Professional growth for success
Continuous professional development is vital to improving your chances of a successful career, as it enriches your knowledge, widens your understanding of your own area of expertise and how it relates to other departments and functions. It also motivates you, as it gives you new ideas and new ways of tackling problems and can send you back to the office with a spring in your step.
We recommend prioritizing your own professional development rather than waiting for your manager or company to do it for you, as otherwise you can get stuck in a particular role or a company which isn’t working for you without the skills to get you out of it. Even if you can’t afford the financial or time commitment of an accredited course there are loads of options out there to at least get you started, here are a few ideas for developing yourself and improving your chances of success.
- Use the internet – there’s so much information out there for free if you search for it. There are thousands of articles and guides as well as webinars on particular topics. Why not commit to reading one guide or “attending” one webinar per month and see how you benefit? Please note that these free resources vary in quality, however even if you just pick up one little gem or have an “ah ha moment” during the exercise then it will be worth doing.
- Subscribe to your industry publication – Most professions have a magazine or online knowledge hub with loads of great information for your industry which can really help to give you a different perspective on the industry from some of the highest achievers and help you to move through the ranks or perhaps take a positive sideways move into something which would be more interesting or fulfilling.
- Try an online course – There are many cost effective online courses which include regular information, webinars and coaching which can support you through acquiring more knowledge and growing professionally
- Attend classes in different topics which could enrich you professionally, don’t think too narrowly within your own role or profession. Other skills such as marketing can really help you to grow personally and professionally and give you insights into the commercial aspects of your business which can really open your mind and improve your chances of succeeding.
Best of luck with your professional development! To get a grounding in marketing and understand the promotional tools available download our free Introduction to Marketing Webinar. Marketing is so much more than promotion and should be a crucial part of all businesses in terms of product development, pricing, positioning and sales, and an understanding of this function is highly useful for all employees and business owners. As well as our webinars, we have loads of useful marketing ideas and information on our blog – happy reading!