Long gone are the days when people held ‘jobs for life’. Years ago, once your career got to a level that you were happy with you could stay there pretty much until your retirement.
For many, this era is long gone now though, and although personal development has been important over the years, it’s never been as crucial to success as it is now.
Your goal should be to become a person of value, not just when you are starting your career, but throughout your life and career. If you want to be an excellent leader and manager, continuous development of your leadership and management skills is key.
If you don’t invest in yourself why would you expect anyone else to invest in you?
Employers and the job market are looking for value. If you want to progress, get to the next level of your career or earn more money you need to be prepared to bring more value.
Time on a job or years at specific occupation does not increase the inherent value of that job being done.
If you are not sharpening your skills, learning better tools, or constantly trying to better yourself, you are not becoming more valuable.
Your career is exactly what it says on the tin ‘YOUR career’, it’s not down to your employer, your parents or the government to look after your career. Of course, support from your employer, parents or the government is important, but ultimately you and only you are responsible for your career, where and at what speed it is going.
Today’s world progresses and moves at an incredible speed and businesses have to evolve at a matching speed or they will be left behind.
In order to keep pace businesses need teams that move them at the right speed, and since every team consists of a number of individuals, they are the people responsible for success or the lack of it.
It’s not good enough to finish your degree and think that that’s your education done and you are qualified for life now. That’s just the start as life is about experiences, learning, progression and advancement. It is about continuous learning and keeping pace with the world…or being left behind.
The great thing about the world’s progress is that most of the knowledge is now at our fingertips 24/7 and there has never been a better opportunity to master new skills or to become an expert in your chosen area.
And you don’t have to worry about your starting point as you can start your journey at any level so if you are at the beginning why not start with e.g. CMI Level 3 Management and Leadership? Or if you are quite experienced already, why not sharpen your skills with CMI Level 7 Strategic Management and Leadership Diploma?
Don’t know where to start?
Find someone who inspires you and follow their journey. What are they doing to continue to progress? How are they developing themselves? E.g. Are they a Chartered Manager? If so, chat to them about how they have done it and what benefits have they gained through it? How was their CMI Management and Leadership qualification journey? What tips can they share with you?
Life comes with ups and downs, good and bad times, more or less money, but the one thing that nothing and no one can take away from you is the investment you make in yourself.
If you have excellent skills and are a person of excellent value you will have more opportunities.
If on the other hand you are waiting for the world to offer you great opportunities without investing in yourself you will always be at mercy of someone else deciding your worth.
So, what are you doing to increase your value?
If you are not sure where to start, check out our CMI Leadership and Management qualifications here or if you already are a Chartered Manager, why not continue your development by expanding your coaching and mentoring skills?
Being a better coach and mentor will enable you to be more effective in developing your team and ultimately be able to bring more value to your organisation – check out our ILM courses here.
P.S. Career development top tip:
Did you know that CMI management qualifications can lead to you becoming a Chartered Manager?
Chartered Manager the highest status that can be achieved in the management and leadership profession and according to CMI research Chartered Managers boost their business revenue by £62k each year and £310k over 5 years!
And did you know that completing CMI Management qualifications and becoming a Chartered Manager leads to £13k Average pay rise?
