Create a step-by-step career roadmap: target roles, required skills, milestones, and a weekly action plan you can execute.
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From Marketing Coordinator to Data Analyst in 6 months, 10h/week
A career roadmap is a structured plan that connects:
It's different from a vague "career dream" because it includes timelines, measurable outcomes, and feedback loops. A good roadmap helps you track progress, adjust when stuck, and stay accountable.
1. _______________________________
2. _______________________________
3. _______________________________
| Skill | Current level (1–5) | Target level (1–5) | Evidence to build | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SQL | 2 | 4 | 2 projects with queries | Month 2 |
| _______ | ___ | ___ | _______ | _______ |
| _______ | ___ | ___ | _______ | _______ |
1. _______________________________
2. _______________________________
3. _______________________________
1. _______________________________
2. _______________________________
_______________________________
_______________________________
_______________________________
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Applications: _____ per week
Networking: _____ contacts/week
Learning: _____ hours/week
Mon: _______________________________
Tue: _______________________________
Wed: _______________________________
Thu: _______________________________
Fri: _______________________________
Target:
Marketing Intern (3 months)
Level:
Student → Entry
Skills:
Writing, basic analytics, campaign ideas
Milestones:
Weekly plan:
6h/week (2h portfolio, 2h applications, 2h interview prep)
Target:
Data Analyst (6 months)
Level:
Career switcher → Entry/Mid
Skills:
SQL, dashboards, metrics storytelling
Milestones:
Weekly plan:
8h/week (4h SQL + projects, 2h applications, 2h interview prep)
Target:
Senior PM (12 months)
Level:
Mid → Senior
Skills:
Leadership, strategy, metrics ownership
Milestones:
Weekly plan:
Leadership practice + portfolio narrative (document wins with metrics)
A career development plan (also called a professional development plan or employee development plan) is a structured framework for growth. Here's a simple template:
Define what "better" means: role, level, or compensation target
List skills and behaviors required for the next level
Training, projects, mentorship, stretch assignments
Evidence to collect + review cadence (monthly/quarterly)
Monthly check-in + quarterly reset
Focus beats breadth. Choose the role you want most and build a plan for it.
Read 5–10 job descriptions and note the most common requirements.
Projects, leadership examples, or measurable results that show you can do the job.
Break down each milestone into tasks you can do this week. Use your job search planner to stay on track.
Check progress, update milestones, and pivot if needed. Track applications with your job tracker.
"I want to be a PM" is not a plan. Add milestones: 2 projects, 10 interviews, 30 applications.
Courses don't prove skills. Build a portfolio or work samples. Update your resume with proof.
Vague plans fail. Block time each week for learning, building, and applying.
Apply, interview, and get rejected? Good. Learn what's missing and adjust. Use ATS checker to improve your resume.
A career plan is a high-level goal ("I want to be a senior engineer"). A career roadmap adds structure: skills, milestones, timelines, and weekly actions. It's the executable version of a plan.
3–12 months is ideal. Shorter than 3 months is too rushed. Longer than 12 months is hard to predict. Start with 6 months and adjust monthly.
Yes! Students can use a career roadmap to plan for internships or first jobs. Focus on portfolio projects, mock interviews, and applications. See our student example above.
Pick the role that sounds most interesting and build a roadmap for it. You can always pivot. It's better to have a plan for one role than no plan at all.
Look at job descriptions and ask: "What would prove I can do this?" Examples: portfolio projects, leadership examples, certifications, or measurable results.
2–3 skills max. More than that and you'll spread yourself too thin. Master the top 2–3 skills for your target role first.
Use a simple checklist: hours spent, tasks completed, applications sent. Our job search planner and tracker can help.
Yes! The worksheet above works as a professional development plan template or employee development plan template. Just adjust the timeline and milestones to fit your company's review cycle.
Review monthly. Update milestones, adjust timelines, and pivot if you're stuck. A roadmap is a living document, not a rigid plan.
Check your milestones. Are they measurable? Are you getting feedback? If applications aren't working, check your ATS score or improve your cover letter.
Build a career roadmap with target roles, skills, milestones, and a weekly action plan you can execute.