What is Self Development and Why is It Important?
Self development is the desire and commitment to improve. It means taking steps to become the best version of yourself, from learning something new to overcoming bad habits. People who are committed to developing themselves know that you never stop learning in life.
Taking part in the YEUK Young Professional training is a good way to develop your skills in a variety of areas related to employment. We will continue to add content to the special ‘Young Professional’ section of the site so you can keep learning and growing. If you keep logging in to this section and engaging with the content you’ll be ahead of a lot of other people.
You will be seen as a very good candidate if you are working on your self development. Employers greatly value those who take the time to build their skills and learning. Being able to recognise your strengths and weaknesses and work on your skill-set means you always add value. It will help you get jobs and promotions, as well as showing that you take yourself and your career seriously (not too seriously though – it’s good to laugh!)
Furthering Your Self Development and Demonstrating It
In order to develop yourself you first need to be aware of where you are currently. It’s important to figure out your strengths and weaknesses, so you can make a plan to improve in the areas that you need to. Start by writing a list of the things that you know you’re good at. If you struggle with this ask friends or family members to tell you what skills and qualities they notice in you. Now it’s time to look at what you can improve on. It’s not easy to admit when you could do better at something, but it’s really important in order to progress. Think about activities you do in school, college, or work. Are there particular things that you dislike doing or struggle with? These are probably areas you’re not as confident in.
Pick one skill or activity you want work on, and write down any ways you could improve on it. Do some research into classes or online courses you could take as well as reading information on the subject. Another good idea is to ask somebody who is good at that particular skill for some tips and advice. It could be somebody that you know personally, or someone at a company or organisation who are known for doing it well. Need to brush up on your budgeting? Why not ask your parents for help as they’ve probably been doing it for a long time. Want to improve your social media skills? You could tweet a marketing agency asking for their top tips. Think outside the box, and look for opportunities to develop everywhere.
Showing evidence that you’re committed to improving yourself doesn’t have to be hard. If you’ve taken any courses or been involved in a club or team write it on your CV. Then in an interview you can mention these activities and how you’ve developed through doing them. Remember the STARRS method is really helpful here.
Employers may ask a question about an area you’re not as strong in, or something you want to improve in. When you’re actively working on your self development the answers will come easily.
Talk about the fact you know what your weaknesses are, and show that you have plans to improve in those areas. It’s all about being aware and honest; you won’t be penalised because you’re not very good at writing reports (unless it’s a vital part of the job role) as long as you show that you are willing to learn and practice.
