A career path and plan - Putting moving on up into practice Penny Davenport The Assist Conference 2015

1. A Career Path and Plan:
putting moving on up into practice
PENNY DAVENPORT
EXECUTIVE COACH AND PERSONAL CAREER MENTOR
WWW.PENNYDAVENPORT.CO.UK

2. In the next 30 minutes, we will consider :
1. Why a career plan is a good idea
2. What you should include in your career plan
3. Things which might derail your career plan
4. How to put your plan into action

3. Get tweeting
 Don’t forget to follow me on twitter @DavenportPenny
 Please also join in the conversations by using the #assistconf,
#careercoaching, @practicalpa @assistconf

4. Not everyone needs a career plan

5. You should have a career plan if :
 You’d like to have good standard of living
 You’d like to buy a home
 You want to retire
 You have ambitions and plans
 You’d like to start a business or be your own boss
 You want payback for your education
 You might like to have a family and a career break

6. Elements of a great career plan
 Logical time horizons:
- 1 year, 3 years & 5 years
- If in a new job – 3 months, 6 months, 1 year
 Career goals, personal goals and other ambitions
side-by-side
 SMART goals: specific, measurable, achievable,
realistic, time-bound
 Dynamic and reviewed often
 Validated with a trusted third party

7. Career Planning Template
Goal What do I need to do to
achieve my objectives?
What support and
resources do I need?
Next Steps Target Date
Career 1 year
Career 3 years
Career 5 years
Personal
Life Ambitions

8. Career Planning Template Example
Goal What do I need to do to
achieve my objectives?
What support and
resources do I need?
Next Steps Target Date
Career 1 year Be promoted from
assistant to EA
Be assigned a second
MD
Be better at time
management
Attend course 31st March 2015
Career 3 years Be an EA in a larger firm Supervise junior
assistants
Build supervisory skills
Grow my network
Supervisory skills course
Join industry group
30th June 2016
Career 5 years
Personal Run a 10k race Start running and cross
training
A training plan and a
running mate
Download training plan
Join running group
Sign up for race
31st May 2015
Learn to bake Start making cakes A good cookery book
YouTube tutorials
Make a cake for Sarah’s
Birthday
30st March 2015
Life Ambitions Own an apartment in
Spain
Save £xx Increasing disposable
income
Open a savings account 15th March 2015
See the turtles in the
Galapagos
Have £xx A great travel agent Research the best time
to go
30th June 2015

9. Career plans get derailed very easily if :
 You don’t really buy into your goals
 Your goals are not SMART
 Your career plan is not compatible with your life plan & lifestyle
 It is static and does not change along with your situation
 It sits in a drawer
 You get complacent or lazy
 You are not aware of external factors which influence your career
plan (people, corporate shifts, the economy)

10. Moving on up: get started
 Documenting or drawing your career plan is the first step;
now put it into action
 Get a sponsor or mentor and make sure you believe in your
plan
 Take a step – book a course, meet someone new, open a
savings account
 Learn from your actions. Be honest!
 Take another step
 Revise your plan
 Live the life you desire; have the career you deserve

11. Contact Details
Penny Davenport
M: 07990 524 202
E: penny@pennydavenport.co.uk
@DavenportPenny
For a one hour telephone career
planning session at a 50% Assist
Conference 2015 discount please
contact me, or leave your business
card today