No matter where you are in your career, it’s likely that thoughts about ‘what’s next?’ will pop into your mind occasionally – or often, depending on your role and whether you feel it is right for you.
You might be wondering if you’re making the most of your talent and potential, or even being enabled to do so. Perhaps you feel the company and working environment you’re in isn’t best suited to you. Or maybe you simply think you’re not being rewarded well enough for your effort and performance.
It is entirely normal to consider whether you’re in the right role, or career in general. If you are, it might be time to consider your career development options, and how to pursue them.
What are Career Development Opportunities?
Career development opportunities are exactly as the name suggests – opportunities to develop and further your career. It is that simple.
These opportunities are your route to reaching new heights in your respective role and career, or perhaps even discovering a new job or career that you can thrive in.
The focus of career development is to enable personal and professional growth, drive the learning of new skills and knowledge, and provide valuable new experiences.
In most cases, career development opportunities are provided and taken with specific end goals in mind; these are often chances to take on more senior roles and responsibilities, which in turn could lead to a better salary.
Why is Career Development Important?
Unless you’re entirely happy in your role and career, and believe you will be for the foreseeable future, it is vital to consider your career development and any opportunities that could enable you to grow and further yourself.
Doing so could introduce you to new roles, industries and areas of professional interest that you may not have considered previously; potentially opening up alternative career paths better suited to your future goals.
Within your existing career, it could make all the difference if you’re feeling like you need a push. Developing yourself personally and professionally and working towards new milestones is a great motivator.
What’s more, the potential achievements – whether they’re new qualifications, a new role or a better salary – can provide a wonderful sense of accomplishment too.
Ultimately, the decision to take advantage of career development opportunities will be driven by an individual’s specific aspirations and motivations. But regardless of what your aims and future goals are, it is important to understand the importance of career development and what it could potentially provide.
Tips for Career Development
Wondering how to kickstart your career development, or perhaps take it to the next level? Here are a few handy tips to help you on your way.
Assess your past, present and future
As you look ahead to where your career may take you, and what development you may need to get there, it is important to assess where you’ve been, where you are now, and where you would like to go.
Do you feel like you’ve made the most out of your past experiences and opportunities? Are you getting enough from your current role and/or career? Are you being given the chances to take advantage of the development you need, personally and professionally, to better yourself and your career?
These are the sorts of questions you should consider when planning your potential career development path, and the goals at the end of it…
Make goals and go for them
Having realistic goals to aim for will enable you to focus your career development and home in on what you want to achieve – personally and professionally. Think short term and long term; what would you like to achieve in a few months, and how will that help you get to where you want to be in a few years’ time perhaps?
Plot your route, considering what training and learning you’ll need along the way, how long it will take to progress, and who you’ll need to help you succeed.
A great way to do this is through developing your own SMART goals – ensuring they are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-based. This will give you structure, allow you to keep track of your progress easily, focus on specific tasks and goals, and distinguish between short and long term aims. Aiming for and achieving these goals can be a powerful motivator too.
Build and use your network
Whether you’re fortunate enough to have clarity on where you would like your career and career development to take you, or are unsure and need some direction, networking has so many potential benefits.
Building a network of people who are already working in the roles or industries you’re looking to find down the line, as well as those who have previously journeyed along a similar career development path, can provide you access to vital insights into which steps you could or should take to achieve your goals.
Perhaps think about reaching out to those already within your current company, or maybe even reach out on professional networking sites such as LinkedIn to people in your desired industry. Or, if you’re in the early stages of your career, consider speaking to your lecturers or people you may have had work experience with. Their experience, and the knowledge they’ve gained from it, can help you to shape your career development and where it could lead.
Stay curious and keep learning
You know what they say… every day is a school day!
Whilst this is usually a casual, passing comment, when it comes to career development it actually bears some weight. One of the most important aspects of developing your career is to never stand still; always be prepared to take on new experiences, gather as much insight and guidance from people around you as possible and, when you can, take advantage of any learning opportunities you are given.
Even people who have had long, distinguished careers in specific fields don’t know everything; things change daily, affecting how industries – and people’s roles within them – operate.
So, stay on your toes, stay curious and make sure you’re always willing to learn. Knowledge is power and it will take you as far as you want it to.
Utilise internal opportunities with current employer
If you’re already in employment, it’s likely that your current employer has a variety of educational tools, resources and learning and development opportunities available. If so, be sure to make the most of them – even if your current role may not align with where you’d like to end up in your career down the line.
Easily accessible training and development tools can be hard to come by, so it pays to use them whenever possible. They could help you gain management and leadership skills; build your knowledge of certain topics; and provide an understanding of what future development opportunities could offer too.
And, if you are already in a role and career that matches your future aspirations, they could be the key to continuing your growth and helping you take the next step on your career ladder within your current company.
Be organised
Whilst the end goal of your career development plan might always remain the same, what happens between when you start your journey and then could change… a lot! There is potential for lots of elements to be in play, from what you would like to achieve within certain timeframes to how you’re going to track your success.
Therefore, being organised is vital.
Keep track of your goals, what you’ve achieved so far and what’s next. Think about what’s on the horizon, in the coming days, weeks and months and how they will impact the coming years. Create schedules and plan ahead, considering where you want to be and by when. It can really make a difference, in the short and long term.
