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Start an Individual Development Plan with a Few Easy Steps

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An Individual Development Plan (IDP) can help you stay on course toward achieving your career development goals. But where and how do you begin? With these tips, you will learn to identify and describe your goals, choose activities that will help you meet them, set key milestones, and create a timeline for the completion of your goals.

Brainstorming and Preparation
To start the IDP process, first spend some time thinking about your career. As you do, ask yourself these questions:

  • How am I doing in my current job? In what areas do I excel? In what areas do I fall short, and what can I do to improve? Do I have all of the skills necessary to succeed?
  • What are my short-term career goals and developmental needs?
  • What developmental activities in my current job could help me develop the skills and knowledge I need for my target job?
  • Are there projects or experiences at work that could be helpful in my development?
  • Are there formal learning opportunities (e.g., conferences, virtual trainings, classes) that I would like to participate in?

As you consider these questions, write down your thoughts and note the areas with which you might need help. Be open and honest about your developmental needs. Finally, write down any career goals that emerge as a part of this brainstorm.

IDPs: Getting Started
Once you finish brainstorming, you should have some initial ideas for goals and relevant developmental opportunities. Now, begin to organize these ideas. Depending on where you work, you may have access to an IDP form. Your supervisor or HR specialist should be able to provide you with a form or another option if your organization does not participate in a formalized IDP process.

Generally, your IDP should include the following:

  • A clear statement of short-term career goals (within 1-2 years)
  • A clear statement of long-term career goals (within 3-5 years)
  • A specific action plan for the next year designed to help you move closer to achieving these goals

Creating Strong Goals
Don’t be afraid to set tough, but realistic, goals for yourself. Good career goals will help you to identify and focus your developmental efforts, bringing you closer to where you want to be in your career. By capturing both long-term (3-5 years) and short-term (1-2 years) goals, you can make sure your current efforts are supporting your future ambitions. Try to capture at least one long-term career goal and three to six short-term career goals in your IDP.

As you develop your IDP, make sure all of your goals:

  • Are SMART—Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound
  • Complement your organization’s mission, vision, and goals
  • Include any competencies you wish to develop
  • Contain the strategies you will use to accomplish your goals
  • Include the resources you will need
  • Explain how you will measure your progress
  • Include a deadline for achieving your goals
  • Finally, for each goal you set, identify one to three developmental activities that will help you achieve that goal.

Roles and Responsibilities for the IDP Process
To make your IDP experience as productive and efficient as possible, it helps to understand your role and your supervisor’s role in the process.

Your role is to:

  • Understand how well your skills and knowledge match what you need to complete your goals
  • Identify career goals, development needs, and training or developmental opportunities geared toward the achievement of your goals
  • Assess your progress toward reaching your goals

Your supervisor’s role is to:

  • Help you assess your strengths and development needs
  • Provide opportunities to discuss and plan your development
  • Help you identify training and developmental opportunities
  • Make sure that training and developmental opportunities align with your goals
  • Make sure that your goals and developmental needs align with the agency’s goals and objectives
  • Evaluate the outcome of your training and development

Planning for Your IDP Conversation
Once you’ve developed your IDP, you’ll want to set a time for reviewing your plan with your supervisor. Your supervisor is a valuable resource for your career planning and can help you explore possibilities you may not have considered.

The purpose of an IDP meeting with your supervisor is to come away with a comprehensive plan for your development. This includes goals as well as action items that will help you pursue your goals. You will have the opportunity to share what you have brainstormed and your supervisor will help you explore possibilities you may not have considered.

Be sure to schedule a follow-up meeting to review and adjust your plan as needed and check on your progress toward your goals.

Making Your IDP Conversation a Success
To make the most out of your conversation with your supervisor about your IDP:

  • Bring your development needs, goals, and potential resources to the discussion
  • Be open to your supervisor’s feedback and suggestions
  • Choose a time when both of you can stay focused on the development conversation without distractions or interruptions
  • Place timelines on your goals and objectives and set specific guidelines for follow-up
  • Schedule a follow-up meeting to review your progress

*Hat tip to the Department of Veterans Affairs for their excellent advice on career development.

Four Steps to Plan Your Career

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No one cares more about your career than you do. As an employee, you need to be proactive in your career—this includes creating an Individual Development Plan (IDP) with your supervisor. And, if your supervisor does not offer this opportunity, seize the reins yourself! There are four steps to planning your career: Assess, Explore, Plan, and Take Action.

Planning your career can seem like a difficult task, but with the right approach, you can open up new doors without feeling overwhelmed. No matter where you are in your career – whether you are a long-time federal employee, a new employee, or a Veteran entering the civilian workforce – career planning with this four-phase career development model can help you break things down into manageable steps. Here’s how it works:

Assess
During the Assess phase, you get to ask yourself an important question: What do you really want to do with your career?

You can start this process on your own – it’s as simple as brainstorming about your interests, priorities, and goals. Or, you can get feedback from people who know you well.
As you assess yourself, be sure to focus on your strengths. While it’s important to understand and work on your shortcomings, the biggest career growth can actually come from further developing skills or behaviors in which you already excel. Finally, as part of the Assess phase, you should think about the tradeoffs you are willing to make in your career. For example, if your goal is getting a higher paying job, think about how long a commute you are willing to have in exchange. Considering tradeoffs like this can give you more insight into your actual priorities.

Explore
During the Explore phase, you are looking for opportunities that move you toward your overall career goals. This means researching various career paths on your own or through conversations with others.

A good first step in the Explore phase may be to find a mentor in the career field that interests you who can talk with you about next steps or good developmental opportunities for you to complete.

Another great activity is to shadow someone in the workplace. Job shadowing is when you observe someone for a day to learn more about whether that person’s career field or specific job could be a good fit for you. Express interest to the person you want to shadow and see if he or she has enough time available. Then, work with your supervisor or mentor to set it up.

In the Explore phase, keep in mind that any activity that helps you discover more about a career you may be interested in is worth considering. This includes the activities above but can also be as simple as having lunch with someone who is knowledgeable about another career to get his or her insider’s perspective.

Plan
Now that you understand yourself and the career possibilities in front of you, you are ready to create a plan. Coming up with a solid plan can be easy when you approach the process with an Individual Development Plan (IDP). IDPs provide the structure you need to stay on track.

You can set effective career goals in your plan using the SMART (Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Realistic, Timebound) method, which will help you think about the concrete steps you will take to achieve your goals. Is there training you need to complete to be eligible for a new position? Or are there experiences you can get in your current position that will qualify you for your next? For instance, if one of your goals is to improve your communication skills, you might plan to gather feedback on your communication skills from your peers and supervisors and then spend time learning about different communication styles. Or, you could take a course to learn about communicating effectively during meetings.

Take Action
Now, you’re ready to put your plan in motion. Depending on the goals you have identified, you may be taking a few hours of training each week, shadowing another employee to see what it takes to succeed in his or her position, or applying for a new job. As you complete your planned steps, don’t forget to gather feedback on your activities from a supervisor or mentor. You should also review and adjust your IDP as you go based on your progress toward your career goals.

By using these four phases for your career planning, you will be well on your way to the career you want. But remember to be flexible – developing your career is a continuous process. As your priorities evolve, you should feel free to bounce back and forth between the four phases, getting what you need from each.

Five Reasons You Should Not Wait for a Buyout

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With all of the concern about potential restructuring and downsizing, many people I talk to are thinking about leaving the government—but, to a person, they are waiting for a buy-out. While I certainly understand how a buyout might be attractive, there are 5 reasons you may not want to wait:

Reason 1: You may not actually get a buy-out. Buyouts, officially known as Voluntary Separation Incentive Payments (VSIP), allow agencies that are downsizing or restructuring to offer employees lump-sum payments up to $25,000 as an incentive to voluntarily separate. When authorized by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), an agency may offer VSIP to employees who are in surplus positions or have skills that are no longer needed in the workforce who volunteer to separate by resignation, optional retirement, or by voluntary early retirement, if approved. Agencies are not required to offer VSIPs (although obviously many do). And, even if a VSIP is offered in your agency, you may not be eligible as each agency must develop a VSIP which defines what positions and grades will be covered. If your position / grade /occupational series / location is not covered by the VSIP, you are out of luck.

Reason 2: If you are offered and accept a VSIP, you are restricted from returning to the federal government for 5 years—unless you want to repay the VSIP amount. According to OPM, an employee who receives a VSIP and later accepts employment for compensation with the Government of the United States within 5 years of the date of the separation on which the VSIP is based, including work under a personal services contract or other direct contract, must repay the entire amount of the VSIP to the agency that paid it – before the individual’s first day of reemployment. Waivers are available but they must be requested from OPM.

Reason 3: $25,000 is not as much money as you think. With the exception of the Department of Defense (DoD), VSIPs are $25,000 ($40,000 for DoD employees). Taxes are taken out of your VSIP. What you are left with may not last you that long.

Reason 4: If you are waiting for a VSIP, you can be assured that many other federal employees are too. If you plan to get a job in the private sector, you will likely be competing against your colleagues for the same jobs—and at the same time. This could make your post-VSIP job hunting process more competitive than you had anticipated.

Reason 5: Getting a job takes time. Especially a job in the private sector where you may have few connections. While it is certainly possible that you will get the first job you apply for, it is more likely that you will have to apply for multiple jobs over multiple months. Why not get started now, while you are still employed? That way, if you get a job, you can make a positive decision about whether it is the right one for you or not. That is a much better position to be in, rather than waiting for that buyout (that may or may not come) and then getting started on your job search.

Just thinking about leaving period?

10 Common Private Sector Resume Myths

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Many people who haven’t looked for a job in a long time are still carrying around a number of myths about what a private sector resume should look like. Here are the 10 most common myths:

Myth #1: Private Sector Resumes Should Be Kept to a Single Page

Wrong! Depending on the number of years’ experience you have, a 2-page format is quite acceptable. Generally, anyone with 5 or more years’ experience should use a 2-page format.

Myth #2: Education Should be Listed First

Wrong! At this age and stage, you are most likely “selling” your experience, not your education. Most employers value your experience most of all. The exception to this “rule” is for people who are new to the workplace and academics.

Myth #3: Unique/Unusual Resumes Attract Attention and Are Better Read

Wrong! Please, do yourself and your readers a favor; stay away from “gimmick” resumes. You do not want to be seen as nonconformist, oddball, loner, etc. Exception: Creative jobs requiring these traits

Myth #4: Exaggerate Accomplishments — Nobody Will Check

Wrong! Skillful interviewers generally ask probing questions and will not accept surface answers to interview questions. Exaggeration (and out-right lies) will likely be uncovered (if not during the interview, then during the reference check) and you will lose the job.

Myth #5: References Should Be Listed on the Resume

Wrong! Listing references is on your resume is considered old fashioned. If a potential employer wants references, they will ask for them. All job seekers should have a separate reference page available.

Myth #6: Resume Content is More Important Than Layout

Wrong! The layout of your resume needs to be attractive and visually appealing. White space is important. And you want your resume to stand out from the pile. Regardless of content, a poorly organized or sloppy resume will likely go unread.

Myth #7: Personal Photos Enhance Resume Appearance/ Effectiveness

Wrong! Regardless of how attractive you may be, use of personal photos are a major no-no (unless you’re looking for an acting or similar job). Many employers may discard a resume with a photo automatically so they cannot be accused of discrimination.

Myth #8 The Cover Letter is Often More Important Than the Resume

Wrong! The advent of Applicant Tracking System (ATS) and online applications has changed thinking about cover letters. Many veteran employment professionals will only read the cover letter after they have read the resume—if at all. And, they know that cover letters often repeat the same information that is in the resume. Of course, if a job posting specifically requires a cover letter, be sure to include one. You want to demonstrate that you know how to follow directions!

Myth #9: Functional Resumes Have Greater Marketing Impact Than Chronological Resumes

Wrong! Generally, a chronological resume is more common, easier to follow, and typically more effective, especially when you have had a positive work history and career progression. Some reviewers of functional resumes may think you are trying to hide something—that’s never good. Stick with a chronological resume.

Myth #10: Objectives are Important

Wrong! Objectives are only about what YOU want (and besides, who doesn’t want a job that will allow them to grow, use their skills, etc.) Instead of an objective, you should use a Summary or Profile to show what you bring to the table.

What to Do After a Job Interview

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Congratulations, your interview went well and you’re excited. It is not the time to rest on your laurels—you’ve got work to do! Here are the steps you should take following your interview to keep the momentum going:

  • Send a thank you note. Send a separate note to each person who interviewed you. Your thank you notes should be sent no more than 2 days after your interview; the next day is even better. For government interviews, you should use an email note.
  • Keep applying for positions, even while you wait to hear back on this one. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. For one thing, there’s no guarantee that the jobs will actually get filled. The budget for the new position might not be approved. Or the responsibilities of the job opening may be distributed to one or more existing employees. Or an internal candidate may have suddenly become available, and the position is offered to him or her.
  • Develop any specific skills that were mentioned in the job interview but that you’re weak in — for example, specific software platforms. Not only will this give you something to do while you wait, but it’s also an opportunity for you to demonstrate your serious interest in the position, because you can mention what you’re doing to strengthen your skills in your follow up with the interviewer.
  • Reach out to your network. If someone you knew at the organization had passed your resume along to the hiring manager or endorsed your application, be sure to check in with him or her after the interview. Your contact may be able to provide you with insight about the number of candidates interviewed, how your candidacy was perceived, and other valuable information about the hiring process and the organization culture.
  • Tap your references. Let them know that you’ve interviewed for the position (give them the job title and organization) and that they may be contacted. Make sure they have an updated copy of your resume. Ask them to let you know if they hear from the organization.
  • If this was a first interview, start preparing for a second one. The second interview requires even more preparation than the first one—get busy!
  • Follow up. If the interviewer didn’t mention a timeframe for making a hiring decision — or you didn’t ask — you have a couple of options. The first is to wait a week and then reach out to inquire. How should you follow-up? Unless the interviewer has stated otherwise, a phone call is usually the best method for follow-up. Try to reach the person directly; only leave a voice mail if you can’t reach them after a couple of tries. Don’t forget to check USAJOBS as well to see if the status of the job has changed.

Remember, even if you aren’t selected for the position you were interviewing for, many organizations do keep your application and resume on file, and you might be contacted later about another opening.

Questions to Ask Your Interviewers

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Interviews are for both the employer and you, as an applicant. A great way to ensure “fit” is to ask questions during an interview.

Never walk into an interview without specific questions for the interviewers. Even if you work in the unit where you’re interviewing, it is important to demonstrate that you have thought about the position and are interested in the interviewers’ needs and wants, not just your own. Typically, you’ll have an opportunity to ask questions toward the end of the interview; you want to be prepared!

You should not ask questions about how you will be trained, when you will get promoted, or whether you can work at home; instead, focus on demonstrating that you are interested in the employer’s needs.

You may want to prepare 5-6 questions; you may not get to ask them all (3 is probably plenty) and it is possible that your interviewers will have answered at least a couple during the process. Here are some questions you could ask; you should prioritize what is most important to you.

• What are the next steps in the process?
• What are your goals for the person who fills this job in their first 90 days? First year?
• What did the person who held this job before do well that you would like to see continued?
• Are there major organizational changes in the works that might change how this position functions? (Or if you know of those changes, you can ask how those changes might affect the position)
• What do expect to be the biggest learning curve for the person who fills this job?
• Since this position has been vacant, what topic or issue of this position has taken up the most time?
• What is a typical day like?
• Describe the organization culture.
• What do you most like about working here?
• Is there anything else I can provide that would be helpful to you in making your decision?