5-Year Career Plan: The Plan About Making the Plan

At the start of the year, during the first team meeting, the team leader went round the room asking everyone one thing they are going to start, stop and continue this year – be it at work or outside. As the meeting notes claim, I stated that I would create a 5-year career plan, start doing things that align with the plan and stop taking on work that does not. Hello almost end of March! And I have ten days before the quarter ends and no 5-year plan.

It wasn’t that I forgot. I began the year by borrowing a template from a colleague. She not only shared the template but also her 5-year plan from 2015-2020. Equipped with both a battle-tested template and a real-world example, I started creating a draft of my plan on 17th January. Perfect setup, right?

Why then did I make no progress from January to now? Well, because tasks like these can get overwhelming very quickly. Looking into the future is like staring into a fog – the further you try to see, the blurrier it gets. I struggled to create a plan for year 1; never mind getting to year 3, 4, and beyond. The weight of making “the right plan” became paralyzing.

My colleague probably witnessed the same because her template includes a few helpful tips on where to begin. Yet, no matter how many instructions there are, it is a difficult task. After having thought about it at least once a week, every week, from January to now, I can proudly say I have created a somewhat imperfect, incomplete first draft. And you know what? That’s okay. Editing and incremental changes are always easier than starting from a blank page.

How did I begin? There’s something about hitting a 10-year mark within an organization that brings clarity. The longer I sat with my feelings, the clearer I became on where I needed to go next. Engaging with other organizations and peers helped me realize what I gravitate towards and what I don’t. For example, browsing job openings revealed the increasing importance of employee relations, legal knowledge, and workforce planning, which led me to join a non-profit board, take on ER cases, and dive deeper into workforce planning – all now featuring in my future plans.

I’m keenly aware that goals and career choices may change; big life changes could throw a spanner into the works. I find myself occasionally considering a move to product management, and while my current 5-year plan doesn’t reflect this path, it may suddenly pivot. Remember the golden rule – it’s always better to edit than begin from a blank page. And the second rule? Not having a plan is a plan; is the worst plan.

Though there is one question that kept coming up as I worked on my plan. Does anyone else ever get to see the plan? Do you share it with recruiters when job hunting? Do you share it with hiring managers? Should your current manager see it, or is it something that only you and a trusted mentor should have visibility to? My take? A career plan is probably akin to a personal diary with professional aspirations. Share selectively and strategically. While portions of it might be relevant during job interviews or career discussions, the complete document is your personal north star and is likely something that you only share with a mentor or trusted confidant.

I firmly believe everyone should create a career plan – not because it will perfectly predict your future, but because the process of creating one forces you to think deeply about what you want from your career. So, here’s my gift to you today: the template with instructions that was passed down by my colleague to me.

While I’m not going to publicly post my 5-year plan (some things are better kept close to the chest), I’m happy to share it individually. Connect with me via LinkedIn or through this blog, ask for it, and I promise to share my plan with you.

Remember, a 5-year plan isn’t about predicting the future – it’s about setting intentions and direction. It’s okay if it changes. It’s okay if it’s imperfect. What matters is that you’re thinking ahead and being intentional about your career journey.

————–Template starts here——————

5 Year Career Plan

This tool is intended as an aid in planning your long-range career goals, it is a summary document of your short- and long-range goals and the plan to achieve those goals. To use this tool and develop your career goals, you can follow the steps outlined below.

Suggested Career Planning Steps:

Identify Career Goal you would like to reach 5 years from now. Need help?

• Talk to your manager or mentor (find a mentor if you don’t have one!) for ideas.
• Talk to other managers/executives/ICs that have senior positions that you might be interested in doing one day. Ask them what type of experience/knowledge they obtained/would be needed for this position.
• Look for job openings that you might be interested in 5 years from now – review the experience/knowledge requirements.

Identify specific work experiences you need/want to be ready to reach your goal.

• Ask your manager to provide special projects related to your goal during your development conversations and when opportunities arise.
• Ask your manager about rotation opportunities or leadership programs available in your organization and how you can qualify and apply if appropriate to your goals.
• Ask your mentor for help in identifying other contacts for special assignments and ideas.
• If it is time to move on to a new position, look for job openings that might be appropriate for your next move.

Identify specific training your need/want to meet your future career goals.

• Ask your manager about specific training needed to enhance your current and future work capability in your current program area.
• Ask your manager and mentor about specific training to enhance your skill knowledge, as well as additional degrees and certificates that could enhance your career.
• Review training websites to identify training that could help meet your career goals and could enhance your overall skills and capabilities.

Identify opportunities to network and use your skills in unique ways outside of your normal job duties.

• Review volunteer organizations and join those that might help meet your needs and goals.
• Check out resources on the intranet and engage in Affinity Groups to expand your network.

Name:					Date:
Objective:
	Year 1 – 2025	Year 2 – 2026	Year 3 – 2027	Year 4 – 2028		Year 5 – 2029
Work Experience	Job assignments and new tasks that will enable you to gain experience you need to reach your goal:
Previous Work Experiences;
Training/Education	Knowledge and skills you will need to qualify for your future career:
Professional/Personal Development	Organization membership and volunteer/community experiences to enhance your development