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How to Create and Execute a Pathway to a New Target Role

Advancing your career or transitioning into a new role requires strategic planning and deliberate action. By leveraging your current skills profile, you can map out a structured pathway to achieve your desired role. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to use your profile to create and execute a tailored career pathway.

Assess Your Current Skills and Competencies

Understanding your existing skills is the foundation for any career transition. Your personal skills profile should provide a clear view of your strengths, gaps, and transferable skills.

How to Implement:

  • Conduct a Self-Assessment: Use a structured skills self-assessment tool (such as a digital competency matrix) to rate your proficiency in the skills relevant to your current and target roles.
  • Gather Manager and Peer Feedback: Collect feedback from colleagues, supervisors, or mentors to gain additional perspectives on your competencies and areas of improvement.
  • Identify Transferable Skills: Determine which of your current skills are adaptable to your desired role. Soft skills like leadership, problem-solving, and strategic thinking are often highly transferable, even across different industries.

Tools to Use:

  • Use digital platforms like TalentJam, Skills Base or Fuel50 for skills assessments.
  • Create a skills matrix using TalentJam, Excel or Google Sheets to visually map your strengths and gaps.

Research Your Target Role

Thoroughly researching the role you want to pursue helps you understand the specific skills, qualifications, and experiences needed to succeed.

How to Implement:

  • Review Job Descriptions: Gather job descriptions from various companies for similar roles. Highlight common skills, responsibilities, and experience requirements.
  • Use Competency Frameworks: Explore competency frameworks related to your target role to identify the key capabilities and knowledge areas expected in the field.
  • Conduct Informational Interviews: Reach out to individuals currently in your desired role to learn about their career paths and the specific skills that have helped them succeed.

Tools to Use:

  • Use the Pathways feature of TalentJam (or any talent management tool, if it supports this feature) to automatically identify your fit for any available role or position.
  • LinkedIn Job Search for role research.
  • Industry-specific frameworks from sources like SFIA (Skills Framework for the Information Age) or SHRM for HR roles.

Perform a Skills Gap Analysis

A gap analysis compares your current skills profile with the requirements of your target role, highlighting areas that need development.

How to Implement:

  • Create a Skills Comparison Table: List your current skills alongside the skills needed for the target role. Use a rating system to highlight gaps (e.g. proficiency levels of 1-5).
  • Prioritise Critical Gaps: Focus on closing gaps that are most critical to performing successfully in your desired role. Categorise gaps into “High Priority” (e.g. essential technical skills) and “Low Priority” (e.g. skills that are nice to have but not mandatory).
  • Quick Wins: Identify quick wins, skills that can be developed relatively quickly through short courses, workshops, or mentorship.

Tools to Use:

  • Skills gap analysis templates (e.g. in Excel) or dedicated tools like TalentJam or TalentGuard.

Set Clear Development Goals

Transform your skills gap analysis into actionable goals. These goals should outline exactly what you need to achieve and when.

How to Implement:

  • Use SMART Goals: Goals should be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. For example, set a goal like “Complete a data analytics certification by the end of Q2.”
  • Break Down Long-Term Goals into Short-Term Milestones: For example, if your long-term goal is to become proficient in a new programming language, break it down into short-term goals like “Complete an introductory online course” and “Create a small project using the new language.”
  • Create a Timeline: Develop a visual timeline or Gantt chart that maps your progress toward each goal, helping you stay organised and on track.

Tools to Use:

  • Use the Personal Development Plan (PDP) function in TalentJam, or your organisation’s tool or template. If there is not an official template, you can find several online.
  • Goal-setting platforms like Trello, Asana, or Monday.com.
  • Visual timeline creators like GanttPRO or Lucidchart.

Pursue Learning and Development Opportunities

Find and engage in learning activities that align with the skills needed for your target role. This could include formal courses, on-the-job learning, and mentoring.

How to Implement:

  • Enrol in Relevant Courses and Certifications: Choose courses that directly address your skill gaps. Platforms like Coursera, Udacity, and LinkedIn Learning are great for flexible learning.
  • Seek On-the-Job Learning Opportunities: Look for opportunities to work on cross-functional projects, take on new responsibilities, or participate in company-wide initiatives.
  • Connect with Mentors: Find a mentor in your target field who can provide guidance, share knowledge, and offer support as you build your skills.

Tools to Use:

  • Your organisation’s Learning Management System (LMS) should offer many relevant training modules.
  • Learning platforms like Coursera for Business, Pluralsight, or edX.
  • Mentorship platforms such as Together or MentorcliQ.

Track Your Progress and Adjust as Needed

Regularly track your progress toward your development goals. This ensures you remain focused and can make adjustments if necessary.

How to Implement:

  • Create a Skills Progress Tracker: Use a digital tool or a simple spreadsheet to monitor your progress, marking skills as “In Progress,” “Developing,” or “Achieved.”
  • Self-Review Quarterly: Conduct quarterly reviews to assess whether your development plan is still aligned with your target role or if adjustments are needed.
  • Incorporate Feedback: Actively seek feedback from mentors, peers, or managers on your progress and areas that still need attention.

Tools to Use:

  • Tracking software like Skills Base, Degreed, or Google Sheets.
  • Some skills frameworks and tools (including TalentJam) offer self-certification (with evidence).
  • Performance management platforms like TalentJam, 15Five, or Lattice for structured feedback.

Gain Practical Experience

Applying newly acquired skills in real-world settings is crucial for solidifying your knowledge and building your credibility.

How to Implement:

  • Take on Stretch Assignments: Request projects or assignments that align with your target role’s responsibilities. For example, if you’re aiming for a project management role, volunteer to lead a small team project.
  • Freelance or Volunteer: If your current role doesn’t offer relevant opportunities, consider freelancing or volunteering in capacities that allow you to gain the experience you need.
  • Participate in Cross-Functional Teams: Join cross-functional projects or initiatives to gain exposure to different business areas and broaden your skills.

Tools to Use:

  • Platforms like Upwork or Freelancer for side projects.
  • Volunteering networks like Catchafire or VolunteerMatch.

Evaluate and Adjust Your Pathway

Career development is a dynamic process. As you progress, regularly evaluate your pathway and make adjustments based on your progress, feedback, and any changes in your career aspirations.

How to Implement:

  • Regular Goal Review: Revisit your goals every six months to ensure they remain aligned with your evolving career aspirations and industry developments.
  • Stay Flexible: Be willing to adjust your pathway if new opportunities arise or if you encounter unexpected challenges.
  • Celebrate Milestones: Acknowledge and celebrate every milestone achieved, no matter how small. This helps maintain motivation and momentum.

Tools to Use:

  • TalentJam includes a Pathway feature which offers a dynamic Personal Development Plan (PDP). This PDP can have more than one active action, growth area, or even objective.
  • Personal goal-tracking platforms like Habitica or Goalify.

Position Yourself for the Target Role

When you have developed the necessary skills and gained relevant experience, it’s time to position yourself for your target role.

How to Implement:

  • Update Your Professional Profiles: Make sure your resume, LinkedIn profile, and other professional platforms highlight your new skills, certifications, and experiences.
  • Leverage Your Network: Connect with key decision-makers within your organisation or industry to express your interest in your target role.
  • Showcase Your New Skills: Share your achievements and projects publicly through presentations, blog posts, or portfolio updates to demonstrate your readiness.

Tools to Use:

  • LinkedIn for professional networking and visibility.
  • Portfolio tools like Behance or Dribbble for showcasing creative skills.