Episode Details

Last week's episode provided a high-level overview of the IDP and gave several reasons why it should be an important part of your career development plan. This week, we will cover the first two sections, the Vision and the Roadmap. And as a reminder, if you'd like to get my IDP template, go to the Contact form at ManagingACareer.com and drop me a note.

Career Vision

The career vision is a statement about where you want to be in your career as far into the future as you can imagine. For some, this could be where you see yourself at retirement; for others, it may be where you see yourself in 5 to 10 years. It's a statement about what will make you feel fulfilled or be happy with the direction your career has taken. This is really a statement that only you can make.

As you contemplate your vision, brainstorm how the various options that you are considering align with your personal values. Ask yourself questions similar to these:

• Will you remain in an individual role?
• Do you aspire to management or even executive level work?
• Are you interested in changing fields of work or progressing in your current field?
• Do you find your current industry interesting or would you prefer to be in a different industry?
• How does the size of your current company compare to your ideal company size?
• Would you prefer to be doing work that is more charitable or altruistic?
• If you reach this goal, what would you do "next"?

Don't rush through this. If necessary, spend several days mulling this over -- if you are so inclined, pray or meditate on this. This statement will be setting the direction for the rest of the IDP.

But at the same time, don't fret if you can only think a few years ahead. Your Vision Statement is not set in stone. As you learn more about yourself and your desired direction, you can always revisit and revise the Vision Statement.

Your vision statement should clarify the timeline, the desired job title, and the list of expected duties. Be sure to add any other details to make the vision statement as specific as possible such as the industry or company size. If you consider the SMART goal template, the Vision Statement should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. It should be possible for you to review this statement every year and clearly determine whether it has been met or not.