career-path-planner

What this skill does

# Career Path Planner

Structured frameworks for career assessment, skill gap analysis, development planning, and professional growth milestone tracking.

## Career Assessment Frameworks

### Skills Audit Matrix

```
SKILL AUDIT TEMPLATE:

TECHNICAL SKILLS:
  Skill               | Proficiency (1-5) | Market Demand (1-5) | Evidence
  [Skill 1]           | [X]               | [X]                 | [Projects, certs]
  [Skill 2]           | [X]               | [X]                 | [Projects, certs]

TRANSFERABLE SKILLS:
  Skill               | Proficiency (1-5) | Relevance (1-5)     | Evidence
  Communication       | [X]               | [X]                 | [Examples]
  Leadership          | [X]               | [X]                 | [Examples]
  Problem-solving     | [X]               | [X]                 | [Examples]
  Project management  | [X]               | [X]                 | [Examples]

SCORING:
  1 = Beginner (awareness only)
  2 = Basic (can do with guidance)
  3 = Intermediate (independent work)
  4 = Advanced (can teach others)
  5 = Expert (industry recognition)
```

### Values Identification Framework

| Value Category | Questions to Ask | Example Values |
|---------------|-----------------|----------------|
| **Work Style** | Remote? Autonomous? Collaborative? | Flexibility, independence, teamwork |
| **Impact** | Who do I want to help? What scale? | Social impact, innovation, mentoring |
| **Growth** | Learning? Mastery? Leadership? | Continuous learning, expertise depth |
| **Compensation** | Salary floor? Equity? Benefits? | Financial security, wealth building |
| **Lifestyle** | Hours? Travel? Work-life balance? | Balance, adventure, stability |
| **Culture** | Startup? Corporate? Mission-driven? | Autonomy, structure, purpose |

### Interest Mapping (RIASEC Model)

```
RIASEC CAREER INTEREST TYPES:

R - REALISTIC: Hands-on, practical, physical tasks
    Careers: Engineering, trades, agriculture, IT infrastructure

I - INVESTIGATIVE: Research, analysis, problem-solving
    Careers: Data science, research, medicine, academia

A - ARTISTIC: Creative expression, design, innovation
    Careers: Design, writing, marketing, product development

S - SOCIAL: Helping, teaching, counseling
    Careers: HR, teaching, healthcare, nonprofit management

E - ENTERPRISING: Leading, persuading, managing
    Careers: Sales, management, entrepreneurship, consulting

C - CONVENTIONAL: Organizing, data management, processes
    Careers: Finance, accounting, operations, compliance

YOUR TOP 3 TYPES: [___] [___] [___]
CAREER MATCHES: Intersection of top types with skills and values
```

## Skill Gap Analysis

### Gap Analysis Methodology

```
STEP 1: Define target role
  - Job title and level
  - 3-5 real job postings as reference
  - Extract required skills, qualifications, experience

STEP 2: Map current state
  - Complete skills audit (above)
  - List current qualifications and credentials
  - Quantify years of relevant experience

STEP 3: Identify gaps
  For each target role requirement:
    HAVE IT: Skill present and at required level
    PARTIAL: Skill present but below required level
    MISSING: Skill not present, needs development
    ADJACENT: Have related skill, needs pivot

STEP 4: Prioritize gaps
  Priority = (Importance to target role) x (Size of gap)
  Focus on HIGH importance + LARGE gap first
```

### Gap Prioritization Matrix

| | Small Gap | Large Gap |
|--|-----------|-----------|
| **High Importance** | Quick win — close fast | Critical path — invest heavily |
| **Low Importance** | Defer — nice to have | Ignore — not worth the effort |

### Common Skill Development Paths

| Gap Type | Timeline | Methods |
|----------|----------|---------|
| **Technical certification** | 1-3 months | Online course + exam |
| **New programming language** | 2-4 months | Project-based learning |
| **Domain knowledge** | 3-6 months | Reading, mentorship, side projects |
| **Leadership experience** | 6-12 months | Volunteer to lead, manage projects |
| **Industry transition** | 12-24 months | Networking, bridge roles, education |
| **Advanced degree** | 1-3 years | Part-time programs, employer sponsorship |

## Career Ladder Mapping

### Industry Career Ladder Templates

```
TECHNOLOGY (Individual Contributor):
  Junior Engineer → Engineer → Senior Engineer → Staff Engineer
  → Principal Engineer → Distinguished Engineer → Fellow

TECHNOLOGY (Management):
  Team Lead → Engineering Manager → Senior EM → Director
  → VP Engineering → SVP → CTO

PRODUCT:
  Associate PM → Product Manager → Senior PM → Group PM
  → Director of Product → VP Product → CPO

DESIGN:
  Junior Designer → Designer → Senior Designer → Lead Designer
  → Design Manager → Director of Design → VP Design → CDO

MARKETING:
  Coordinator → Specialist → Manager → Senior Manager
  → Director → VP Marketing → CMO

FINANCE:
  Analyst → Senior Analyst → Manager → Senior Manager
  → Director → VP Finance → CFO

CONSULTING:
  Analyst → Associate → Consultant → Senior Consultant
  → Manager → Senior Manager → Principal → Partner
```

### Level Progression Indicators

| Signal | What It Means | Action |
|--------|--------------|--------|
| **Scope increase** | Handling bigger projects/teams | Ready for next level discussion |
| **Peer recognition** | Others seek your expertise | Document for promotion case |
| **Autonomy growth** | Less supervision needed | Take on stretch assignments |
| **Impact widening** | Influence beyond immediate team | Build cross-functional presence |
| **Mentoring others** | Junior colleagues come to you | Formalize mentorship |
| **Stagnation** | Same work, no new challenges | Time to have a growth conversation |

## Professional Development Plan

### Development Plan Template

```
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN

NAME: [Your name]
CURRENT ROLE: [Title] at [Company]
TARGET ROLE: [Title] — Timeline: [Date]
DATE CREATED: [Date]
REVIEW CADENCE: Monthly

VISION STATEMENT:
[One sentence describing where you want to be and why]

GOALS (SMART Format):
  Goal 1: [Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound]
    Key Results:
      - KR1: [Measurable outcome] — Due: [Date]
      - KR2: [Measurable outcome] — Due: [Date]
    Resources: [Courses, mentors, books, budget]
    Status: [ ] Not started  [ ] In progress  [ ] Complete

  Goal 2: [SMART goal]
    Key Results:
      - KR1: [Measurable outcome] — Due: [Date]
      - KR2: [Measurable outcome] — Due: [Date]
    Resources: [Courses, mentors, books, budget]
    Status: [ ] Not started  [ ] In progress  [ ] Complete

MONTHLY CHECK-IN:
  - What did I accomplish this month?
  - What blocked progress?
  - What do I focus on next month?
  - Do goals need adjusting?
```

### Goal Categories

| Category | Examples | Measurement |
|----------|---------|-------------|
| **Skills** | Learn Python, get AWS cert | Certification, project completion |
| **Experience** | Lead a project, present at conference | Deliverables, speaking slots |
| **Network** | 10 informational interviews, join community | Connections made, events attended |
| **Visibility** | Publish article, open-source contribution | Publications, contributions |
| **Education** | Complete course, read 12 books | Completion certificates, book list |

## Networking Strategy

### Networking Framework

```
NETWORKING STRATEGY:

IDENTIFY TARGETS:
  - 5 people in your target role (learn the job)
  - 3 people who recently transitioned (learn the path)
  - 2 hiring managers in target companies (learn requirements)
  - 2 industry thought leaders (learn trends)

OUTREACH APPROACH:
  1. Research the person (LinkedIn, articles, talks)
  2. Find a genuine connection point (shared interest, mutual contact)
  3. Send personalized message (not generic template)
  4. Ask for 20 minutes, not a favor
  5. Prepare 3-5 specific questions
  6. Follow up with a thank-you and value-add (article, introduction)

MAINTENANCE:
  - Engage with contacts' content monthly (comments, shares)
  - Share