IDP - Instructions
Section 1: Identifying Information, Goals, and Self-Assessment
Identifying information: Name, other identifying information, date of current plan, review date (six months from completion date).
Goals: Short-Range-Career Goal (achievable within 1-2 years) and Long Range-Career Goal (achievable within 2-4 years). Goals can be written in any format you choose. You can specify a position, series and grade, if desired (Business Management Specialist GS-301-9) or simply indicate the name of a new skill, title, role, or private sector profession you wish to target (e.g., "Team Leader, "Senior Accountant")
Self-Assessment: Provide information about those strengths you currently possess. Describe relevant education/training, employment experience, and completed developmental activities. Include the most significant self-developmental, on-the-job, and formal classroom training you want considered in your career planning process.
Section 2: Present Position
Identify the Targeted Competencies which are critical to your current job. These may be found in NIH "Performance Elements and Standards" and "Guidelines for Promotion" documents. With input from your manager, determine which areas need improvement. Though this requires subjective evaluation, rating oneself as having "80% capacity" on a competency can be a useful guide to determine "basic" effectiveness.
Next, identify a developmental activity for each targeted competency. Include a variety of self-developmental activities (e.g, reading. joining Toastmasters), on-the-job training/assignments (e.g., assisting co-workers with graphic presentation of reports), and formal classroom training (e.g. Prince George's Community College course in Effective Writing).
Note that all formal classroom training should have the source (i.e., USDA) identified. For all activities, indicate the intended completion date (i.e., Spring '98).
Sections 3 and 4: Short-Range and Long-Range Goals
These pages follow the same format as page two. As an immediate action plan, the IDP focuses on the present position and the short-range goal. However, the long-range goal orients the overall plan so those steps are taken in a logical manner.
Fill in the Targeted Competencies that pertain to your short-range and long-range goals. If you seek to qualify for another position, the competencies required of that job should be identified. It is important to note, however, that "competency-like language can be used even if the goal is not to get another job.
When both are in agreement with the plan, the employee and supervisor sign and date the IDP. Discuss modifications and make changes to the plan whenever necessary, completing an updated IDP every six (6) months.
