A new APA resource guides psychologists through the process of creating an individual development plan for securing a first job and maintaining career growth.
APA’s Resource for Individual Development Plans (IDP) is a tool that takes early career psychologists — especially those in their postdoc years — step-by-step through self-assessment, career exploration and the creation of milestones to help facilitate career development.
IDPs are formalized, structured career training plans tailored to a trainee’s unique needs and career aspirations. Federal funding agencies, such as the National Institutes of Health, require either the use of IDPs or other structured training plans by postdocs and graduate students supported on research and training funds.
IDPs help graduate students and ECPs identify and encourage the use of opportunities that increase their professional and career development. Such opportunities often exist:
- In the training or work environment (mentoring or supervising undergraduates in the lab).
- At the host school or institution (resume writing workshops).
- Through professional societies (career panels at conferences and conventions).
APA’s resource breaks down the IDP process into five steps, creating modules that contain how-to videos, downloadable forms, and explanations of how to identify mentors, develop realistic career plans and assess progress. The five steps of the APA IDP Resources are:
- Self-Assessment: What motivates you? What are your skills, interests and abilities?
- Explore Careers: Research the myriad career and job options available, and what skills, abilities and competencies are needed to succeed.
- Compare & Contrast: What is missing in your experiences and training in terms of skills, abilities and competencies.
- Set Goals: Make concrete plans to measure and track your progress.
- Implement and Revise: Use specific milestones with clear deadlines and outcomes to ensure you make progress, and revise our IDP so it stays current with your career stage.
APA’s IDP Resource is free and a product of the Opening Doors Summit, organized by 2014 APA President Nadine Kaslow, PhD. The summit’s goals were to identify barriers and make recommendations to help graduate students and postdoctoral scholars in psychology transition into a first job.