This hub offers a sample five-year career development plan. When designing your own career development, your career development plan should include the following:

a. Career development goals and objectives
b. Possible promotional opportunities for career growth and development
c. Methods for career management
d. An inventory of current skills, abilities, training, and education
e. Job satisfaction attributes
f. Identification of several action steps to reaching stated career goals and objectives
g. Identification of potential barriers to reaching stated career goals
h. Analyze the affect of career training programs (cost analysis)

Career Development Plan

1) Career Development Goals and Objectives -

To make over 100,000 per year.
To work in an environment that satisfies me, and will allow me to come home happy.
To work in a management role... or, to have people working for me.

Important Questions to Ask:

• Can I achieve my Career Development Goals at my current company, and with my current education?

2) Possible promotional opportunities when planning career growth and development-

To be promoted to team leader, then manager, then area manager.

Important Questions to Ask:

• Do the people in charge of promoting me to these positions view me as a person capable of performing the required responsibilities?
• Am I a person of consideration for any current promotions?
• What are the people in charge of promotions looking for, are these traits I posses?
• If I left this company, would I still need to make the same changes for career advancement?

3) Methods for career management & planning a course for career development-

Promotion within the company I work for.
Better job at another company.
Better Pay at another company with more opportunity for education and advancement.
Training and Education that qualify me for promotional opportunities.

4) An inventory of current skills, abilities, training, and education -

Sales ability, Experience on Computer Systems, Diploma, Degree in _____, Volunteer Work in Leadership Role, Accepts Additional Work Assignments and Opportunities, On-the-job Training.

Questions to Ask

• What other qualifications are easily attainable?
• What leadership experience, sales experience, etc. would make me more capable of performing the position I want?

5) Job satisfaction attributes -

Pay, Management, Comfortable level of Pressure, Benefits, Location, Schedule

6) Identification of several action steps to reaching stated career goals, plans and objectives -
Work on College Degree,
Ask person responsible for promotions what characteristics they are looking for
Review Job Requirements for Desired Positions... review against your requirements and work to fill in the gaps

7) Identification of potential barriers to reaching stated career plan-
Time, Money (for education), Lack of follow through, Too few positions available,

8) Analyze the affect of career training program-
Are the people who have completed these career training programs more likely to receive the career advancement you desire?