Fillable Printable Individual Development Planning - US Department of Commerce
Fillable Printable Individual Development Planning - US Department of Commerce
Individual Development Planning - US Department of Commerce
Individual Development Planning
(IDP)
Prepared for Commerce Employees
U.S. Department of Commerce
Office of Human Resources Management
Table of Contents
Introduction / Benefits of Career Planning 1
Your Individual Development Plan (IDP) / Your Supervisor’s Role 2
The IDP Process 3
Worksheets
Current Career Issues Worksheet 4
Knowledge of Work Environment Worksheet 5
Knowledge of Self Worksheet 6
Integration of Knowledge of Self and Work Environment Worksheet 7
Goal Development Worksheet 8
Method for Taking Action Worksheet 9
Sample Competency List 10
Competency List Definitions 11
Blank IDP Form 15
INTRODUCTION
The Individual Development Plan (IDP) employs a concept that emphasizes discussion and joint
decisions by the employee and the supervisor, with input from mentor(s), on the specific
developmental experiences necessary to fulfill the mutual goals of individual career development
and organizational enhancement. Each IDP is uniquely tailored to the needs of the individual and
the organization.
The IDP is a personal action plan, jointly agreed to by you and your supervisor, that identifies
your short and long-term career goals. An IDP also identifies the training and other
developmental experiences needed to achieve those goals, for the benefit of the individual and
organization, within a specified time frame.
THE BENEFITS OF CAREER PLANNING
Why should you be concerned about planning your career? It is your career. If you don’t take
responsibility for the success of your career, then who will? Besides, considering all the time and
energy you spend at work, why not ensure you get maximum satisfaction from your work and
career? Additionally, the Department of Commerce benefits from having a competent and
motivated workforce, capable of “re-tooling” itself to meet the demands placed on it by constant
organizational and technological changes.
The workplace has been affected by a number of significant changes and trends, which have
definite ramifications for your career planning:
Less job security
The era of high job security is gone. In response to increased pressures to reduce costs,
solutions like restructuring, down-sizing and automation will continue to eliminate some
jobs and drastically alter others. Workers will need to be more mobile in finding the right
job and employer.
Up is not the only way
With fewer management positions and flattened organizational structures, the traditional
linear career patterns will be less available. Employees will need to be more flexible,
adaptable and creative in identifying their next job, and may need to consider lateral moves
or rotational assignments to broaden their experience or leverage their skills.
Technical knowledge and skills obsolescence
Rapid advancements in technology and state-of-the-art knowledge requires employees to
upgrade their skills and “re-tool” themselves just to remain current with their job
requirements.
It is definitely to your advantage to position yourself for long-term employability in the rapidly
changing world of work. Begin preparing now for the future.
YOUR INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (IDP)
To the extent that any of your career goals involve acquiring some new skills or expertise, an IDP
is very helpful. Follow the IDP process to begin drafting your IDP by incorporating your current
an or future goals. To assist you in formulating your goals, complete the worksheets. You can
incorporate the goals you will formulate on the “Goal Development Worksheet” and the relevant
developmental activities from the “Method for Taking Action Worksheet.” In selecting
developmental activities, try to achieve a balance between formal training activities (e.g., courses,
seminars) and other kinds of learning experiences (e.g., work assignments, reading books). Also,
include realistic time frames for completing your actions.
Your Supervisor’s Role
Your supervisor is in an excellent position to support your development by:
•
Providing feedback on your performance in your current job and identifying your
strengths and areas for improvement.
•
Acting as a mentor and coach.
•
Representing the organization’s needs, goals and opportunities.
•
Communicating what is happening around your organization and within DoC.
•
Helping assess your advancement potential and your qualifications for other positions.
•
Acting as a resource and referral for exploring your career development options.
•
Supporting your training and development, providing training opportunities and
funding if related to the Department’s mission and funds are available.
THE IDP PROCESS
There are four steps to the IDP process. As with any major decision, you will need a certain
amount of data upon which to make your career decisions. It pays to be as thorough as possible,
so you may need to spend a significant amount of time at one or more steps.
Step 1
The following worksheets can be used as tools to assist you in gathering
information to achieving a solid understanding of your current and future
developmental goals.
1 - Current Career Issues
2 - Knowledge of Work Environment
3 - Knowledge of Self Assessment
4 - Integration of Knowledge of Self and Work Environment
5 - Goal Development
6 - Method for Taking Action
Step 2
Once you have completed the worksheets, you are ready to gather all your
information and Prepare a draft IDP that states your developmental goals. Use
the blank IDP found on the last page of this booklet. Your IDP plan will state
how your developmental goals align with organizational goals. It will list
competencies you wish to acquire or develop. It will include your proposed
developmental activities, projected completion dates for each activity and
resources you will need.
Step 3
Schedule an appointment to meet with your supervisor or manager and review
your proposed IDP. After considering supervisory input, finalize and sign the
IDP. Obtain your supervisor’s signature.
Step 4
Remember that your IDP is a living document. Review your IDP, especially at
your mid-term performance review, and make any appropriate adjustments.
1. CURRENT CAREER ISSUES WORKSHEET
What are your career issues?
How much time and effort you need to spend at any one step in the process depends on your career
issues. It is important to be clear about these career issues, so that you can develop an effective
strategy for dealing with them. Career issues cover a broad spectrum, ranging from getting up to
speed in a new job, to making a major career field change, or planning your retirement. The following
is a list of statements that reflect the full range of career issues people face at one time or another.
Which ones are relevant for you now? Place an “X” in front of the statements that are true for you at
this time.
____ You are new in your job and must learn the basics to get up to speed and feel comfortable and
productive.
____ You have been in your job for a while and are striving for increased competence, in general.
____ You need to improve your performance in certain areas of your current job.
____ You need to update your skills or expertise to keep up with the changing technologies or state-of-the-
art knowledge in your line of work.
____ Your job duties have changed recently (or will change), requiring some new skills or expertise on your
part.
____ Your job may be eliminated due to re-engineering or restructuring, and you want to begin “re-
tooling” to be ready for future opportunities.
____ You want to prepare for a promotion or move to the next higher level of responsibility.
____ You want to broaden your skills or expertise to allow yourself more flexibility for future job moves.
____ You want to change jobs within your current job category, and...
____ stay at your Organization ____ stay in the Federal Government
____ stay within Commerce ____ leave the Federal Government
____ You want to change job categories, and…
____ stay at your Organization ____ stay in the Federal Government
____ stay within Commerce ____ leave the Federal Government
____ You don’t see much of a future if you remain in your current job, but aren’t sure of your options.
____ You want to plan your retirement.
____ Other
2. KNOWLEDGE OF WORK ENVIRONMENT WORKSHEET
Answer the following questions to identify what is currently going on around you and your organization.
What changes do you expect to occur in the near future:
1. How is the mission of my organization (e.g., bureau, office or division) changing? What other changes
are occurring regarding our customers, services, work processes, organizational structure, reporting
relationships and personnel? Is this a change of which I want to be a part or is it time for me to
consider a move?
2. What are the organization’s changing needs regarding the workforce and what new expertise and skills
will be required or desirable?
3. What opportunities are available for developing this new expertise and skills (work experiences,
training, rotational assignments, professional conferences, mentoring, etc.)?
4. How might my role (job) change in my organization? How can I prepare for or develop new skills for
these changes?
5. New expertise and skills my organization wants me to learn include...
6. What new missions or projects in my organization or within DoC appeal to me? What are the
organization’s future needs? What kinds of development activities would help position me for
participation in another work project?
3. KNOWLEDGE OF SELF WORKSHEET
To gain a better understanding of your self, answer the following questions:
1. Of the new and recent developments in my organization or field, what interests me the most?
2. What are my current strengths for pursuing these interests? What do I need to do to reposition my
career so that I can get involved in these new developments?
3. Is it time for me to consider working outside of my organization? If I am considering a complete career
change, what experiences and learning would help reposition my career in the direction of my new
interests?
4. Of all the things I have done in the last 5 years (work and non-work related), what specific activities
and functions have energized me the most? What developmental activities—work experiences,
learning, skill building--would help me grow in or increase these energizing functions?
5. Other things I would like to learn are...
6. What non-work related issues do I need to consider that will likely impact my career plans
(e.g., health, family, financial, and social)?
4. INTEGRATION OF KNOWLEDGE OF SELF AND WORK ENVIRONMENT
WORKSHEET
To address the match between you and your career goals and organizational needs, answer the following
questions:
1. In what areas do my interests and personal plans overlap with the changing needs of my organization?
Any areas of overlap represent “first choice” development targets?
2. What knowledge, skills or abilities are important for increasing or maintaining the quality of my
performance in my present assignments?
3. What knowledge, skills or abilities would help prepare me for opportunities or roles I might have in the
future?
4. Compared to the development needs suggested by these factors, other interests for development that are
important to me include...
5. GOAL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHEET
A development goal is a statement of a desired outcome or accomplishment that is specific, observable and
realistic. Based on the data you have generated about yourself on the previous worksheets and your
specific career issues, write some career goals for the next 1, 2 and 3 years and answer the following
questions. You can use the list of competencies on page 10 to assist you. Definitions for each listed
competency can be found on pages 11 through 14.
1. What I want to accomplish and the competencies (knowledge/skills) I want to acquire or improve by
this time next year are…
2. What I want to accomplish and the competencies (knowledge/skills) I want to acquire or improve by
the end of the second year are...
3. What I want to accomplish and the competencies (knowledge/skills) I want to acquire or accomplish by
the end of the third year are...
4. What barriers or obstacles might prevent me from accomplishing my goals on time (e.g., time, money,
and other commitments)?
5. What can I do to overcome these barriers or obstacles? What resources are available to help me?
