Tag Professional Development

October 1, 2012 by Jenifer Bartman

Put Yourself to Work (What to do when it “isn’t working”)

As published by CPA Canada in CareerVision

So, you’ve been busy, busy, busy; volunteering your time with non-profit organizations, taking on extra work assignments, and helping out with the office social committee. You have enrolled in a professional designation program (completed the first two courses with flying colors!) and thanks to your persistence, have been able to convince your CEO neighbour to meet for mentoring sessions once a month. You are Putting Yourself to Work like a house on fire!

Compare this to your workplace cubicle mate, who doesn’t seem to do much more than the job at hand (who, me, volunteer?) and manages to spend weekends out with friends without a care in the world. The assignments you get are no better than his (and might even be a bit worse at times), despite all of your efforts and the talent you are developing. What’s more, annual performance reviews were last week and your appraisal was nothing out of the ordinary: an awkward meeting with your boss, the clichéd “keep this up and you will be promoted soon”, a handshake, and you’re adjourned. Not exactly what you had in mind, given all the extra work you’ve been doing.

“Isn’t anyone paying attention around here?” you wonder, passing your co-workers on their way out the door for afternoon coffee. You’ve been doing everything you can to expand your skills, show initiative, and position yourself for a more senior position, with no real progress (except for your own). What’s happening here? Times like this are ideal for having a good look at the situation and taking stock. Here’s how.

Put Yourself to Work: What to do when it “isn’t working”

Despite all of your efforts, your lack of progress could be due to a few things:

Not enough time has passed—although you’ve put your nose to the grindstone for what seems like forever, how long has it been really? The busier you are, sometimes the longer it seems you have been working (in fact, you are accomplishing more, which is a good thing). Step back and determine how long you have been “in development”, and if it’s only been a few months, a bit more patience is required. Putting yourself to work is an investment and is actually a progression to developing a new mindset, so recognize that it might take a year or two to see the progress you desire (remember that it did take you longer than this to complete your university education or professional designation. Although the tactics might be different here, but it still takes time to make tangible progress).
You might be off-course—sometimes we can get so busy that we don’t take the time to step back and determine if we are focusing on the right things (think of how some tasks just seem to lead to other, more obscure tasks). Ask yourself if you need to make some adjustments to focus on activities that are directly related to where you want to go and, if so, get back on track. If you are having difficulty identifying the key issues, your mentor could be a great resource to provide a more objective viewpoint
You might not making the impact you think you are—now, this is the time to take a good, hard look in the mirror (which can sometimes be difficult to do). Although you might be working hard, are you really getting the necessary results to demonstrate that you are mastering the task at hand? Sometimes, we take on so many tasks that we don’t have the necessary time and energy to truly excel. Remember, “quality” is more important than “quantity”, and you’re better to establish the reputation of excelling at whatever you do, as opposed to taking on many things with less than stellar results.
You might not be in the right environment— the previous three areas have given you the opportunity to have a good look at yourself and your progress. This area requires you to look around at your workplace and ask the question if it is one that is receptive to achievements such as volunteerism and professional development. Although it might be difficult to believe, some workplaces don’t fully appreciate the benefits of these enrichments. Look at the achievements of the leaders in your workplace to determine if they are actively involved in these areas and to get a sense of their attitudes in this regard; it just might be that you’ve progressed to a point where you should consider your options. Should you decide to do so, be sure to evaluate any potential employers in terms of the value they assign to areas like professional development, volunteerism, and mentorship.

Whatever your analysis reveals, recognize this: you have made achievements that are an investment in yourself and this store of value will follow you wherever you go. That’s the whole point of putting yourself to work.

March 1, 2012 by Jenifer Bartman

Put Yourself to Work (Professional Development)

Published by CPA Canada in CareerVision

Building a career is something that involves many facets: an undergraduate degree here, lots work experience there, new and challenging responsibilities, an avalanche of overtime hours, a seminar or two to fill in the knowledge gaps…and around it goes. Over time, the pieces start to meld together into the career you are building, one that is uniquely your own. At times, you may wonder how to keep it all moving forward. It’s important to understand that making real progress is not about the length of time spent in a particular job; rather, it is about understanding the idea of putting yourself to work and taking responsibility for moving yourself forward. Call it a “Me Inc.” attitude.

Having a Me Inc. perspective means taking the lead role in developing your skills and experience, not just at the beginning of your working life, but also as your career progresses. Instead of depending on an employer to recognize your abilities, it’s about making a conscious effort to invest in yourself with the objective of becoming the right candidate to move up and onward (think of it as viewing yourself as a talent to be managed and improved upon, which, in turn, increases value).

There are lots of ways to take action in building your own personal value. In the first installment of this series, we considered the benefits of in-house seminars, training, and networking. Actively pursuing professional development opportunities is another way to increase your personal value.

Professional development (and maybe even the cash to go with it)

Many businesses have professional development programs that encourage staff members to improve their skill and knowledge level, by taking courses, attending conferences, or even getting a designation (and in the case of those who already hold a designation, they are often required to complete a specific amount of professional development activities each year).

In order to qualify for a professional development program, courses typically have to be relevant to a staff member’s job or career path (and may require approval in advance) and the costs may be reimbursed, in whole or in part, often upon successful completion of the course. Although some may be discouraged by the prospect of “more school”, a Me Inc. attitude sees the benefit in having the chance to gain knowledge and competency at a reduced cost, and perhaps, for free. All you have to bring is the effort.

Put yourself to work

Find out what your company’s professional development program includes: time off to attend courses, partial or full reimbursement, specific requirements to qualify for reimbursement? Understand the guidelines before moving forward.
If your company does not have a professional development program, it is still an area to pursue. Seek out seminars and events that are free of charge or within your budget and utilize your lunch hour or after hours time to attend. Think of it this way: you’re still investing in yourself, regardless of the cost or who pays (and you take that investment with you wherever you go).
Ask around to see what courses or designations others in your company have completed, especially in the case of staff members who are working in areas that are of interest to you. Researching the career paths of others can be just as useful as researching courses and programs.
Take a long term view, but recognize that you have to walk before you can fly. Think about where you ultimately see your career heading, but be realistic about the professional development and work experience steps that are required to get there. And get started!
Spend some time online to identify and learn more about available courses and programs. Take the opportunity to attend information sessions to ask questions and network with those involved.
Set yourself up for success, not failure. Be realistic and ask yourself what type of professional development activities would best fit within your interests and time constraints. Are you willing to make the commitment to complete a designation or are short term courses and seminars a better approach?
If you are considering embarking on an area of study that is new to you, start with a general course to introduce yourself to the topic area. Getting too specialized too quickly can backfire (and you might find that you don’t even like the topic!). A more general course provides a digestible introduction to further study and is always of value, even if you don’t pursue the topic area any further.
Once you get started, look for opportunities to put into practice some of the knowledge you have gained so that it is retained, not lost.

Having your own personal professional development program is an integral aspect of the Me Inc. attitude. Before long, you will have developed a base of knowledge that builds on what you already know and can set you apart from others in your workplace. Not only that, active professional development can create a whole new network of knowledgeable and well connected resources, and you just never know where that might lead.