Personal Development Planning
‘The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeing new landscapes but in having new eyes’
Proust
Using a process such as personal development planning can help you identify and plan for your development needs in a proactive way and cost-conscious way, thus achieving the goals of the organisation and your own career aspirations.
Whether you are an existing or a new member of staff, personal development planning can help you to see and make the most of the opportunities available to you whilst at the University.
Personal development planning can help you to:
- Develop a greater awareness of how you can learn at work
- Identify both your strengths and areas for development/improvement
- Enable goal setting for both your professional and personal life
- Self-reflect
- Record your achievements/development activities and monitor/evaluate your progress
- Provide information for CV writing, job applications and interviews
- Aid discussion for your PDR
Personal Development Planning consists of two things:
1. Creating a portfolio to help you to identify, reflect on and record your learning and development. For example:
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2. Engaging in a range of experiences that help you to plan, manage and achieve your learning and development. For example:
| Talk with your line manager | Apply to take an accredited course |
| Share with a mentor | Take part in a voluntary activity |
| Attend a workshop, conference or training session | Discuss ideas with colleagues |
| Observe other people/shadow a colleague | Keep a journal or diary |
| Take on an additional responsibility | Network |
To help you get started and identify your development needs in a planned, proactive way, here are some key questions to help you:
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Recording your development
Make a start on your PDP Portfolio with this suggested form for recording your development needs and your plans for meeting them.
Finally, if you would like to discuss development needs for you or your team/section, please contact your HRD link.