{"id":544,"date":"2023-09-22T10:32:42","date_gmt":"2023-09-22T09:32:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.cardiff.ac.uk\/futures-online\/?page_id=544"},"modified":"2024-09-17T13:23:07","modified_gmt":"2024-09-17T12:23:07","slug":"continuing-your-professional-development","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sites.cardiff.ac.uk\/studentfuturesplus\/life-after-uni\/continuing-your-professional-development\/","title":{"rendered":"Continuing your professional development"},"content":{"rendered":"

University is the perfect time to develop new skills, meet new people and grow your network. This will help you to build a habit of professional development which you can take forward to the next stage of your career. Important career management skills such as adaptability, flexibility and seeing opportunities for improvement when things don\u2019t go to plan (having a \u2018growth mindset\u2019) all allow you to navigate your career successfully and confidently, through the good times and through the bad. These skills also encourage you to continually develop your experience, skills and knowledge which puts you in a better position to secure new opportunities, from changing career direction, applying for a promotion or even starting your own business.<\/p>\n

Identifying areas for development<\/h4>\n

The foundations of effective professional development are reflection<\/strong> and forward planning<\/strong>. You need to firstly identify what you should work on and then understand how working on those things will benefit you professionally. You don\u2019t need to have your whole career planned out, but having shorter-term plans of where you see yourself in the future can help you choose additional development activities that will help you get there. Continuing professional development (known as \u2018CPD\u2019) can also be more formalised in some organisations and professions, providing you with clear pathways to continue expanding your skills, knowledge and expertise.<\/p>\n

Reflection<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Whilst in your new graduate role, it\u2019s important you take time regularly to reflect on how things are going. Reflect on achievements and successes, as well as mistakes or experiences that you wish had gone differently. Take time to consider what you are doing well but also what you could do better at.<\/p>\n

Reflection is a skill \u2013 it takes time to develop. You will have developed reflective skills already because it is one of Cardiff University\u2019s six graduate attributes<\/a>. It can be helpful to utilise reflective practice models to help structure the reflection you do. There are different ones to choose from and they almost always encourage you to think about what you have learnt from the experience or what you will do moving forward if in a similar situation again. OpenLearn offers a helpful list of reflective models<\/a> you can use and Indeed has examples of reflective practice<\/a> too.<\/p>\n

Remember to also engage fully in any performance review processes in your current role. Your line manager or supervisor will likely meet with you regularly to discuss your work, progress towards your goals or objectives and any concerns or issues you might have \u2013 reflection will be a key part of this process. This could be done weekly or monthly, and annually at a more in-depth review of your performance at work over the course of the year (often called an appraisal or performance review). This is a perfect opportunity for you to ask your manager for their opinion of how you could continue to develop, as well as express your commitment to continuing professional development. Employers like employees who want to continually grow and learn and often have training and development budgets they can use to support this. Your line manager may be able to put you forward for additional training or advise on how you can develop further.<\/p>\n

Planning for the future<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Whilst any opportunity to develop yourself, skills or confidence will never be a waste of time, it\u2019s better to identify professional development opportunities that will help you with your career goals \u2013 this could include progressing in your chosen field or moving into a different field. Understanding what skills, experience or knowledge is required in that field can give you a clearer plan of what best to focus on. Prospects suggests professional development opportunities relevant to specific job roles in their job profiles<\/a>. You can also look back at our career planning section for more advice on how to plan your career<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Ways to develop when you’re in a job<\/h4>\n

Getting your first job after graduation is a great achievement and is testament to all the hard work you have put into making the most of your university experience. However, this is just the start of your working life! You should adopt the same desire to improve your skills and knowledge in your new role that you did during your time at Cardiff. By seeking out new opportunities to learn and develop, you are in the driving seat of your own career \u2013 actively on the lookout for your next career move and putting yourself in the best possible position to get there.<\/p>\n

Reflection and identifying professional development opportunities relevant to your career goals are key, but here are some top tips on how to develop when you\u2019re already in a job:<\/p>\n

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\n Chevron right<\/title>\n <\/path>\n<\/svg> Get a mentor <\/h2>

A mentor is someone who can give you unofficial advice and support for your own career path, based on their experiences and what they have learnt from their own career. Ideally, your mentor will work in your chosen field and will be able to give you tips on how to get into that particular industry, as well as how to progress. Coursera has useful advice on finding a mentor<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div> <\/div>

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\n Chevron right<\/title>\n <\/path>\n<\/svg> Continue your learning and upskill<\/h2>

Curiosity and lifelong learning has recently been identified by the World Economic Forum as one of the top skills graduate employers look for<\/a>. Continue to fine-tune your expertise and knowledge in your field. This could include attending training or engaging with further learning. Platforms such as OpenLearn, Coursera and Future Learn offer online courses, some for free. Professional bodies and organisations also offer opportunities to continue your learning and upskill in your chosen field but you might have to pay to be a member in order to access the training.<\/p>\n<\/div> <\/div>

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\n Chevron right<\/title>\n <\/path>\n<\/svg> Take new opportunities and push yourself out of your comfort zone <\/h2>

Grab opportunities to develop or learn when they arise. This could be attending conferences, additional training or volunteering to work on a new project. Taking on new challenges can be daunting, especially early on in your career. However the more challenges you undertake, the more you will learn, and the more you will grow professionally. Read Positive Psychology\u2019s guide to leaving your comfort zone<\/a> in order to enter your growth zone.<\/p>\n<\/div> <\/div>

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\n Chevron right<\/title>\n <\/path>\n<\/svg> Grow - and utilise - your network<\/h2>

Hopefully by the time you have graduated, you will already have set up a LinkedIn profile and be actively using it to grow your network! If you haven\u2019t, don\u2019t worry \u2013 we\u2019ve got you covered with our advice on networking and social media<\/a>, which includes tips for creating your LinkedIn profile. As you develop in your career, it\u2019s important to continue to grow your network. Connect with new colleagues and people you meet at conferences or training events. Read MindTool\u2019s advice on using LinkedIn effectively.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div> <\/div><\/div>\n \n\n

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Further resources<\/h3>

Use the below resources to explore this topic further:<\/p>\n