Devising a “career development plan” might sound daunting, but it’s actually pretty simple. According to careers website Performance Manager, it starts with four simple steps:

Write down your primary career interest, e.g.: “I would like to work in the advertising industry.”
Identify your long-term professional goals and how you might get there. For example: “I would like to move from account executive to senior account executive, and ultimately to account director.”
Pinpoint what exactly is stopping you, both personally and professionally, from achieving those goals, then think about ways you might overcome them. You might identify gaps in your skills that you’ll have to build on before you’re likely to get that promotion – or you might realise that there’s simply no space in your current company for you to move up the ladder. In which case, it could be time to move on.
List 2-3 activities that might help you reach each of your long-term professional goals. This could be anything from cultivating a relationship with a career mentor, attending seminars or classes, or keeping a journal on your progress.

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