Between taking on new projects, completing job tasks, and fielding the endless emails that come with a career, taking the time to further study and hone your professional skills doesn’t always take priority on our to-do list. However, professional development can not only have a positive impact on us as individuals but also our co-workers, business, and even industry!
Professional development can come in a variety of forms such as learning a new skill, increasing expertise in your field, taking classes, attending a conference, etc. Any one of these options can facilitate the development of “hard skills,” or the knowledge and mastery used specifically in your industry, but also “soft skills,” the general helpful abilities we use in business like good communication and emotional intelligence. The benefits of these skills are endless.
Increasing your hard and soft skills can give you tons of professional confidence. As you gain more knowledge and expand your experience in your field, accomplishing your daily tasks gets more efficient and your vision for setting professional goals becomes clearer. Improving your productivity can also improve your fulfillment and job satisfaction. This type of career growth can lead to professional opportunities and the chance to expand your industry network. The list of professional development benefits can go on and on.
The next time you are mapping out your week or assessing your career goals, maybe carve out some time to shadow a coworker you consider a mentor, read a career growth book, or sign-up for a further education workshop (may I suggest the CAI Educated Business Partner Distinction?). Whichever you choose, professional development can be a career investment that pays off tremendously!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kelly Tetreault has been serving Community’s roofing, siding, and repair needs with Eiseman Construction for over five years. This is her second year volunteering on the CAI Keystone’s PULSE Committee. If you see her at CAI events, she is most likely chatting or dancing, two of her favorite things.
