Work life · 6 min read
How do I write a career development plan?
How to write a career development plan that you'll actually use: a simple template, examples, how to agree it with your manager, and how to review it.
The short answer
A career development plan sets out where you want to get to, the skills and experiences you need, and the steps you'll take over the next 6 to 12 months. Keep it short: one direction or goal, two or three skills to build, the experiences that would build them (projects, stretch tasks, training, mentoring), the support you need, and how you'll measure progress. Share it with your manager, because most development happens through work, not courses. Review it every quarter. If you don't know your direction yet, make the first goal to test two options.
Key takeaways
- Keep it to one page: goal, skills, experiences, support, measures.
- Most development comes from work experiences, not courses.
- Agree it with your manager so opportunities come your way.
- Review it quarterly and adjust as you learn.
On this pageA one-page template
A one-page template
| Section | Question to answer | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Goal | Where do I want to be in 12 to 24 months? | Lead a small team in operations |
| Skills | What two or three skills do I need? | People management, budgeting |
| Experiences | Which projects or tasks build them? | Lead the Q2 rota project; mentor a new starter |
| Learning | Any training or reading? | First-line manager course |
| Support | Who can help? | Manager, a mentor in another team |
| Measures | How will I know it's working? | Feedback from the project; budget managed |
| Review | When will I check progress? | End of each quarter |
The 70-20-10 idea
A common rule of thumb in workplace learning is that most development comes from experience, some from other people, and a smaller share from formal training. The exact split is debated, but the lesson holds: plan experiences first, then add training.
Examples
| Situation | Goal | Key actions |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst wanting promotion | Senior analyst in a year | Own a monthly report; present to leadership |
| Engineer moving to management | Team lead in 18 months | Mentor two juniors; lead a project |
| Teacher exploring L&D | Test learning design | Design a staff training session; take a short course |
| Unsure of direction | Choose between two paths | Shadow both; talk to five people |
How to agree it with your manager
- Draft it first, so the conversation has a starting point.
- Explain how your development helps the team.
- Ask for specific opportunities, not general support.
- Agree review dates.
Common mistakes
- Too many goals: pick one direction and two or three skills.
- Only listing courses: plan experiences first.
- Writing it and forgetting it: put review dates in your calendar.
- Keeping it secret: managers can't help with what they don't know.
- Making it vague: "get better at leadership" needs a specific action.
Illustrative example
Femi, a customer service team member, wants to move into training. His plan for six months: deliver two onboarding sessions for new starters, complete a short course on adult learning, and shadow the L&D team for a day. He shares it with his manager, who adds him to the onboarding rota. Six months later he applies for an L&D coordinator role with real examples to discuss.
Questions people ask
- What should a career development plan include?
- A goal or direction, the skills and experience you need, actions with dates, support required, and how you'll measure progress.
- How long should a development plan cover?
- Six to twelve months is practical, with a longer-term direction in mind. Shorter plans are more likely to be acted on.
- What if I don't know my long-term goal?
- Make exploration your goal: test two directions through projects, conversations or shadowing over the next six months.
- Do employers have to provide development?
- Not usually by law, beyond training needed to do the job safely. Many employers offer development because it helps retention and performance. Ask what budget, schemes and time are available.
- What's the difference between a development plan and a PIP?
- A development plan is about growth and is usually your choice. A performance improvement plan is a formal process when performance is below expectations. They can look similar on paper, so check the purpose and consequences.
- Can a development plan help me get promoted?
- Yes. It shows ambition, aligns your growth with what the level above yours needs, and gives your manager evidence. Ask your manager what the level above yours requires, and build the plan around those gaps.
- How do I make time for development in a busy job?
- Build it into your work rather than adding it on top: ask for a stretch project, learn while doing a real task, and protect one hour a week in your calendar. Small, regular steps add up faster than occasional big efforts.
Exercises are practice, not evidence of career fit or a qualification. How to read our guides and report a correction.
Sources
- O*NET OnLine · US Department of Labor
- Explore careers · National Careers Service
- Coaching and mentoring factsheet · CIPD
How this page is written
Sources support the factual background, not a guarantee that an exercise predicts career fit. Fictional practice material is labelled. Dates record content updates; no independent expert review is implied. More about OffLadder.