When it comes to career, you obviously want to try and get as much clarity as possible about where you are heading.

At the same time, before you can start to make progress, you need to be clear about where you are starting from.

So how can you find out where you are starting from?

1. Review your career to date.
2. Identify what experience you have got so far and what’s missing.
3. Look at the feedback that you have received from appraisals or performance review meetings.
4. Think about the type of work that you are usually seen as the go to person for. This is an indication of an area of real strength.
5. Ask for some feedback from those you work with now or have worked with in the past.
6. Do some form of self-assessment.

The Bottom Line

If you are going to get choices in your career, you need to get clear on the start point.

Duncan Brodie of Goals and Achievements helps accountants and health professionals to achieve success and realize their professional potential through being highly effective leaders and managers. For more information and to sign up for his free audio e-course click here

A personal development plan helps you to grow and achieve. 

So why do so few people take the time to create one?  Two potential reasons are:

• Lack of know how
• Fear of limiting themselves

5 key steps in creating a personal development plan

1. Do a personal stock-take of your strengths and development needs.  As well as your own assessment get the input of others.  They can often see talents that you don’t.

2. Think about what development will help you most in achieving your goals.

3. Decide which methods of delivery will have greatest impact on your learning.

4. Set out a calendar of development events for the next 12 months.

5. Put an accountability structure in place to ensure you follow through.

Benefits of creating a personal development plan

1. You give a clear message that you take your contribution to business success seriously.

2. You can start to work on the areas that are less developed so that you become even more of an asset to your employer.

3. If things are not progressing as you would like career wise you can demonstrate to a potential new employer what you can contribute with real impact.

4. You take informed choices about the type of roles you pursue rather than leaving it to chance.

5. You continue to grow, be motivated and stretch yourself to achieve what you desire.