Build a personal development plan

A personal development plan (PDP) has huge benefits when it comes to the direction and progression of your career. A plan will help to give you a clear idea about where you want to be and how you’d like to get there, allow you to set a defined path of progression and give you more confidence in the choices you make along the way. What’s more, as you’ll be supported by your manager throughout, you’ll stay motivated and gain greater confidence in the skills, qualities and attributes you bring.

To get started, think about how you’d like to improve in your job and what you might need to do to achieve this, and then pinpoint the areas you’d like to concentrate on.

Draw up a short list of these areas before arranging to discuss your thoughts with your manager.

I was a trained SME and deployed Simulator Training across the business in 2013/2014. ”

Here are some ways you could develop yourself that you might like to consider;

• Identify a suitably skilled manager or colleague to act as your coach or mentor
• Volunteer to take on additional tasks outside of your core job
• If your manager agrees, consider working on a temporary basis in a different job or department
• Establish learning or personal networks.There are websites such as LinkedIn that can be useful, but also think about widening your personal network outside of the office or team you work in
• Try to develop your knowledge of the company you work for and about how it is performing in a competitive market
• Undertake formal training to help develop specific knowledge and skills, as agreed with your manager.