An Individual Development Plan (IDP) is a tool that is commonly used to help employees define and pursue their career goals. IDPs can help trainees at any level to assess their skills, interests, and strengths. Further, it allows the planning of skill development towards meeting career goals. One of the key benefits of an IDP is that it helps facilitate career discussions with supervisors or advisors and maintain a good working relationship.
The BPRI focuses on integrative research training. Thus, we developed a specific IDP taking interdisciplinary training into account. During this process, we considered best practices, the extant literature, and information collected from interviews with experts.
Think of the IDP as your personalized career roadmap, designed to guide you as an interdisciplinary scholar. Outlining clear action steps will help you achieve your research and professional goals while equipping you with the skills needed to thrive in your dream job.
To proceed: Submit your finalized mentor-mentee reviewed Goals and Planning Worksheet (IDP) using the correct IDP Google Form link:
i. Graduate Students Goals and Planning Worksheet
ii. Postdoctoral Goals and Planning Worksheet
To develop your IDP:
The Graduate Student and Postdoc Worksheet (IDP) Guidelines provide sample responses for various sections of the IDP form.
Graduate Student Worksheet (IDP) Guidelines and Examples
Postdoc Worksheet (IDP) Guidelines and Examples
If you prefer, use the blank copy of the Graduate Student/Postdoc Goals and Planning Worksheet for your IDP rough work. You may review these draft goals with your mentor. You could also simply enter your initial responses into the online IDP Google form and print a copy to review with your mentor.
Graduate Student Goals and Planning Worksheet (blank)
Postdoc Goals and Planning Worksheet (blank)
Meet with your advisor to revise your draft IDP goals, aligning mentor-mentee expectations. Your mentor may already have drafted a copy of your expected Goals and Planning Worksheet for comparison.
Before submitting your responses, ensure your goals are SMART—specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and timely—and aligned with your PI’s expectations of you.
Additional guidance and motivation may be found by consulting the following two videos produced by Dr. Taniya Koswatta:
1. IDP: A guide to make burdened process into a rewarding process
2. What does the literature tell us about IDP
3. MyIDP: The MyIDP tool will help you assess your skills, interests, and values and assist you in defining your career goals more clearly. This may include analyzing job announcements to identify missing skills or using the Intersect job simulation tool (https://intersectjobsims.com/library/).
4. IMAGINE PhD: For further clarity, mainly if your interests lie in research administration and industrial roles.