The Value of Professional Development: How to use it to fuel your career

No matter where you are professionally, learning and networking continue to play a critical part in your next career move. From peer and mentor networking, to learning new skills so you can thrive in your current or future role -- how do you cultivate opportunities to help set you up for success professionally?

‍Skai Kang (Handshake) and Annette Kasper (Udemy) shared practical takeaways on what you can do to fuel your career.

‍You need to be your own advocate.

‍Though your manager is in the passenger seat helping to guide you where you want to go, you are in the driver's seat. It’s important to speak up for yourself and let your manager know what your needs and goals are, but also not rely on them to know where you should take your career. If they know your plans for improvement and motivation for your career trajectory, they can better help you succeed.

‍Share your progress.

‍Wherever you are in your career path, it’s never too late to build and extend your support network. Your inner-circle may include current or former team members, mentors, colleagues from communities such as WISE, or friends and family. If you have a few people that you're continuously sharing your progress with, it'll make you more accountable for pushing towards them.

‍Professional development never stops.

‍It encompasses a lot of different types of learning and development, but professional development = learning and should be ceaseless.

Think about that one line that you want to add to your resume and work on it. Professional development could be any form of learning - whether it’s attending a networking event, reading an article or blog post, or through formal/informal classes - and it should never end.

Want to learn more? You can stream the full event recording here.

‍Thank you to all of the WISE sponsors that made this event possible and our panelists from Handshake and Udemy for sharing their time and advice.