Even if you absolutely love your job, that doesn’t mean you should be complacent about professional development. Improving your skills and contacts, acquiring new knowledge and additional experience can go far to broaden your professional opportunities. You’ll be more up-to-date and engaged in your current work, too.
However, the economic slowdown over the past several years has resulted in many organizations cutting back on funds and resources to help employees grow beyond their basic job responsibilities. If that’s the case with your company, it doesn’t mean your professional development has to be stymied. Instead, you simply need to take charge of your own career path.
Professional development involves seeking out and capitalizing on an array of opportunities to further your personal and professional skills and job possibilities. It’s an ongoing process that will differ between people. However no matter where you work or what your job is, these tried-and-true career development strategies can help you grow professionally:
Define your goals. Take time to assess what will be required of you on your career path. Where do you envision yourself a few months or years from now? Consider what new skills or contacts can help you reach your goals. Then come up with a plan of action.
Be SMART. To help anyone planning their own professional development to focus on their goals, the American Institute of Certified Professional Accountants (AICPA) has created an acronym to keep in mind – SMART. Use it as a reminder to keep your plans Specific. Make them Measurable, Attainable and Realistic. Finally, consider Time, and set a deadline for your goals. “Career planning is an ongoing process that evolves along with your work capabilities,” the AICPA states. “Taking charge means taking action, so start as soon as possible.”
 Join up. Research professional organizations that relate to your job, your industry, and where you want your career to lead. Attend meetings and volunteer to help with events. You’ll expand your network of contacts and be exposed to advice, ideas and activities that will increase your knowledge base.
Learn new skills. If you have the time and interest, you can earn an additional or advanced college degree but you can also learn new skills by simply taking some classes, workshops or certification courses. Online classes are a convenient option, too. The Internet has a growing number of free video tutorials on how to use social networks like LinkedIn and Google+ to improve your social networking skills in order to build professional contacts.
Alexandra Levit, who consults and writes about career and workplace trends on behalf of organizations including Microsoft, American Express, Intuit and DeVry University, recommends looking ahead to see what areas to study that will most likely help you advance to the next level of your career.
In her book New Job, New You: A Guide to Reinventing Yourself in a Bright New Career, Levit advises concentrating on transferable skills that are relevant across a variety of organizations and positions. So, even if you learn new skills that you aren’t using right away in your current job, they are still highly likely to come in handy over time.
Volunteer. Levit also points out that volunteering to help non-profit groups and community organizations can provide opportunities to work on your leadership skills. These groups welcome help and give you real-world, hand-on experience which can be even more valuable that seminars and courses. You’ll also be able to network with other volunteers.
Jump out of your comfort zone. Executive coach Joel Garfinkle, whose clientele includes Google, Amazon and Bank of America, advises increasing your visibility in your company. In his book Getting Ahead, Garfinkle explains you’ll gain three career benefits: “You become more confident and believe in yourself. You’re willing to take risks and go beyond your comfort zone. You minimize the fear of failure and are able to maximize and even test your capabilities.”
Garfinkle points out you need to take initiative in order to boost your visibility and he offers several ways to raise your profile in your organization including:
Seek out projects, including not only high-profile ones, but risky or undesirable ones. Even if the project fails, Garfinkle writes, you’ll be seen as someone who is willing to try.
Leverage your manager. For example, keep track of your accomplishments at work on a daily basis. Then, when you have one-on-one meetings with your manager, share with him or her details of your specific contributions and positive interactions with colleagues and clients.
Speak up and share. Make presentations when you have the opportunity. “When you present you are being visible,” Garfinkle says. “Others come to know you and hear your ideas.”
Invest time in building relationships. Finding a mentor, building informal relationships with more experienced colleagues who show an interest in giving you guidance and career advice, as well as asking people who have found success on the career path you aspire to how they achieved their goals are all ways to help your professional development. Seek out people within your company who have skills that interest you; stop by their office occasionally (when appropriate and not interfering with their work) to ask questions
As you build relationships, it’s also important to increase your awareness of the consequences of your actions in the workplace and how others perceive you, according to Joel Garfinkle. “Take notes after each interaction by proactively looking for and identifying the effect you have,” he explains in Getting Ahead. “Additionally, ask people how your work is benefiting them; their answers will help you see more clearly exactly what value you provide.” He also advises steering clear of people and activities that can sabotage your career development – avoid gossip and those who undermine others.
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Sherry Baker is a writer from Atlanta, Georgia. She last wrote the article on Ten Fast Stress Busters for Synergy.
