This presentation was initially delivered to the Queensland TAFE Library team in July 2014. It aims to make sense of the mystery behind developing a personal professional development plan that is flexible, yet informative in making good career decisions.

1. UNTANGLING THE
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
PLAN
Alisa Howlett
| info pro. writer. brisbanite. traveller.
!
TAFE Brisbane Library - 23 July 2014

2. WHY HAVE A PERSONAL
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
PLAN?
make meaningful contributions to:
• our ongoing development
• the organisation where we work
• the profession we are a part
make strategic and informed decisions about:
• our next career step or learning experience
• where to direct our energies and focus with PD activities
have productive
conversations with
managers, etc about our
development

3. WHAT DOES A
!
PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT PLAN
!
LOOK LIKE?
…ummm

4. WHAT CAN GUIDE PD
PLANNING?
your personal career mission, driven by values and
passion
defining your current career need (eg. exploring
different sectors, gaining a variety of learning
experiences, honing specialised skills)
position descriptions of roles you aspire to or want to
plan towards
professional interests
priorities
Byron Bay Lighthouse, 2012

5. FRAMEWORKS ANDTOOLS
ALIA Core Knowledge and Skills or any equivalent for
specialisations
A list of generic skills and capabilities
SWOT analysis
Gap analysis
by Andrew Menage CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 via Flickr

6. PARTS AND STRUCTURE
purpose statement - what will the plan help you achieve? (linked to current
career need)
goals, mission, directions
what makes you tick, what are you looking for in a workplace, what are your
priorities (both work and non-work related)
a roadmap - what you’ll work or focus on, any PD activities or what you aim
to achieve and when
learning options and activities to develop knowledge and/or skills (practicing)
essentially…. WHAT HOW WHEN
Puzzle by Liza CC BY 2.0 via Flickr

7. LEARNING OPTIONS
on the job training, experience, projects
profession - literature, blogs, conferences
personal learning network/ professional community
formal training
other sources (eg. MOOCs)
(Dority, 2006, p.140-142)

8. KEEPINGTRACK: RECORDING PD
ACTIVITIES AND EXPERIENCES
the career journal - start one!
ALIA PD scheme
regularly review and make adjustments

9. !
A CLEAR ENOUGH
• PATH
• IDEA
• DIRECTION
!
TO FORGE
MEANINGFUL CAREER:
• EXPERIENCES
• OPPORTUNITIES
• OUTCOMES
Ireland, 2009

10. LEARNING
ABOUTTHE PROCESS
what I’ll improve with my professional development plan

11. USEFUL RESOURCES
ALIA Career Planning information and templates
Book:‘Rethinking Information Work:A career guide for librarians
and other information professionals’ G. Kim Dority (2006)
The Bamboo Project blog

12. info pro.
cultural heritage.
discovery & engagement
technology.
info & knowledge management
innovation.
writer.
love to travel.
!
!
!
!
!
Alisa Howlett
@acrystelle
acrystelle.com