How to create a Career Development Action Plan

Date Posted: 04/4/2018

The Career Development Action Plan (CDAP) is a valuable tool for people who want to progress methodically through a particular career path.

The CDAP can help you:

• Sum up the career development data you have evaluated and simplified by carrying out exercises in all phases of a career development paradigm
• Provide a platform to converse with your manager concerning your career development.
• Provide a business plan for supervisors and employees to use in order to create activities that will enhance your skills, knowledge, and abilities.

We, at Ikon, a recruitment agency in the Philippines, have put together some steps for managers, HR personnel, and employees on how to create a career development action plan. We help you develop as a leader by providing you with the tools and resources you need to create a successful career development action plan.

For employees

1. Summarize your competence and skills

Writing about what you love about your job can help you communicate your interests, strengths, values, and preferences to your manager or supervisor. It can also help you remember what you need to do to develop your own skills.

2. Speak with Your manager/Supervisor

Always, you cannot do this alone, completing a career development action plan is a combined effort between employees and their supervisors. Show them the summary of your skills and competence and request for feedback. Such feedback should indicate your strengths and areas where you need to develop.

This will enhance your awareness and understanding of the company’s needs, expected turnover, technology changes, and so much more.

3. Set career goals

Consider your present position and that which you desire. Set your goals for the next year, two to five years, and five years or more. Also, discuss your long-term goals and determine ways that can help you achieve those goals while in your present job.

4. Identify your skills

• With your goals as a guide, identify the skills that you will need to grow.
• Map out the training that will help you expand those skills.
• Also consider the resources (time, money, etc.) that you will need to succeed.
• Put down the action processes you need to finish the activity.

5. Create milestone to measure your achievements

This is the most important step. If you want to improve your skills, you need to practice all the knowledge you have acquired and build your skills. Write down the steps you will need to complete the process. Schedule check-in meetings in order to report your status and receive feedback and guidance from your manager throughout the development activities.

6. Evaluate your CDAP consistently

In order to continue developing your skills and improve your job performance, it is important to review what you have learned with your supervisor. Your supervisor can help you identify which skills have been most beneficial and how you can use them in the future. Together, you can set new objectives and revise timelines and action steps as necessary.

For managers

A strategic and tactical plan provides your staff with clear direction and opportunities on ways to enhance their skills and enhance their careers. If your employees have the right skill set, they have the right tools to make your business grow. Encourage your employees to take advantage of the plan, and monitor their performance to ensure they are meeting your expectations.

Follow these important steps to make certain your staffs’ development plans are perfect.

Step 1: Consider your company’s business goals

• Align your employee’s development requirements with your organization’s business needs.
• Consider your short – and long-term business goals.
• When you have categorized your business goals, you can search for the basic skills, competencies, and knowledge that support those objectives.

Step 2: Speak with your employees

Never assume you know the career aspirations and skill level of your staff. Talk with them to get an understanding of what your employee’s career goals are.

Step 3: Recognize readiness vs. Potential

Whenever you examine your employees, always remember that there are disparities between readiness and potential. Readiness comes in various forms, such as skills, desire, and experience.

Note that not all staff wants to go into management. Employers often think that a great salesperson (Potential) will do well at managing a team of sale person (Readiness). Giving an employee a job he is not ready for will have damaging consequences.

Step 4: Consider all forms of development and training

Ascertain how your staff will acquire new skills. There are several cost-effective developmental programs like online courses will help your employees enhance their talents. Other forms of development better than an online course include:

• Special projects and Stretch assignments
• One-on-one mentoring and coaching

Step 5: Create a plan

Create a specific plan and timely goals. Consider what you need to do to put your staff’s plan into action. Before a new assignment or training begins, make certain your staff know why they are learning new skills, what they should learn and how it will benefit the organization and their careers.

After the training, help your staff apply the acquired skills in the company. In order for your organization to attain the highest return on investment, your staff needs to put their new skills and knowledge to work.

There you have it! These are basic tools and processes that will help you succeed in your current job, your future prospects, and how to measure all your actions.