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5 Ways to Make Progress on Your Professional Development Plan
A strong professional development plan will help you grow, learn, and succeed in your career. To create an effective professional development plan, you need to know what you want and how you’re going to get it! This process involves goal setting, creating an action plan, pursuing advanced training, and documenting your progress over time. Hctutorial offers some tips below to help you make progress on your professional development plan.
Set Your Intentions Using SMART Goal Setting
SMART is an acronym for goals that are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound. Setting SMART goals will give you a sense of direction and help you stay focused on your desired path. What’s more, SMART goal setting established deadlines and criteria that let you know when you’ve achieved your goals. For example, if you want to find a higher-paying job that allows you to save money for retirement, your goal might involve landing a salary of a specific dollar amount. Think carefully about your intentions, write out a few SMART goals, and use these to create a career goal statement.
Enroll in an Online Course or Degree Program
After writing out your career goals, you might find that earning a degree would be beneficial for your professional development. Enrolling in an online course or degree program is a flexible, affordable, and convenient alternative to in-person learning. Plus, continuing your education is a great way to keep up-to-date with the developments in your field. Look for online degree programs that align with your career goals. For example, an education degree program will prepare you for your teaching licensure. With your bachelors of education, you’ll be able to pursue a fulfilling career in teaching!
Transition From Employee to Business Owner
If you’re tired of the daily grind, entrepreneurship might be a better match for you. Starting your own business will offer more freedom and flexibility than employment, and you’ll get to work on projects that are truly fulfilling! Ross Simmonds lists a few key signs that you would make a great entrepreneur:
- You’re comfortable working on your own.
- You can see the big picture.
- You know the value of hard work and delayed gratification.
- You spend your free time seeking education over entertainment.
- You’re confident and not afraid of discomfort or failure.
Review the basic business startup process, so you know what to expect when launching your own brand. Choosing a business structure is one of the first steps. For many small businesses, structuring as an LLC is ideal because LLCs offer personal liability protection and tax benefits. To make your LLC formation easy and affordable, consider using an online formation service instead of hiring a lawyer.
Build Relationships With Mentors
Do you have a mentor? Mentors can help you stay motivated, offer career advice, and provide networking opportunities to advance your career. Your mentor can also pass on important skills and provide guidance regarding your educational path. If you don’t yet have a mentor, start building relationships at industry meetups and through professional networking websites like LinkedIn.
Document Your Professional Accomplishments
As you work your way through your professional development plan, be sure to keep a list of your professional accomplishments. This will help you stay driven and motivated toward your goals. You can also refer to this list when creating resumes, picking out professional accomplishments that are relevant to the specific jobs you’re after.
Be sure to store all of your professional certificates, degrees, awards, recognitions, and past resumes alongside your list of accomplishments. Keep in mind that you can split large PDF files into smaller files with online PDF splitter tools. This makes it easy to separate PDF pages for organization and sharing.
Building a professional development plan will help you move toward your long-term career goals through daily, intentional action. Whether this means going back to school, starting your own business, or applying to jobs in other industries, SMART goal setting will ensure you stay on track.
If you have kids, help them develop a growth mindset through online learning. Check out Hctutorial for math lessons, tutorials, and English classes for ESL (English as a second or foreign language) students.
