Personal and Professional Development: Importance of Goals and Personal Development Plan

This report discusses the importance of personal and professional development in academic and career life. It defines the concept of personal and professional development and describes the value of short-term, medium-term, and long-term goals. It also explains the value of a Personal Development Plan and provides an example using identified goals.

Personal and professional
development

Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................4
Define the concept of personal and professional development...................................................4
Describe and discuss the value of short-term goals, identifying at least three personal examples
.....................................................................................................................................................4
Describe and discuss the value of medium-term goals, identifying at least three personal
examples......................................................................................................................................5
Describe and discuss the value of long-term goals, identifying at least three personal examples
.....................................................................................................................................................5
Describe and discuss the value of a Personal Development Plan and construct an example
using your identified goals...........................................................................................................6
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................11

INTRODUCTION
In the life of an individual, personal and professional development play a crucial role by
development of a dynamic personality (Blanton, Broemmel, and Rigell, 2020). It is also key
responsibility of a person to focus on personal development in academic life for overall
development of values. In the development of professional approach in career related life, it is
also important for an individual to focus on different aspects of professional development in an
ethical manner. This project includes application of personal development plan in order to
develop effective approach in career related and academic life. This report also includes value
and importance of different short, long and medium term goals for overall development of a
candidate.

MAIN BODY
Define the concept of personal and professional development
The personal and professional development are both supportive and meaningful in making
a student competitive in academic and career life. This includes various goals and objectives that
are to be achieved by an individual to focus on long term growth of an individual. Personal and
professional development in recent times are compulsory for a student in order to develop an
effective and dynamic approach for individual growth. The concept of personal development
also makes a student more competitive in academic environment which is desire of every student
(Carpenter, and Harvey, 2020). The professional development is also considered as one of the
major tools and techniques that are effective in development of a student. In the personal
development, there is a crucial role played by appropriate strategy and planning frame work.
This will help the individual to maintain discipline in order to develop an ethical approach in
self-development. Skill management is also developed with the help of professional development
in order to develop different skills like time management, problem solving and decision making.
In order to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of a student, it is essential to focus on
personal development plan. The professional development is also helpful in increasing
competitive strength of a student which is mostly important in developing a competency edge
over other students. Also the professional development helps an individual to gain good job
opportunity in career related life. The value of personal development is also effective in order to
develop a major strategy which also includes appropriate planning frame work in career life. All
the students take help and support of personal development in order to achieve major academic
goals.
Describe and discuss the value of short-term goals, identifying at least three personal examples
Short term goal is something that a person wants to do soon. They help to make a big
change in a student life. In other words, short term goal is something that a student or a person to
do in near future it can be today, in a week, or in a month (Galitskikh,. and Davlyatshina, 2017).
After accomplishing these goals, a sense of motivation and accomplishment is arousing in a
student. In academic life, short term goals are very much effective in providing a self-
development approach. Most of the successful students in academic life, formulate short term
goals and achieve them with support of seniors and professors. Short term goals are achieved

with the support of academic goals and objectives that are important in individual’s life. All
major institutions focus on developing short term goals for candidates in order to develop
confidence in them.
Examples of short term goal in context of students:
 Complete all assignments: To complete all assigned work on time is a short term goal.
 To score good marks in test: fixing a target to score goods marks in upcoming exam is
also a short term goal in a student life.
 Learning growth and expansion skills with help of communication skills development.
Describe and discuss the value of medium-term goals, identifying at least three personal
examples
Medium term goals are those that take a bit longer time. These are achieved in 2 weeks,
and in six months. These are set between short and long term, they in more time as compare to
short term goals. By having goals, a students have the clarity of what their goals? and how to
achieve them (Kumaria, Bhola, and Orlinsky, 2018). With the help of goals, a student may
measure their ability to do a work. In order to achieve medium term goals a student’s first have
to achieve a series of short term goals. The value of medium term goals is immense for both
student and academic institution. All major students formulate medium term goals in order to
establish an effective approach in student life.
Examples of medium term goals in context of students:
1. Learning new skills: doing medium term internship and training give a boost to their
carrier. There are many internship programmes are available in the market which have
period of three to six months.
2. Development of critical learning skills
3. Focus on software development techniques in order to grow as an IT expert
Describe and discuss the value of long-term goals, identifying at least three personal examples
Long term goals are something that a person wants to achieve in near future. That
consists one
year to 5-year time period. These require proper planning and a certain period of time. For
completing long term goals, a student must have habit of completing their short and medium
term goals. These goals are helpful for carrier growth and are effective in achievement of
different milestones related to career advancement. Long term goals although takes time to get

achieved but with the support of a personal development plan, these goals are achieved in a well-
defined manner.
Examples:
1. Clearing a competitive exam: This can be achieving after a proper planning and devoting
time. It is a long term goal that require proper time management and attitude of doing a
task on time.
2. Learning different languages: This goal requires a specific time and also this depend on a
person’s capability of learning new thing.
3. Development of hard skills along with overall development of personality.
Describe and discuss the value of a Personal Development Plan and construct an example using
your identified goals.
The personal development is considered as a compulsory approach which is developed by a
student in order to develop effective set of skills (Nagimzhanova, and Betkenova, 2019). In the
academic life, personal development also helps a student to develop in social and academic life.
The main value of personal development plan is mentioned below:
 Growth opportunities- There are various growth opportunities which are developed by
an individual with the help of personal development plan. This plan is also helpful in
increasing career related opportunities in a set period of time, which are helpful in
professional growth. The personal development plan also helps a candidate to develop in
academic field with enhancement of knowledge and learning. In order to take advantage
of all growth opportunities, it is essential for a student to focus on present skills. The skill
development in a student is achieved with the support of personal development plan that
provide good growth opportunities to students. It is necessary for a student to focus on all
growth opportunities in order to lead in academic life (Neishabouri, Ahmadi, and
Kazemnejad, 2017). The personal development plan should be also modified according to
time, in order to achieve desired goals and objectives. Many students in their career
related life focus on achievement of growth opportunities that are helpful in increasing
various strengths.
 Competency- With the help and support of personal development plan, a candidate
achieves competitive advantage in career related life. The main focus of a person in
academic life is on personal development in order to lead other students. In other words,

it makes a student more enthusiastic and optimistic in career related life. The competency
power also helps a student to develop a major approach which is beneficial in increasing
strength. The competitive edge is necessary in academic life to achieve fair result and
transparency in career related goals and objectives.
 Development of personality- The application of personal development plan in academic
life also helps in developing personality of a candidate. This leads to make student more
effective and charming in academic life, which is a dream of every student. In today’s
educational world it is effective for a student to focus on personal development for long
term advantage in educational life. Personality development is also facilitated with the
help of a personal development plan in a short span of time. In the recent times,
personality development is a major goal of all students which is helpful in increasing
value and reputation of a student (Trorey, and Cullingford, 2017). The companies
demand effective and healthy personality, which is facilitated and developed with the
support of personal development. All major students develop effective approach in order
to increase the communication and gesture skills with the support of personal
development plan.
 Skill development- In the academic life, it is essential and necessary for an individual to
develop set of desired skills. With the help of personal development plan, a student can
easily develop desired skills like communication, coordination and problem solving. This
helps a student to improve various skills in a set period of time, that is helpful in
achievement of set goals and objectives (Numonjonov, 2020). Skill development also
helps a student in academic life to compete with other students and also develop a precise
approach in academic field. Majority of skills which are developed with the support of
personal development plan are helpful in providing a good and perfect approach to a
candidate. It is also compulsory in academic life for a student to focus on hard and soft
skills in order to develop systematic approach in academics.
The personal development plan of self is mentioned below:
Skills to be achieved Time period Resources Usage and
application of
different skills
Time management 6 Months Online videos I will use the time

management
skills in
order to
manage my
routine. I can
also apply
time
management
skills to
manage day
to day tasks
in a precise
manner
(Rughani,
Franklin, and
Renshaw,
2017).
Coordination skills 8 Months Books I will take help of my
coordination skills in
professional life. This
will help me to
manage different
employees in my
organisation.
Problem solving 1 year Journals These skills will help
me to resolve various
problems that occur in
daily life related to
academics or
management
(Sergeeva, 2019).
Leadership 6 Months Online Articles The leadership skills
will help me to
develop a good
approach in
management of team.
In project completion,

I will manage my
team in a more
advanced manner with
the support of these
skills.
Decision making 7 Months Seniors and professors In order to make day
to day decisions
related to general and
career life, these skills
will be very much
useful
Literature skills 4 Months Reading novels This will help me in
development of
effective knowledge
and learning related to
the literature (Tattum,
and Tattum, 2017).

CONCLUSION
From the above discussion it can be concluded that in the overall development of a student
in academic life there is a crucial role played by personal development plan. This project
concludes the importance and significance of medium, short and long term goals in the academic
life of an individual. This report concludes the role played by strategy and planning framework
in development of an individual. This report also concludes various aspects of personal
development in order to perform systematic and precise functions in career related life.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Blanton, B.S., Broemmel, A.D. and Rigell, A., 2020. Speaking volumes: Professional
development through book studies. American Educational Research Journal, 57(3),
pp.1014-1044.
Carpenter, J.P. and Harvey, S., 2020. Perceived benefits and challenges of physical educators’
use of social media for professional development and learning. Journal of Teaching in
Physical Education, 39(4), pp.434-444.
Galitskikh, E.O. and Davlyatshina, O., 2017. Scientific and methodological support to teachers
in general education organizations when implementing teacher's professional
standard. Modern Journal of Language Teaching Methods, 7(2), pp.125-140.
Kumaria, S., Bhola, P. and Orlinsky, D.E., 2018. Influences that count: professional development
of psychotherapists and counsellors in India. Asia Pacific Journal of Counselling and
Psychotherapy, 9(1), pp.86-106.
Nagimzhanova, K.M., and Betkenova, M.S., 2019. Basis of psychological and professional
personality development of future educational psychologists. Periodico Tche
Quimica, 16(33), pp.351-368.
Neishabouri, M., Ahmadi, F. and Kazemnejad, A., 2017. Iranian nursing students' perspectives
on transition to professional identity: a qualitative study. International nursing
review, 64(3), pp.428-436.
Numonjonov, S.D., 2020. Innovative methods of professional training. ISJ Theoretical &
Applied Science, 1(81), pp.747-750.
Rughani, A., Franklin, C., and Renshaw, J., 2017. Personal development plans for dentists: the
new approach to continuing professional development. CRC Press.
Sergeeva, M.G., 2019. Formation of economic competence of the head of the educational
organization in terms of professional development. Revista San Gregorio, 1(30).
Tattum, D. and Tattum, E., 2017. Social education and personal development. Routledge.
Trorey, G. and Cullingford, C., 2017. Professional development and institutional needs. Taylor
& Francis.