Learn how to revise and update your career development plan when your goals change with these tips, such as setting SMART goals and monitoring your progress.

The key to career success is two things: connections and conviction. The practical way to review your progress is to track the following: How many people are you networking with? How many jobs have you applied for? How many jobs have you interviewed for? How many offers have you received? If the answer is zero to the first question it impacts the responses to the other questions. Even if you are applying, the # of interviews can be much higher from networking. Also, if you are not clear on your specific challenge, that does impact your progress. Clarity is needed to have true progress.

How can you adapt your career development plan when goals change?

A career development plan is a roadmap that helps you identify your skills, interests, and goals, and plan the actions and strategies to achieve them. However, your career development plan is not set in stone. It can and should change as your circumstances, preferences, and opportunities evolve. How can you adapt your career development plan when goals change? Here are some tips to help you revise and update your plan effectively.

1 Assess your current situation

Before making any changes to your career development plan, it is important to evaluate your current situation. Ask yourself questions such as what the reasons are for changing your goals, how satisfied you are with your current role, organization, and industry, what skills, knowledge, and experience you have gained so far, what gaps, challenges, and opportunities you face, and what feedback and suggestions you have received from others. Answering these questions can help you identify your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) and clarify your career vision and values.

Add your perspective

Charity McDonald 👑
Report contribution
Developing an effective career plan is the first step in your search strategy. Many job seekers go into their career transition without a plan. Applying online is NOT a plan. I typically use the GROW model when working with professionals. I will list the steps below: 1) Goals (what is the desired outcome?) 2) Results (access your results every step of the way) 3) Obstacles/options (we work on making obstacles opportunities) 4) Way forward (what is the next step?) There is a guideline of course that changes based upon the decisions, actions, and results one has made or not made. The SWOT Analysis is also highly recommended.

Like

2 Explore your options

Once you have a clear picture of your current situation, you can explore your options for changing your career development plan. You may want to consider different scenarios, such as changing your role within your current organization, moving to a different organization or industry, pursuing further education or training, starting your own business or freelancing, or taking a career break or sabbatical. It is important to research the requirements, benefits, risks, and challenges involved for each option. Additionally, networking with people who have similar or relevant career paths can provide valuable insight and advice.

Add your perspective

Charity McDonald 👑
Report contribution
In my experience of supporting hundreds of professionals in career transition, informational interviews with people who do the work you are interested in is an effective way to learn more about the companies/positions of interest. In addition, researching the companies and positions on LinkedIn, Glassdoor, and apps like Blind can be beneficial to get insider information beyond the company website.

Like

3 Set SMART goals

After exploring your options, you can set SMART goals for your revised career development plan. SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Your goals should be detailed and focused on what you want to achieve; they should also be quantifiable and trackable with indicators and milestones. Furthermore, your goals should be realistic and attainable with the resources and support available, as well as aligned with your career vision and values. Finally, you should set a specific timeframe and deadline for achieving each goal. Setting SMART goals can help you stay motivated, organized, and accountable for your career development.

Add your perspective

4 Plan your actions and strategies

The next step is to plan your actions and strategies to achieve your SMART goals. You should break down your goals into smaller, more manageable tasks and assign them to a timeline. Additionally, you should consider the resources, tools, and support you need and how to access them. For instance, updating your resume, cover letter, and portfolio, applying for jobs or grants, enrolling in courses or webinars, seeking mentorship or feedback, and joining professional associations can all help you execute your career development plan effectively and efficiently.

Add your perspective

Charity McDonald 👑
Report contribution
Celebrating the micro-wins is important in a job search which can be a daunting and tedious task. A micro-win might be sending out 50 connections in one week which is only 10 each weekday. It is imperative to manage your expectations and make measurable, actionable, and realistic goals. What actions can you take now that will move you one step closer to your dream job? Do not overwhelm yourself with too many tasks because that leads to self-sabotage and avoidance. Be sure to emphasize networking over applications. If you apply, be sure to update your resume specifically to the role you are applying for.

Like

5 Monitor your progress and results

The final step is to monitor your progress and results regularly and evaluate your career development plan accordingly. Periodically review your goals and tasks to ensure they are still relevant and achievable, measure your outcomes against indicators and milestones, reward yourself for successes, reflect on challenges and failures, seek feedback from others, and adjust your plan as needed. This continual monitoring of progress and results can help you improve your career development plan and achieve desired career outcomes.

Add your perspective

Charity McDonald 👑
Report contribution
The key to career success is two things: connections and conviction. The practical way to review your progress is to track the following: How many people are you networking with? How many jobs have you applied for? How many jobs have you interviewed for? How many offers have you received? If the answer is zero to the first question it impacts the responses to the other questions. Even if you are applying, the # of interviews can be much higher from networking. Also, if you are not clear on your specific challenge, that does impact your progress. Clarity is needed to have true progress.

Like

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

Add your perspective

Charity McDonald 👑
(edited)
Report contribution
An impactful career development plan includes the following: Personal Branding - know how to articulate your value and know what people say/think about you Resume Development - update and tailor your resume LinkedIn Optimization - how recruiters can find you Networking/Search Strategy - how you find people and positions that align with your purpose Interviewing - communicating your value proposition and experience relevant to the role Negotiation - discussing compensation/benefits You can also include reskilling/upskilling as needed and a 90-day plan for your first days in the new role.

Like

How can you adapt your career development plan when goals change?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Assess your current situation

2 Explore your options

3 Set SMART goals

4 Plan your actions and strategies

5 Monitor your progress and results

6 Here’s what else to consider

Career Development

Rate this article

Thanks for your feedback

More articles on Career Development

More relevant reading

How can you adapt your career development plan when goals change?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Assess your current situation

2 Explore your options

3 Set SMART goals

4 Plan your actions and strategies

5 Monitor your progress and results

6 Here’s what else to consider

Career Development

Rate this article

Thanks for your feedback

Explore Other Skills