Career Action Plan by ascension-leadershipacademy

03 INTRODUCTION

05 SELF-ASSESSMENT

08 GOAL-SETTING

10 CAREER GAP ANALYSIS

12 CREATE A ROADMAP

14 MAINTAIN THE RELATIONSHIP

15 EXTENDED SPONSORSHIP 2

Introduction What is a Career Action Plan? Put simply, a career action plan is a document that lays out a roadmap for your career. It identifies short-term and long-term goals that will allow you to manage and advance your career. It allows you a personal action plan in which you outline the steps required to achieve these goals. November 2024 Your focus should be preparing for an introduction/kick-off meeting with your Career Sponsor. During this meeting, the primary objectives are to delve into the goals of your sponsorship relationship and to define clear expectations. Moreover, it's essential to arrange this kick-off meeting to officially formalize the sponsorship relationship. This kick-off meeting serves as an opportunity to: 1. Set forth the foundational guidelines and expectations for the partnership. 2. Share your insights and aspirations regarding career development opportunities and action steps. 3. Establish an effective communication protocol to ensure seamless interaction. 4. Develop a structured plan for regular check-ins. 3

5. Review the process of the career action plan.

Planning Roadmap The below table is the recommended timeline for the development of your Career Action Plan. You will complete these milestones working in partnership with your Career Sponsor. MILESTONE

TARGET DATE

PURPOSE

Self-Assessment

December 2023

Self-examination of current career situation

Goal-Setting

January 2024

Set clear career goals Review with Sponsor and update goals based on feedback

Career Gap Analysis

February 2024

Identify career paths and analyze gaps to achieve set goals Share with your Sponsor to receive insights and guidance on potential career paths and closing skill gaps

Create a Roadmap

March 2024

Create a detailed roadmap (action plan) for career advancement Review with the Sponsor and update the plan based on the feedback

Maintain the Relationship

April 2024

Implement the plan Assess the effectiveness of the sponsorship relationship

Extended Sponsorship

May 2024

Express interest in extending the sponsorship relationship Schedule regular progress meetings, reaffirm your career 4

goals, and collaborate on updating and refining your career action plan for the next phase of your journey

Assess Your Current Situation In this step, you will assess your current career situation. In addition to self-examination, this assessment may be informed through discussions and guidance from others (e.g. career sponsor, performance manager, HR partner, colleagues, etc.). December 2024 Complete the self-assessment of your current role, identifying your likes and dislikes, strengths and weaknesses, values, and motivators.

SELF-ASSESSMENT WORKSHEET Date

Name

Current Role

What are the top 3 things you like about your current role? LIKES

DETAILS / EXAMPLE

What are the top 3 things you dislike about your current role? LIKES

DETAILS / EXAMPLE

What are your top 3 strengths & weaknesses? STRENGTHS

WEAKNESSES

What motivates you in your current position?

What types of roles are of greatest interest to you across Ascension? What attracts you to these roles?

Based on your experience, what qualities do you value in a role or a work environment?

What is your ideal work-life balance?

Are you willing to relocate if the Ministry needs to utilize your gifts in another location? Select One

What are your limitations or circumstances that would impact this decision?

Set Your Career Goals When forming a career plan, the easiest way to go about it is to work backward from your end goal. It can be daunting to think so far into the future, so it is a good idea to break down your goals across different timeframes. January 2024 Focus on setting clear, specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals and identifying potential obstacles and strategies for overcoming them. Engage with your Career Sponsor by sharing your self-assessment, outlining your goals, and kindly requesting their valuable feedback.

What are your short-term goals (1-2 years), readiness, and barriers that prevent you from achieving your short-term goals today? Short-Term Goal (1-2 years)

Readiness

Barrier

Now, Later (1-2 yrs),

Select One

What are your long-term goals (3-5+ years), readiness, and barriers that prevent you from achieving your long-term goals? Long-Term Goal (3-5 years)

Readiness

Barrier

Later (3-4 yrs), Future (5+ yrs)

Select One

Perform a Career Gap Analysis Career gap analysis enables you to identify the differences between your current state (where you are right now) and your desired state (where you want to be) regarding your goals. It highlights the “gap” where there are opportunities for growth and improvement and ways to eliminate your shortcomings. February 2024 You will begin a journey of self-discovery by actively exploring various career paths within the organization and collecting valuable insights. To pave the way for growth and development, diligently conduct a comprehensive gap analysis, scrutinizing your current skill set and qualifications against the requirements of your desired role. In this collaborative endeavor, your Sponsor can play a pivotal role, offering invaluable guidance and expertise, helping you navigate potential career paths, and providing actionable advice on closing skill gaps. Together, you embark on a purposeful journey toward achieving professional success within Ascension.

GAP ANALYSIS WORKSHEET Career Gap Analysis Process

Self-Assessment Consider consulting with your career sponsor and others for their perspectives on your knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) related to your readiness for this role. Rating KSA Requirements knowledge, skills, abilities, and qualifications (including any unique technical skills, language skills, industry knowledge, etc.) Skill

(Low / Med / High)

Required Level

Description

Current Level Level

Select …

Meet Requirements? Role Requirements

Yes

Education

Select …

Experience

Select …

Certifications

Select …

Competencies

Select …

Create A Roadmap Your journey toward career growth and achievement begins with developing a flexible career action plan. This roadmap will guide you to where you want to be in your career. March 2024 Choose a desired role to create your career action plan around, and then set goals that you want to achieve. The timeline for achieving your career action plan goals should start with your short-term ones and end with your long-term goals. Your dedicated Sponsor will play a crucial role in this process, reviewing your career action plan and providing valuable feedback. Their expertise will guide you in aligning your plan with your goals and the organization's vision. Through collaborative effort and sponsorship, you will refine and finalize your career action plan, setting a clear and purposeful course for your professional journey

CAREER ACTION PLAN Gap

Action

Timeline (mm/dd/yy mm/dd/yy)

Support/Resources

Maintain the Relationship You’ve made your plan. Now what? You dedicated time to making your career action plan, you now need to ensure that you follow through. As you embark on your career development journey within Ascension, it's important to nurture and maintain a healthy Sponsor-Sponsee relationship. You will take the initiative to kickstart the actions outlined in your career action plan, putting your goals into motion. April 2024 Take this time to reflect on your experience and assess the effectiveness of the sponsorship relationship. This self-reflection will empower you to make an informed decision about whether to conclude the partnership or extend it, ensuring that your professional growth remains on the right track.

Extended Sponsorship If, upon reflection, the Sponsor-Sponsee relationship has been beneficial as you implement your career action plan and you're eager to continue benefiting from this valuable partnership, it's time to consider extending it. Renewing the partnership signifies your commitment to ongoing growth and sponsorship within Ascension. May 2024 Communicate your desire to your Sponsor, schedule regular progress check meetings, reaffirm your career goals, and work together to update and refine your career action plan for the next phase of your professional journey.