Career Development is the Process of Learning and Improving Your Skills

In the world of human resource management, there are several components namely organizational design, control and evaluation, career development, and human resource planning. Successful organizations devote a huge portion of their resources to each component to ensure that they are implemented effectively towards the achievement of the organization’s goals and objectives. Out of these components, one that the employer and employee share responsibilities are career development. In this guide, we are going to discuss what is career development and some of the best ways to improve the process. Let’s get started!

Defining career development

Career development is defined as the results of actions on a career plan as viewed from both the organizational and individual perspectives. Career development can be viewed from two points namely the employee and the employer.

The goal of the organization is to maximize the productivity of human resources to achieve its long-term goals. Career development helps in ensuring that people and jobs match. Organizations place importance on how employees manage their careers respectively. And it will provide structure to the progress of employees on their career paths.

Benefits of career development

Career development is becoming a popular phrase not only among employees but also among organizations. Most organizations in our modern world take a step forward by establishing career development programs for their employees. This is because career development not only benefits the individual but also the organization. Why is career development important?

  • It helps both employees and organizations adapt to the different types of jobs and their changing nature.

  • Career development helps in managing manpower requirements.

Organizations are focused on implementing programs on career development because they need something that can address personnel issues that they encounter every day. Career development is important because:

1. It helps in identifying and forecasting manpower needs

Organizations can plan efficiently and effectively through career development. Organizational audits are usually conducted to find out whether the current structure is operating effectively or if staffing needs to be restructured and organized. The organization will also determine whether they need some skills or lack essential workers.

2. Ensures a steady supply of qualified workers

The best job seekers focus on applying to organizations that have a reputation for creating solid career development programs. These organizations never have much difficulty attracting qualified applicants when an open position is available.

3. Boosts job satisfaction and employee motivation

Employees who work in organizations that have a strong and positive stand on career development will feel motivated to work harder and longer. They will stay with the organization because it holds the promise that there is a clear career path for them to follow. If an organization doesn’t have a clear career path, employees will look for better career opportunities elsewhere.

4. It promotes workforce equity

Equity can be easily created in the workforce using career development programs. Every employee will have an equal opportunity to improve themselves and move forward. Organizations can easily boost their productivity and performance once workforce equity has been improved.


Tips to improve your career today

You are largely responsible for your career. Therefore, waiting for the human resource manager to set goals and determine your accomplishments is not the best way to improve your career. Here are a few simple things that you can do to improve your career today:

1. Set small goals

Most organizations have annual reviews. Managers focus so much on yearly goals. However, a year is quite long to set achievable goals. Therefore, it’s important to set small goals regularly throughout the year. Setting daily goals and coming up with ways to elevate your work will pay off in spades in the long run. Are there skills that you need to develop to advance your career? Think about them and write down goals that relate to them. After setting your goals, ensure that you set deadlines. Once you hit your deadline, grade yourself to see how you performed.

2. Get out of your comfort zone

The best way to succeed in getting out of your comfort zone. Therefore, you need to look for ways that will help you stretch beyond your expertise. Form the habit of doing things that scare you. Are you afraid of public speaking? Are you afraid of voicing your thoughts out there? You need to be comfortable with feeling uncomfortable.

3. Read every day

To develop and improve your skills, you need to spend most of your time reading. Read books that stretch your thinking and help you learn more about your profession. If you can’t read in the morning, read when you get home in the evening. Reading blogs and books will help you start looking at things differently and boost your productivity.

Conclusion

You need to spend most of your time thinking about your dream and how to actualize it. If you are an employer or employee, the best way to achieve your goal is by having a solid career development plan. As you have seen, there are a lot of simple things that you can do to improve your career. What will you start doing today?

Author Bio:

Emily Harrinson is one of the most influential editors essay writing service. She has been working in this company since 2006. Her hobby is reading books. But besides that, Emily is fond of sports and music. She is a very positive person.

The Best Examples of career development goals

1. Complete a professional certificate or degree

A great career goal is earning a professional certificate or degree that supports career advancement. Continuing education improves your current skills and can help you apply for future promotions or change careers.

2. Learn how other departments function

Learning how different departments operate can help you contribute more to the company. When you learn how your role affects different departments, you can alter work habits to make another division function smoother. You could make one of your career development goals to schedule a few hours observing each department that works with your team.

3. Ask for feedback

Seeking feedback from your manager and team members is a good way to see how others perceive you. You should strive to be a valuable member of the team, so it is helpful to gain insight from those who observe your work to provide constructive feedback to help identify your strengths and determine what skills you should develop.

4. Improve performance metrics

Performance metrics are data collected to measure behavior and activities concerning overall performance. Increasing your performance metrics at work can prove how efficient you are.

5. Apply for a promotion

One way to challenge yourself is to apply for a promotion. This can work as a short-term or long-term goal. Start by identifying the next role in your career progression and assess your qualifications.

6. Enhance your networking skills

Improving networking skills increases your chances of improving your business-related knowledge and building a stronger professional network. You can begin networking by talking to new coworkers or speaking with colleagues in other departments.

7. Develop your communication skills

Delivering and receiving clear information increases work efficiency. Consider setting a career goal to improve your written, interpersonal and verbal communication skills. For example, to improve your verbal communication skills, take a public speaking class that helps you feel more comfortable delivering presentations.

8. Work well on a team

Working efficiently on a team shows your supervisor that they can depend on you. If you are currently on a project team, take initiative and organize meetings to discuss your progress.

9. Volunteer to learn new technology

It is important to stay current with your industry’s technology. Learning new software or programs related to your field shows that you are willing to embrace new technology and maximize productivity.

10. Create a website

One way to develop professionally is to create a personal website. Personal websites can be used to host your professional portfolio, resume, personal mission statement or blog. When you are applying for jobs, send a link to your website for hiring managers to review additional information about projects you’ve completed and specific achievements.