Keep your career momentum by updating and executing your professional development plan. Naturally, many people don’t know what this is (and ambitious people do it without labeling it). It is a formal professional plan; a written outline of career goals combined with a map and timeline to attain them. Many large companies have a process for this, but few supervisors or businesses take it seriously enough to actually advance your career. Like everything else, it is solely up to you to build, and act upon, your own professional development plan.
The most difficult step is starting. First, you need to select a vision or activities you enjoy and have an aptitude around and select several industries and geographic areas where those activities are best rewarded. While these may change over time, you must have a thoroughly consider your target as a starting point. The second step is to list the job and leadership skills that will be needed. Then write out those steps and target dates to acquire those skills. You’ll need to determine:
- How you will acquire skills and certifications
- How much it will cost
- The amount of weekly time required
- What other support or mentorship you may need
- How will you measure progress
The third step is taking action to accomplish your personal plan. By having a written plan, you can review your results each month or quarter and make any adjustments moving forward. There is a career satisfaction and pay gap between people that use a professional development plan and those that do not. Which side of this gap do you want to be on?