The need for continuous work on ourselves and continuous professional development has become one of the basic features of our time. And that's great! Stagnation is dying out. A job, professional development in one area, a certain job position, one function… Nothing is permanent and safe anymore.

Uncertainty, intense and frequent change, outsourcing are just some of the biggest fears of today. The lack of personal career development, the consolidation of existing ones, but also the development of new skills and knowledge, make you very quickly replaceable. Awareness of this interchangeability, although it is a characteristic of each of us, provokes unpleasant feelings associated with fear and a lower sense of personal worth.

We will try to give you guidance on how to develop your career path in accordance with contemporary living conditions.

IDENTIFY THE SKILLS YOU WANT TO DEVELOP

Each development is preceded by the identification of what we think we need to develop and improve. What is it that you want to gain or exercise? What qualifications and competencies do you want to take to a higher level in order to be more successful in your business? Objective self-assessment is not an easy task. For this reason, the introspection process can always be helped by the advice of your friends and colleagues.

Sometimes, depending on the job you are developing, you will not be sure what qualifications you need to develop. To be safer, it is a good idea to keep up with the trends as well as the work of those who are experienced in the industry you are dealing with. In this way, you can penetrate deeper into the sphere of your professional orientation and more specifically focus on the direction you are going.

There are skills whose average mastery is sufficient. Focus on those whose refinement will contribute to your work position and the work you do. Sometimes advancement will have to go fast, you will have a trial period or a deadline. Don't be scared. Each development follows the goal of being better and more productive. So make progress meaningful and meaningful. Be persistent, but always patient with yourself.

DEFINE YOUR GOALS

Goals are the ultimate stage of your satisfaction. They direct you and guide you. Although the overall goal answers the question of what you want to achieve, it is also extremely important to identify a number of specific goals that precede it.

If you want your professional development to be reliable and balanced be gradual and do not skip steps. Each skill can be broken down into several practical actions, and in order to be permanent, it is necessary to start by mastering the small segments that form its basis.

Right, goals are a very tangible thing. Too general at first can overwhelm you, while specific goals cause frustration if not all are met. Try to break new knowledge and skills into stages. Write down a list of all the activities that lead to the achievement of your overall goal and the development of the competency you want to acquire and go step by step.

DISCOVER THE BEST METHODS

In order to determine the knowledge and skills you want to strengthen, it is essential that you have a better understanding of the field you are working on. Only then will you be able to clearly identify what is going to make you more professional and skilled at doing your job. Sometimes you will be able to develop in the workplace, sometimes it will be informal or from home, while there are those stages of career development that someone will have to guide you through.

If you are part of a company that takes care of the professional and personal development of employees, you are in luck. This means that the organizational structure of a company observes progress and profit through the improvement of its employees. Unfortunately, the dynamics of the IT industry often do not leave enough time for in-service training.

Of course, you are lucky if you do what you like if you find your corner or at least you are motivated by the conditions and benefits that are offered to you. Then learning at home will not be a problem either. Also, the advantage of online education is that you manage the learning time yourself, but also that you do not have to be physically present. In addition, taking certain courses outside of business hours gives the impression of an ambitious person who is ready to work for himself.

FIND A MENTOR

Having a reliable mentor means differentiating between success and potential failure. Of course, if you belong to a group of highly self-organized people with some experience, you may not need guidance. In addition, you may be striving to develop skills that develop better if performed independently.

However, not every process of perfecting one's character is complete. Developing and improving with a mentor is often more effective and efficient than other learning methods. If you have the opportunity and recognize a person who would contribute to your career development, take full advantage of it. The experience of those who are professionals in the industry you are dealing with can remove many obstacles and accelerate the process of mastering new knowledge and skills.

Developing the wrong techniques, knowledge, or beliefs at the beginning of the learning process makes it difficult to later change them. Professional instruction is a significant factor in the process of building a secure foundation upon which your knowledge and skills will rest. Rest assured that personal access, interpersonal relationships, and direct communication will further strengthen each learning and work process.

MATERIAL DEFICIT

Career development and refinement of skills require some time, space, and financial investment. Sometimes your budget will not cover all the tools, courses and resources you want to afford. That's not a reason to give up. Do not burden yourself with what you cannot provide at this time. Make sure you take advantage of what you have available and draw information from the content available to you.

Budgeting and availability of funds can sometimes be the root cause of your blockage. Sometimes it is difficult to embrace basic learning materials and media with frequent reflections on how you need the latest programs, courses or learning tools to succeed.

The material deficit is not a measure of the development of your skills. We encourage you to look deeper into your inspiration as well as the motives that drive you. Commitment, time and intensity of training depend precisely on your level of motivation, objective self-assessment and assessment of external conditions and opportunities. Learn to have what you have at your disposal and increase the resources and tools available over time.

GIVE UP OR NOT?

Don't be afraid to stop or give up. Each development causes changes through which you discover primarily about yourself. Your interests change, you may realize that the job you fantasize about is not for you or something else is fulfilling you. Often, the aspirations you have at first become irrelevant. You may find that they are out of your reach or that fulfilling them will not add as much as you imagine.

If necessary, change your goal and concept, start over, or switch. We live in a time where people are increasingly retraining, so you will not fall out of the rut of modern times. On the other hand, this builds a willingness to cope with different projects, but also a willingness to quickly adapt to change.

Stop blaming yourself. Slow down and make a new plan. Every decision is a product of current needs, opportunities, and expectations. Staticity is not their characteristic and it is quite justified that they change over time. After all, giving up a specific goal or activity does not mean giving up new knowledge and skills.

CONCLUSION

The hardest part of starting a new project or doing an unknown task is to acquire new knowledge and skills. When you master them, the activities will be clear and reliable. However, functional and practical knowledge is preceded by goal setting, devising a plan and process, and creating methods that will guide you through the process of professional development.

Routine daily tasks are no longer sufficient. In order to keep up with the demands that the modern age puts before you, the acquisition of knowledge and skills, as well as their development, becomes daily and permanent. Whether it is a career or personal development, the resources available have never been greater. Define the approach, stick to it consistently, and then enjoy the products of active work on yourself.