Recruiter's Glossary

Examples: Comprehensive Plan • Stakeholder Analysis • Environmental Justice

Master Plan

Term from Urban Planning industry explained for recruiters

A Master Plan is a comprehensive, long-term planning document that guides the future development of a city, community, or large property. It's like a blueprint that shows how an area should grow and change over time, usually covering things like where houses, businesses, parks, and roads should go. Urban planners and architects create these plans to help cities grow in an organized way. You might also hear it called a "Comprehensive Plan," "Development Plan," or "Urban Development Plan." These documents help decision-makers and developers understand what can be built where, and how different parts of a community should work together.

Examples in Resumes

Led development of Master Plan for downtown revitalization project covering 50 city blocks

Contributed to city's Master Plan update, focusing on sustainable transportation solutions

Created Master Plan and Comprehensive Plan for new mixed-use development

Updated existing Development Plan to incorporate smart city technologies

Typical job title: "Urban Planners"

Also try searching for:

Urban Planner City Planner Community Development Planner Regional Planner Land Use Planner Planning Consultant Development Manager

Where to Find Urban Planners

Professional Organizations

Job Boards

Professional Networks

Example Interview Questions

Senior Level Questions

Q: How do you handle conflicting stakeholder interests when developing a master plan?

Expected Answer: Should demonstrate experience in managing complex negotiations between community groups, developers, and government officials, with specific examples of finding compromises and building consensus.

Q: What strategies do you use to ensure a master plan remains relevant over its 10-20 year lifespan?

Expected Answer: Should discuss building flexibility into plans, periodic review processes, and how to adapt to changing demographics, technologies, and economic conditions while maintaining core planning principles.

Mid Level Questions

Q: What elements do you consider essential in a master plan?

Expected Answer: Should mention land use, transportation, housing, economic development, environmental considerations, and community facilities, with explanation of how these elements work together.

Q: How do you incorporate sustainability into master planning?

Expected Answer: Should explain practical approaches to environmental protection, energy efficiency, walkability, and green infrastructure in planning documents.

Junior Level Questions

Q: What is the typical process for creating a master plan?

Expected Answer: Should outline basic steps including data collection, community engagement, analysis, draft development, review process, and approval procedures.

Q: How do you gather and incorporate public input in master planning?

Expected Answer: Should describe various community engagement methods like surveys, public meetings, workshops, and online platforms for collecting feedback.