Research in staff development and in teacher career development provides useful information so that staff development programs can be tailored to accommodate teachers' needs at different career stages. Findings of studies on staff development have identified characteristics of successful inservice programs. Collaboration between all participants in organizing and planning the program is of prime importance. Essential, also, is that the program be based on an assessment of the real needs and professional concerns of teachers, and be focused on specifics that may be successfully translated into practice. School-based programs which include effective training components have been rated by participants as successful. Research on the stages of concern through which teachers progress as they advance in their profession has identified a developmental pattern which evolves from the early survival stage, through an adjustment stage, and finally arrives at a vocationally mature stage. Staff development programs can be tailored to accommodate teachers' needs at different career stages. By offering more comprehensive staff development programs which use the stages of concern guidelines, well designed programs can be developed to help teachers become more effective. (JD)