Building a Career Development Plan: Everything You Need to Know

A career development plan (CDP) helps define career objectives, set priorities and identify the steps that will lead you to your goal. You can grow your career vertically (by rising to the next level) or horizontally (by trying new domains or technologies). A CDP works well in both cases.

Do you want to grow from a middle-level specialist to a senior one, or change your focus from JavaScript to Java? How about switching from a senior developer to a Scrum master within a project? Or do you want to change to a new project but must onboard someone to replace you on your current one?

All of these are excellent reasons to start working on your CDP with the help of a dedicated manager. Below, Tatyana Yeroma, Software Testing Manager at EPAM, helps us provide the information that you need to know about working with a career development plan.

What is a career development plan?

A CDP identifies a specific series of actions focused on your short-term and long-term career goals and establishes the steps you need to take to achieve those goals. 

An example CDP might include the following items:

• The specific levels of advancement necessary to meet your end goal
• The skills you’ll need to develop your career in both the short and long term
• Educational requirements to achieve your goal
• A summary statement collecting each evolutionary step 

Your CDP is a set of active steps you need to take for advancement. Like any schedule, it’s subject to change, so be ready to adjust as your company's needs and situation change.

How to get started with your career development plan

First, you need your manager’s support, as they will be the ones to open the door to your advancement. A dedicated manager monitors employees’ satisfaction and cares about their goals and their overall in-company comfort. 

Before starting this conversation with your manager, consider your desires and what missing components you need to achieve your goals. If you are not sure what you want from your career, seek advice from your leader or senior colleagues. They’ve been down the same path and can offer new perspectives on career advancement.

“You need to know where you are and where you want to be. When anyone comes to me and says, “I don’t understand where I am,” I usually give a list of requirements for any specific position in our company. Employees assess themselves using this skill matrix, then we look at the results together.”

Tatyana Yeroma
Software Testing Manager, EPAM

Career development planning with EPAM’s Skill Advisors

When it comes to career advancement, the best advice often comes from dedicated career growth mentors. At EPAM, Skill Advisors are available to help with this.

EPAM Skill Advisors support our team members, helping advance their core skills and identifying new knowledge areas that will increase their chances of success. When our professionals want to create a career development plan, they turn to a Skill Advisor first.

“I discussed all my questions about the path I was interested in with my Skill Advisor. He gave me valuable advice on professional growth within the company and useful links and materials. Now, I have a clear idea of how to move in the direction I have chosen.”

Raisa Ryzbekova
Software Engineer, EPAM 

How many goals should I focus on at once?

You should establish five to seven goals to work on within a 90-day period. You might pursue these goals simultaneously, switching between them as needed to ensure that you stay focused, or you may not. The key is to choose skill sets that don’t work against each other. For example, training your public speaking skills and your ability to focus at the same time might interfere in your learning and development process.

“In order to make a qualitative leap forward, I would recommend a “one skill within a particular time frame” approach. When we start learning something from scratch or developing a skill intensively, it makes sense to commit fully to that activity.  For example, I would not recommend studying two programming languages at once: switching from one to another takes a lot of time, and working on them both simultaneously deprives you of an immersive experience.”

Tatyana Yeroma
Software Testing Manager, EPAM

I am satisfied with my career. Why do I need a career development plan?

When you are happy but feel the push to “grow” from peers and management, it can make your life difficult. On the one hand, it is important to develop professionally to stay in demand as a specialist, to get promotions and to receive pay rises. On the other hand, you don’t want to feel like your decisions are not your own.

Broad learning opportunities for specialists in any technology stack are helpful. Taking a moment to ask yourself where you want to be can help. Nobody says, “I’ve achieved everything I want to achieve.” There’s always something else to learn and accomplish.

Wrap-up: extra tips for career development plans

If you have dreams, make them your reality. Staying inspired is a lot of what builds your CDP. Thinking of yourself 20 years from now is a good motivator for career development planning.

Ask yourself what motivates you to get up in the morning. Do you enjoy a challenge? Do you want to change the world? When creating your CDP, keep these things in mind.

If you believe your career can get a boost with a new job opportunity, check out our openings at https://www.epam.com/careers.