YOUR INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (IDP) - UC Davis

YOUR INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (IDP)
Whether you are exploring options at UC Davis or beyond, an Individual
Development Plan (IDP) can be a helpful tool. A well-prepared IDP might include
occupational exploration and research, professional development, skills training,
formal education or a job search campaign.
What is an IDP?
A written plan that outlines what career goals you want to accomplish and what steps you can take to
meet those goals.
A tool you can use to identify, organize and plan your career.
A tool for creating a personalized plan that best reflects your career aspirations, whether you want to
plan for professional development, promotional opportunities or retirement in the next few years.
Why have an IDP?
To focus your professional efforts and identify individual work goals.
To use as a communication, development and/or planning tool.
To assist in obtaining resources, (e.g., scholarships, fee assistance or training funds); some departments
request an IDP as part of their professional development program.
To serve as your career action plan for skill building, professional development and career management.
Guidelines –
Consider the following guidelines for creating and implementing your IDP:
Know the Purpose of Your IDP
• Prioritize and develop a plan of action to reach your short- and long-term career goals.
• Focus your personal efforts in the areas that you have selected.
• Identify, outline and use resources.
• Create an action plan that is clear and achievable.
Put Your IDP into Action
• Discuss your IDP with your supervisor and other appropriate individuals such as a career
counselor. Use this time to state your goals, clarify expectations and agree upon modifications as
needed.
• Work your plan - take a first step.
• Evaluate your plan along the way and modify it as needed.
• Expect obstacles and work to overcome them.
• Celebrate your successes along the way!
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How to –
Since the IDP asks you to identify and write down your goals, what do you do if you don’t feel ready to set
goals? One possibility is that you can use the IDP to jump start your goal setting! If you are not sure what your
career goals are then you might try the following:
Ask yourself
What areas of my work do I want to develop?
What areas of my work do I need to improve?
What are some short-term goals for taking on new tasks and responsibilities in my current
position? What skills do I need to acquire?
What might be some long-term career goals and what skills would I need to develop to achieve
those goals?
What are new demands in my job (or career) that require me to gain additional skills?
What direction is my department going and what do I need to grow with it?
What can I do to find out about other career opportunities?
Consider these ideas to get you started
Talk with your supervisor.
Attend career management course and workshops.
Schedule a confidential session with a career counselor.
Meet with a mentor.
Read career development books.
Set realistic priorities – what’s achievable this quarter? This year? Within 5 years? Then
develop a timeline and concrete action steps so you can mark your progress. Be sure to celebrate
your successes along the way.
Filling out the UC Davis IDP Form:
My Goals –
Section 1: What are my overall goals that I want to accomplish in this time period?
Write down the overall goals you want to accomplish in the short-term/next year; mid-term/next
1 to 2 years; and long-term/2 to 3 years.
You can have more than one goal.
Examples: Develop skill in computer graphics; Learn DaFIS; Find out how to become a Student
Affairs Officer; Figure out career direction; Start the Supervisory Training Series.
Skills and knowledge to be learned –
Section 2: What specifically do I need to learn?
You can identify what skills and knowledge you want to develop; write them down.
Sometimes, it is appropriate to use the IDP as a time management tool for a project; for example,
maybe your goal is to revise the procedural manual in your department. In this case, you don’t
need to learn a new skill, but it is still your work goal for the upcoming year.
Write down the project you need to complete and in the Next Steps section, detail the specific
action steps you need to take.
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Next Steps –
Section 3: How am I going to acquire the skills and knowledge?
Write down specific action steps you need to take to gain the skills or acquire the skills and
knowledge you identified, for example:
• Enroll in Dreamweaver 8: Level 1.
• Go on informational interviews to find out what skills are needed to become an Analyst I.
• Job shadow a student affairs officer; Enroll in the Student Advising Certificate Series.
• Talk with your supervisor.
Resources –
Section 4: What resources do I need?
What resources do you need to complete your goals?
• Often a resource may be as simple as getting release time to take a course.
• However, other resources you may need include: funds to pay for outside training,
education, memberships, conferences; coverage for your duties; temporarily adjusting
your work schedule; getting support from your supervisor or support network.
Time Schedule –
Section 5: What is my time schedule?
Write down the date you plan to start working on this goal and the date you plan to finish, for
example, if you are taking a one-day workshop, then just put down the day of the workshop in
both columns. If you are taking the Supervisory Training Series, write down the day of the first
class in the start row and the day of the last class in the finish row.
Completion –
Section 6: When have I completed each step?
Check off and date your progress as each specific step is completed. Congratulations!
Resources:
Articles:
Career Planning Process - http://www.iseek.org/sv/10001.jsp
Developing a Strategic Visions For Your Career Plan -
http://www.quintcareers.com/career_plan.html
Ten Steps to Planning Your Career - http://www.mapping-your-future.org/planning/
Websites:
http://www.hr.ucdavis.edu/sdps/forms/idp-pdf/view
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MY INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN
Name:
Department:
Date:
Supervisor:
Short-Term Time
Frame
What do I want to
accomplish in the next
year?
Mid-Term Time
Frame
What do I want to
accomplish in the next
1 to 2 years?
Long-Term Time
Frame
What do I want to
accomplish in the next
2 to 3 years?
My Goals – Section 1
What are my overall goals that I
want to accomplish in this time
period?
Write your short-term
goals
Write your mid-term
goals
Write your long-term
goals
Example: Become a Student
Affairs Officer; learn computer
graphics
Skills and Knowledge to be
Learned – Section 2
What specifically do I need to
learn? What project do I need to
work on?
Write your short-term
skills and knowledge
to be learned
Write your mid-term
skills and knowledge
to be learned
Write your long-term
skills and knowledge to
be learned
Example: Student advising;
Banner; Dreamweaver; develop
a procedures manual
Next Steps – Section 3
How am I going to acquire the
skills and knowledge? How am
I going to do this project?
Write your short-term
next steps
Write your mid-term
next steps
Write your long-term
next steps
Example: Take the Student
Advising Certificate Series; take
Dreamweaver class; do an
informational interview; set up
a project outline
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Resources – Section 4
What resources do I need?
Short-Term Time
Frame
What do I want to
accomplish in the next
year?
Write your short-term
resource needs
Mid-Term Time
Frame
What do I want to
accomplish in the next
1 to 2 years?
Write your mid-term
resource needs
Long-Term Time
Frame
What do I want to
accomplish in the next
2 to 3 years?
Write your long-term
resource needs
Example: Release time; funding
Time Schedule – Section 5
What is my time schedule?
Start
When will I start?
Write your short-term
time schedule
Write your mid-term
time schedule
Write your long-term
time schedule
Finish
When do I expect to finish?
Write your short-term
time schedule
Write your mid-term
time schedule
Write your long-term
time schedule
Completion – Section 6
When have I completed each
step?
Date
Date
Date
Date
Date
Date
Date
Date
Date
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