Creating a Professional Development Plan (PDP) - new page.  Members only? Is this helpful?

Professional development is most effective when it is intentional and focused on your own long-term aspirations. Whether you are certified as a health educator, master health educator, certified in public health, or "none of the above," it is important to keep learning and keep moving yourself in the direction you want to go.

These are some suggested steps for creating your personalized Professional Development Plan or PDP. 

Consider using the steps outlined here as your “jumping off point” – a tool you can use on your professional development journey.  There are many ways to create a professional development plan and no one “right” way to do it. The key is to create a plan that will work for you. A PDF version is also available below.

Sometimes professional development can feel selfish because it is focused on you. Keep in mind that others benefit as well. Your increased skill and knowledge will benefit those you serve. Your improved sense of self-confidence will help you be more productive in your role – and willing to take on new challenges. This can be a boost to your organization for filling skill gaps and for succession planning. Professional development is a win-win-win situation!

Creating a Professional Development Plan

STEP 1 – Assess

Assess where you are currently. 

Before you jump into planning and action, please take time to assess where you are and where you want to be.

A.  Define your goal for your professional development plan and focus on what you want rather than what you don’t want. Think about what you want more of. For example,

• Do you want to grow your professional skills so you are more confident and effective in your current role?
• Are you looking to advance within your organization? Do you want more or different responsibilities?
• Are you looking to do something different or go in a different direction?

B.      Consider these questions to get you started on your self-assessment:

• What are the most exciting or rewarding experiences you’ve had in the past year(s) in your career? What parts of your job(s) have you most enjoyed?
• What do you value about yourself, your work, and your organization? How do you get to express your personal values through your work?
• What personal strengths, skills, or factors have made your current successes possible?

C.     Consider what success looks like for you.

• What are your wishes for your future work?
• Who would you like to benefit from your work?
• Don’t forget to consider how your work helps them help others.
• How can you make their world a little better?

• What values do you want to promote through your work?

D.     How will you know if your professional development plan is working for you?

• Imagine it is one year from now and you have achieved your professional development goal with amazing success. What does the future look like? What are you doing that makes you feel fulfilled and capable?

STEP 2 – Identify

Identify your career goals and what you need to achieve them.

A.      What skills, experiences, and competencies will you need?

• Review the competencies, or job description if relevant, for your desired role.
• Consider the Areas of Responsibility, Competencies and Sub-competencies for Health Education Specialists, available through NCHEC
• Another resource to get you thinking about your current and desired knowledge, skills and abilities as a health educator is the O*NET Program’s Resource Center: Health Education Specialist page at https://www.onetonline.org/link/details/21-1091.00
• Is there someone in a position you hope to grow into that you can talk to about what it takes to do their job?

B.      Compare the list of needed knowledge, skills, and abilities to your existing knowledge, skills and abilities.

• This is a good time to talk with your direct supervisor, your professional peers, clients, and even family and friends to help you identify your strengths and capabilities.
• Remember to include the strengths and skills you have that will help you grow and achieve your goals, i.e., your strengths that led to your previous successes. These may be outside of technical job-related skills.

C.     Consider what resources can support you.

• What other resources have helped you be successful in the past? Who and or what supported you?
• What resources are available to you now and what will you need to do to harness them?
• What resources do you need to find or put into place?
• What professional development opportunities that align with your goals are already available to you?
• Who are your best cheerleaders/support network? How can you involve them?

STEP 3 – DECIDE

Decide on a strategy and timeline. Think about what actions you could take to start moving in the direction you want to go.

A.   What specifically do you need? Do you need to gain knowledge? Skills? Experience? How will this impact your timeline?

B.   Where will you find support? Do you have any peers you could approach about supporting each other on your professional development journeys? Would working with a coach, mentor, or advisor be helpful? What would that look like? Include steps to make this happen in your action plan.

C.       Start with your endpoint in mind and work backwards to create a personal plan of milestones and timelines. Is this a one-year, 3-year or 5-year plan? Consider breaking it down into quarterly/3-month goals to keep it manageable – identify what, when and how.

D.   Consider using the SMART acronym for your goals – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely; or try a SIMple Goal - Specific, Inspiring, & Measurable.

E.      When you have completed your plan, review it and compare it to your vision of your future from Step 1. Will this plan help you achieve the feeling of professional fulfillment and confidence you envisioned?

STEP 4 – EXECUTE

Execute your plan.

A.    Block out time on your schedule on a regular basis to work on your small, manageable steps.

B.   Remember that professional development is a process. Be willing to experiment and adjust as you go. Take time to consider your learning about the process as well as what you learn related to your knowledge, skills, and abilities.

C.    Look for ways to apply what you are learning to reinforce your new capabilities and boost your confidence.

D.     Celebrate your success!     

E.  Expect temporary setbacks and have a plan in place to deal with them.

F.    Consider using role models to keep you motivated and engaged.

G.   Don’t be afraid to take advantage of new opportunities as they arise, as long as they continue to move you in the direction you want to go.  It’s your plan - adjust the plan as needed.

STEP 5 – EVALUATE

Evaluate your progress.

A.  Track your progress – big and small victories, lessons learned, and adjustments made.

B.  Compare your progress to your plan. Are you hitting your milestones? Are the milestones still relevant to your overall goal?

C.   Are your goals still relevant for you? Do you need to set new goals? As you learn and grow, it’s common for goals to grow and change as well.

D.   Celebrate your success! Take time to appreciate your hard work and achievements.