!

2. Research different career options. 

Once you have a general idea of what you want to do, it’s time to start researching different career options. 

There are a number of resources available to help you with this, including online career assessments, job boards, and career counseling services.

If you need some inspiration, then consider checking out a few of these articles: 

• Career Fields on Fire: 50 Top Careers to Consider
• 63 Passion Projects to FIRE Your Life
• 11 Best Careers for Introverts
• Top 10 Careers You Can Work From Home 

3. Set short-term and long-term career goals. 

Once you’ve done some research, it’s time to set some specific career goals. 

What do you want to achieve in your career? What kind of work do you want to do? How long do you want it to take you to reach your goals? Make sure your goals are realistic, but once you have your goals in mind, you can start to develop a plan to achieve them.

Your goals should be SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. This will help you track your progress and stay on track.

For example, a short-term goal might be to take a course to improve your skills, while a long-term goal might be to get promoted to a management position in your field.

Psst… for tips on setting SMART goals, read my article: Your Career Can Benefit from Setting SMART Goals: 6 Reasons Why + 7 Simple Ways to Get Started.

4. Research your target industry.

Once you know what you want to do and what skills you need, it’s time to research your target industry. Is it one you’re working in currently, or is it a new industry for you entirely?

What are the trends in your target industry? Do you know what skills are in demand? What are the challenges and opportunities facing the industry? 

By researching your target industry, you can gain a better understanding of the landscape and make informed decisions about your career path. This will also help you get a better understanding of what it takes to be successful.

5. Develop a plan and a timeline to achieve your goals.

Once you know what you want to achieve, it’s time to develop a plan to make it happen. 

This plan should include specific and clear steps that you need to take, as well as a timeline for achieving your goals. This will help you stay motivated and on track as you make progress toward them. 

Your plan may include things like taking courses, networking, and gaining experience.

For example, if your goal is to get promoted to a management position in three years, you might create a timeline that includes taking a course on management, networking with other managers, and volunteering for leadership opportunities.

Psst… if you need a handy tool to help you keep track of your goals, I recommend using ClickUp.

6. Identify the resources you need.

Achieving your career goals will require resources, such as time, money, and support. 

Make a list of the resources you need and identify how you’re going to get them. 

For example, if you need to take a course to improve your skills, you might need to find a way to pay for it. Or, if you need to network with other professionals, you might need to attend industry events or join professional organizations.

7. Develop a network.

Your network is one of your most valuable assets when it comes to career development. 

Networking can help you learn about job opportunities, get your foot in the door, and gain valuable advice and support. Networking is also a great way to learn more about your target industry and meet people who can help you achieve your goals. 

There are many ways to network, such as attending industry events, joining professional organizations, and connecting with people on social media (I personally use LinkedIn quite a bit for professional networking).

Don’t be afraid to reach out to people you admire in your field!

8. Take action. 

The most important step in any career development plan is to take action. Without action, your carefully thought-out career development plan is useless.

This means setting aside time each week to work on your goals, even if it’s just for a few minutes. The more effort you put into your plan, the more likely you are to achieve your goals.

Plus the sooner you start, the sooner you’ll reach your destination.

9. Get feedback. 

Get feedback on your career development plan from those that can offer valuable insights and suggestions to help you stay on track.

You might ask for feedback from your manager, mentors, or friends and family. Feedback from others can help you identify any areas where your plan needs improvement.

10. Review your plan regularly. 

Your career development plan should be a living document. As you learn and grow, you’ll need to update your plan to reflect your changing goals, interests, skills, and experiences. 

Review and update your plan regularly to make sure it’s still relevant and achievable. That way you can ensure everything is still on track!

Creating a career development plan is an important step in achieving your career goals. By following these 10 steps, you can create a plan that will help you reach your full potential.

Additional Tips to Create a Successful Career Development Plan

Here are some additional tips to help you succeed in your career goals:

Celebrate your successes. 

As you achieve your goals, be sure to celebrate your successes. This will help you stay motivated and keep moving forward.

Be flexible. 

Things don’t always go according to plan. That’s why it’s important to be flexible and adaptable. If your circumstances change, be prepared to adjust your plan accordingly.

It’s ok if your goals change over time! My own goals changed considerably over the years.

Don’t give up. 

There will be times when you feel discouraged or want to give up, but it’s important to remember that anything worth achieving takes hard work and dedication. 

Achieving your career goals takes time, effort, and persistence. There will quite likely be setbacks along the way. As long as you keep at it, you will eventually reach your destination.

Don’t give up on your dreams, and keep working towards your goals!

Be specific.

Remember to set SMART goals (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound).

Be realistic. 

Be kind to yourself and focus on setting realistic, achievable goals. Don’t set yourself up for failure by setting unrealistic goals.

Be persistent. 

Don’t give up on your goals, even when things get tough.

Be positive. 

A positive attitude will help you stay motivated and focused on your goals.

Creating a career development plan is an important step in taking control of your career. By following these tips, you can create a plan that will help you achieve your goals and reach your full potential.

For more inspiration, here are some great goal quotes as you work toward your career goals.

Think creating a career development plan will FIRE Your Career? Check out the posts page for more ways you can FIRE Your Career and achieve financial freedom.

FIRE Your Career: Achieve Financial Freedom Through Your Career & Spend MORE Time Doing What You Love.

Products I recommend in this article:

Strengths Finder (book on uncovering your innate strengths)

ClickUp (project management software to keep track of your progress toward your goals)