Start with your current role: what you do, what you own, and where your gaps are. Then define a 3-5 year target in terms of scope and environment, not only job title. Work backwards to identify the 3-5 skills or experiences that are currently missing. Turn each gap into a specific action with a deadline. Review the plan every quarter. Source: CIPD career development guidance.
Specific enough to be falsifiable. 'Be more senior' is not a goal. 'Reach VP Product at a Series A-C company by 2029, managing a team of at least 3 PMs' is a goal. Specificity forces you to decide what you actually want and makes it possible to assess whether you are on track. The goal will change. That is expected. Source: CIPD career planning guidance.
Action items monthly (are you doing what you committed to?), overall plan quarterly (are you making progress?), direction annually (does the destination still make sense?). A plan reviewed once a year is a document. A plan reviewed regularly is a practice. Source: LinkedIn Learning career development research.
Read 10-15 job descriptions for roles you want in 2-3 years. Note which requirements appear consistently and which you currently meet. The gap between your profile and those requirements is your development agenda. Supplement with direct conversations: ask people in those roles what they wish they had known earlier. Source: LinkedIn Economic Graph research on career transitions.
Yes, and it often makes the conversation more productive. A documented plan shifts the conversation from vague ambition to specific asks. Your manager can comment on whether your targets are realistic, open doors to experiences you need, and be a more useful advocate if they understand where you are trying to go. Source: CIPD Line Manager Development research.