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Look, I know you're not new to careering, but sometimes when you delve deeply into something, you lose track of the finer details of how to do it intentionally..
Next thing you know, you're too deep into your role to ask for advice.
Don't worry, that's what this article and I are for.
I will explain Self-Guided Development and why you need to know all about it to succeed in whatever career you’ve chosen.
What is Self-Guided Career Development Exactly?
At its most basic, Self-Guided Development is a career evolution plan that you create and implement for yourself, agnostic of wherever you happen to be currently working.
Let's add a little more depth to that— most corporate organizations have Learning & Development initiatives to help their people be the best employees they can be for that company. Self-Guided Development is a program you outline for yourself that will make you a stand-out in your career as a whole, no matter where you’re working.
This means self-directed learning and pro-active professional development for your own career growth.
If you've never engaged in this before and are now freaking out that you’re somehow “behind,” rest assured, you’re fine. It’s never too late to start creating your own plan to have a happy making career.
Do you want to learn more from me? Check out my free resource Set Yourself Up For Career Success
Why Should You Care About Self- Guided Career Development?
The short answer is: because nobody else cares about your development as much as you.
Not your company, manager, boss or coworkers. (Maybe your mom does, but that only takes you so far!)
I genuinely believe that career development is essential, so let me give you some compelling reasons as to why you should make it a part of your long-term career happiness strategy.
Self- Guided Career Development is important because:
Reason #1 It ensures that you make more money
Reason #2 It helps you to be in control of your career
Reason #3 It allows you to focus on aspects of your role that you enjoy
Important: Don't think that just because your company has a Learning & Development program, you no longer need to look for other opportunities to learn.
The truth is ,most L&D programs are in place to benefit the company, not you as an individual employee with long-term career goals.
Self- Guided Career Development in Context
How Career Development affects you / your career is just as important as understanding what exactly Development is and why it's essential.
Let me give you a real-world stats:
According to a recent study, 59% of surveyed employees “state that they learned the skills they need to do their job while on the job. In other words, they had no formal training in place”. Meaning, if they didn’t learn on their own, there would be no learning!
Also, only 34% of employees are satisfied with their job-specific development. That means only about one third of employees are happy with the training they get that is “immediately tied to their everyday work.” If you want to be better at your job, (which leads to more responsibility and higher pay) then you need to engage in that development of job-specific skills.
And lastly, every third employee feels” that their company’s current training processes are out of date.” If you want to stay on top of trends in your field, out of date training just isn’t it.
Check Out: Skillshare, Udemy, YouTube, Masterclass or LinkedIn Learning if you’re unsure where to find development courses that interest you.
3 Tips for Self- Guided Career Development
Raise your hand if you’re feeling like this is something you can't (or won’t) apply. Be honest! 🙋♀️
That's no problem; here are some extra hints and tips to get you on your way:
Tip #1: Outline what your long term career goals are
Tip #2: Remember to focus on learnings that will help you not only in your current job, but your career as a whole.
Tip #3: Download the free workbook “Set Yourself Up For Career Success”. It will help you clarify your goals, hone in on Learning & Development courses that are right for you and get started on a career plan.
For an in-depth look at career development, you can read this article here.
Key Takeaways
Let's wrap this up, shall we? The key takeaways to remember from this post are that continuous learning is crucial to career success and that you have to take it into your own hands if you want it to serve you well.
In my coaching practice, I make it my mission to help folx find work that works for them and create careers they love.
If you would like to know more, please drop me a line here. I love hearing from readers!
Yours in learning is good for your career goodness,
EBS
P.S. Pssst, you can also check out my Free Stuff page. It includes FOUR FREE career resources to get you started!
Click here to grab your freebie now.
Oh, and come say hi on Instagram and join the career community over there.
—-
EB Sanders | Career Coach for Creative Types
Unsatisfied with your work? Start HERE now!
