How can I develop in my career?

[Monirul Islam]

Investing time and money in professional development is the best way to ensure that you'll continue to grow and move forward in your career. But how exactly should you go about it? Here are a few ideas.

1. See if your company is willing to support your professional development
Some companies provide opportunities for professional development as a way of improving employee retention, and taking advantage of these programs can help you continue to grow professionally while saving time and money.

Author and career consultant Rich Grant notes that ideally, human resource departments would serve a function similar to that of college career services offices on campuses by helping employees find the right career fit.

"Whether that means helping employees find an appropriate fit inside the company or outside the company, it's in the companies' best interests to achieve that proper fit," says Grant.

"Human resources professionals should help match employees with mentors, and provide the mentors with the training and resources to make meaningful contributions on behalf of their protégés. Of course, money helps too, and companies should budget money for employees to take courses or specialised training and attend professional events."

If your company doesn't fund professional development opportunities and you'd like to broach the subject with your boss, be sure do some research beforehand so you can provide the necessary information about how it will benefit the company, what sort of opportunities are available and how much they might cost.

2. Find a mentor or shadow a colleague
Not all companies will see the benefit of investing in professional development opportunities for employees, but that doesn't mean you can't do it yourself.

"If the company doesn't support professional development, employees can do it on their own time," says Grant. "Try to find low-cost or free ways to learn new things, such as taking free online courses or finding a mentor in the company if there's no formal mentor program."

Think of a successful individual you know, admire and would like to learn from; it doesn't have to be someone within your company, but it certainly makes it easier if it is. Find out if he or she would be willing to have you shadow them for a few hours a week in order to learn from their experience.

Keep in mind that you don't need to follow a formal mentoring program, as simply having an experienced colleague you can go to with your ideas or questions, and who is willing to give you honest feedback, can be hugely beneficial to your career development.

3. Attend conferences and workshops
Attending conferences or hands-on workshops will give you a chance learn about the latest developments in your field and keep your skills and knowledge up to date. It can also be a great way to meet and exchange ideas with other professionals in your industry.

If you're not sure what sort of workshops or conferences would be worth your time and money, talk to your overseers and colleagues or take a look at some of your past performance reviews to see if there are any specific areas you'd like to improve in.

Even if your employers aren't willing or able to cover the cost of attending such events, you may still be able to convince them that it's worthwhile for you to attend on company time by showing them how it will help you develop your skills and perform your duties more effectively.

4. Volunteer
Although volunteering outside of work will require a considerable time commitment on your part, it can be an excellent way to master skills you haven't been able to practice in your current line of work. This can be especially beneficial if you're thinking of making a career change and want to gain some practical experience in a new area.

Aside from allowing you to develop new skills for free, another big benefit of volunteering is the networking opportunities it will open up to you. Your success is not only dependent on what you know, but also who you know, and volunteering gives you the chance to widen your professional network and gain valuable references that will strengthen your resume.

5. Join an online community
Technology has made networking easier than ever before, and online communities and platforms have become important tools for professional development.

For instance, joining a specific group on LinkedIn or signing up for online forums and discussion boards will allow you to exchange ideas with likeminded individuals and participate in relevant discussions, while Twitter can help you to connect with key people in your industry and track relevant hashtags to see what's trending.

6. Take an online course
While it can be difficult to find the time to follow a formal learning program when you're already working fulltime, online courses tend to be a lot more flexible, which makes them a convenient option for working professionals.

Look for courses that are relevant to your job and will help you build on your existing skills or perform your job more effectively. Alternatively, you may want to branch out and learn something completely new in order to showcase your versatility as an employee.

Remember that the whole point of professional development is to continue learning and growing, so this should be your primary goal regardless of what you choose to study.

Source: https://www.opencolleges.edu.au/careers/professional-development