Developing Your Career

Once you have worked through determining your work values, interests and reach your career goal, you may need to undergo some development of your skills.

This development may be achieved through opportunities at work, (such as training courses, on-the-job coaching, or a job move or project that will give you the necessary experience) or through a full-time or part-time educational course.

Career Development at Work

Employers are becoming more and more aware of developing their employees, committing to a culture of lifelong improvement, with the goal of improving the performance of their organization.

There are a wide range of processes that can help you develop your career at work. These include:

• Formal or informal coaching
• Mentoring, which puts employees in touch with someone more senior who can help them develop their career
• Development schemes or programs
• Project assignments and secondments
• Fast tracks for 'high potential' employees
• Off-the-job training
• Career workshops, aimed at helping career planning
• Learning resource centers, which contain career and training information
• Development centers, which combine assessment with development planning

Understanding and using these processes can be essential for you to reach your career goals.

Educational Courses

While educational qualifications cannot guarantee you the job you want, the right qualification will improve your chances of success. Our culture is growing increasingly towards the idea of 'lifelong learning' and it is easier than ever before to get back into education. There are hundreds of part-time courses, and 'distance-learning' courses are also available, so that you can study at home. The range of colleges and courses is expanding, and the internet gives access to a huge amount of detailed information on education.

However, competition for places on some courses is intense and the costs of education can be high.

If you are considering starting an educational course, consider the following points:

• How long is the course?
• What are the fees? Are there any grants or sponsorship available?
• Is the course full-time or is there a part-time option?
• What entry qualifications are required?
• What is the precise qualification that will be awarded?
• Is the course recognised by the relevant professional body or employers?
• Are there any key skills taught as part of the course (e.g. IT)?
• Will you be able to change course if you need?
• What subjects will you study? Will you have any options?
• Where is the college located?
• Are there any distance learning options?
• When are the semesters?
• What hours will you need to attend?
• Will you have any opportunities to gain work experience, e.g. placements, block releases?
• What are the teaching methods?
• What are the methods of assessment (exam, coursework)?
• What are the staff/student ratios?