You often feel burned out or experience some serious career fatigue if you stick to the same profession for very long. Nothing challenges you enough and you start getting the sinking feeling that your career is going nowhere!
In today’s fast changing world, with your skills and knowledge becoming swiftly obsolete and redundant it is absolutely necessary to constantly keep updating your skills to continue being an expert in your chosen domain. If your response is a resounding “yes!” experts agree that ongoing professional progression has to be an integral component of your career plans no matter what juncture you’re at. Because keeping your skills fresh and updated can help you stay spirited and make you an asset for any employer.
Things have changed. Big time! Whether you like it or not, you are always being assessed on your competencies and bench-marked against your peers. And, unlike studying for a degree, the goal posts in your workplace always keep moving. There might be some recent developments or a new manager on the block with a different perspective. In all probability, these changes eventually impact you. While several organisations are great at providing learning opportunities to employees when they see a straight advantage, they may not forever be attuned with what you truly want or desire for your professional enhancement. So, if you wish to guard your employability, only you have to take control of your individual development.
So, with this notion in mind, here are some ways to enhance your own professional learning and development.
When your work life is hectic and demanding, it’s quite possible to lose sight of the shifting needs of the job market. So you should periodically check for areas of your work you find most tricky or want to perk up a bit. For information, check past reviews or speak to your boss or colleagues. Take guidance from people whose career or proficiency you want to emulate. Or you can improve on the areas by going to workshops, mentoring, work-shadowing, or may be taking some e- learning course.
Multiple routes to personal development:
In this extremely competitive job market, skilled professionals are in huge demand. With the advent of new technologies, earning a degree or upgrading your skill has become a lot easier. Now, an online course can be just as good as the real one. In fact, sometimes even better! All you need is Internet and learning is at your fingertips! You can choose from a variety of professional courses from a number of topics online. It lets you explore your area of interest which can eventually lead you to both personal and professional development.
A lot of times, you are in a profession that requires a certain level of professional development regularly. You have to constantly keep yourself up-to-date with what’s happening in your domain, or else you risk losing your credibility and putting your company in jeopardy! So, in situations like these you should make constant effort to regularly read professional journals, attend industry events, workshops or better do your own research. The increase in e-newsletters and online forums mean it’s way easier to take part in learning from the comforts of your home or office. Also, almost all roles require good soft skills to some extent, whether it’s communication skills or handling conflicts in the workplace. If you aspire to climb up the career ladder, then developing these skills is an absolute must.
There’s a huge amount of confidence you get from knowing that you’re constantly learning! And if you’re a learner you’re more likely to be flexible. This helps you overcome the professional hiccups and spot better opportunities ahead. Learning and development need time and energy and can sometimes take you out of your comfort zone. But if you can keep the learning all through your career, you’re more likely to broaden your professional longevity, lessen the perils and boost your employability to a great extent.
