Personal development planning

Personal records

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When will you need personal records?

For jobs or for further qualification and training
You may be asked for some of this information many times over the rest of your life - so it is really helpful if you keep good records from as early as possible. Without good personal records, it is easy to forget the details of what you have done. You can waste a lot of time chasing information – and may miss out on valuable job opportunities.
For yourself
Personal records can contain details of personal goals, plans, reviews and achievements. They are a source of material for you to draw upon to monitor your own progress.
For your programme
Your programme may require or encourage you to use a log or journal or it may leave it to you what shape your personal records take. This website offers you materials to supplement PDP opportunities at your university.

Use these forms to record details of your education and training:

Use these forms to record your employment history and work experience:

You may want a paper-based record too - to hold your certificates and references. You may like to include your diary, letters, photographs and pictures as part of your records. Some programmes such as counselling and creative programmes encourage this.

Tips

Few people look forward to updating their records. It is easy to keep putting it off. However, many people find it useful to have good personal records and enjoy looking back over them in the future. So make an event of it. Put some good music on or have a good TV programme on in the background. Make yourself a favourite snack. Don’t try and rush it.
Put time aside three or four times a year to update your personal records. Write these dates into your diary. You won't regret it. You will save a lot of time and effort finding key information when you need it.
Your records say something about you. Personalise them as far as you can so you can take pride in them.

For more advice, see Chapter 9 of Skills for Success by Stella Cottrell

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