my professional development essay

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Professional Development Essay: Critical Reflection On Skills And Knowledge

Task: The purpose of the reflective essay is to develop a clear and inspiring vision of what you want to achieve in your career. In the essay student need to succinctly review the literature, particularly focusing on skills important to the development of their career/profession and how it will make a positive difference in his/her career/profession along with a role of a professional manage. Students are expected to critique the literature and to adheres to the word limit. Essay should also contain reference list written in Harvard style. Given below are some guidelines that are useful for writing the assignment.

Section 1: Understanding and Analysis . Describe what is the meaning of professional development and why it is important. How you can relate the idea of professional development with your career vision. What is your career mission statement?

Section 2:  Literature Review. Review the important of skills on career development and discuss why you believe your selected skills are important for today’s managers? You should be referring to wider source of reference, preferably peer reviewed journals and conference proceedings.

Section 3:  Skill Identification and Critical analysis . This section should present critical analysis of skills that are important for your desired professional position. You should also need to refer to the recent job advertisement (as an evidence this should be attached as an Appendix in your report) of a professional position of your interest and present critical analysis of skill gap (of what you possess and what is required). To support your analysis, you may refer to wider credible sources to link skills to the advertised position.

Introduction The present professional development essay revolves around the concept of personal development that is an important aspect of life as it assists in reflecting upon the skills and attributes that fare required for professional growth. In this professional development essay, I will illustrate the necessity and importance of professional development and the way it has helped me in analyzing my skills and knowledge. The skills that are required for my professional development will be explored in a detailed manner and the way I am planning to make use of professional development in order to improvise my skill will be discussed in a detailed manner. The importance of skill for career development will also be highlighted.

Discussion Professional development is the method of maintaining significant professional credentials such as formal coursework’s, academic degrees; informal learning that can be situated into practice, attending conferences and more (Rubens et al., 2018). It is a way with the help of which skill and knowledge are enhanced so that professionally an individual can increase their own performance. The five principles of professional development explored in this professional development essay states that firstly professional development should have a significant duration and must be ongoing so that individual is able to learn new strategies for problems, secondly the individual should have appropriate support and guidance during the implementation stage that will help in changing practices, thirdly individual should collaborate with a community that are implementing similar changes. fourth stage suggests that online mediums can be adopted that can help in enhancing professional development, lastly the five core features of professional development best practice should be kept in mid such as coherence with standards and policies, integrated contents and pedagogy, active learning opportunity, mentoring and individual learning.

There are various approaches discussed in the context of this professional development essay that can contribute towards professional development such as coaching, consultations, communities of practice, mentoring, lesson study, technical assistance and reflective supervision. It is analyzed that continuous professional development is essential and important because it helps us in ensuring we continue to be increasingly competent in our professional field (Pucciarelli and Kaplan, 2018). It is considered as a continuous and on-going process throughout our professional career. Through professional development, we are able to encourage ourselves to learn new skills and gain new knowledge which helps us in overcoming new challenges at the workplace and makes us more efficient and competent at the workplace. It is evident that with increased globalization the competition among employees is also increasing and in order to capture and gain lucrative opportunities, it is essential to possess all the vital knowledge and skills. A career mission statement helps in providing a clear purpose for future developments. Professional development can be associated with a career vision statement as any mission statement has been created with the aim of improving performance (Campbell, 2017). In order to improve any performance or support employees, the study developed in this professional development essay illustrates that it is essential that the individual himself should possess adequate skill and knowledge which can be developed with the help of professional development. Therefore professional development helps in improving competencies that in turn help in focusing on the career mission statement and allows us to achieve our visions and goals in a positive manner. My career mission statement is “to support and inspire individuals in order to enhance their capabilities and improvise their skills and become more competent and active”. As it can be observed that my mission is to inspire and help other individuals to enhance their skill it is necessary that in order to achieve this mission statement I must possess all the vital skills and knowledge so that I am able to help and support others. Professional development will help me in continuously learning new skills and improving my skills and knowledge along with the present changes and trends and therefore I will be able to achieve my mission statement.

According to Cottrell (2017), it can be analysed in this segment of professional development essay that skill development is the method that assists in recognising our skill gaps and helps us in developing the lacking skill set. Skill development is necessary because our skills help in determining our ability to execute a task or a plan in a successful manner. It is significant to develop necessary and required skill set for a successful career. It is evident that skills such as communication, leadership, teamwork, time management and more are necessary in order to improve the performance of an individual (Ritter et al., 2018). Skills are an important part of an individual as it helps in analysing and understanding the capabilities and competencies of an individual and based on that they are approaches for professional opportunities. For instance, if a job opening for a marketing manager is available then all the candidates applying for the position will not get the job. Only the candidate that has all the necessary skills that a marketing manager should possess will get the job as other candidates that do not possess the skills will not be able to carry out the tasks and duties of a marketing manager. Therefore this example helps in understanding that skills are necessary as it categorises individuals as per their capabilities and competencies and therefore, in order to become successful in a professional career one must possess all the skills as well as knowledge. The professional development essay examines the readings of Prajapati et al. (2017) that skills are vital as they help in enhancing thinking abilities and helps in improving problem-solving. It helps us in understanding the impact of our activities and allows us to take up responsibilities in a confident manner as we are sure that we will be able to perform the actions as well possess the skills. Skills are considered vital for confidence development and confidence is vital to gain an increased and successful career opportunity (Jackson, 2015). Skills are categorized under two basic categories such as soft skills which deal with people’s skill, communication skill, social skill, personality attitude and trade. On the other hand, hard skills are measurable or teachable abilities such as reading, writing and more.

Managers are a significant part of an organisation as they have a primary responsibility of ensuring that all the goals and objectives of the organisation are well met so that the performance of the firm increases in the market. As per the investigation on professional development essay, it is noted that in order to become a successful manager, there are a number of skills that must be possessed by an individual so that they are able to manage an entire workforce and guide them in their duties. I would like to address my perception in this professional development essay that a manager should possess planning skills, communication, and decision-making skills, problem-solving skills, and motivating skills. As per Divleli and Ergun (2015), planning is one of the most essential duties of a manager they are responsible to allocate duties to the employees based on their skills and knowledge so that the tasks are completed successfully and the organisation is able to meet its goals. Managers are required to interact and communicate with employees, make them understand their duties, guide them with their tasks and help them in their problems. Therefore having excellent communication is one of the most important skills to be a successful manager. In addition, it is observed that as the business environment changes many times managers are required to make a decision that will benefit the business and assist in its growth. In order to make a beneficial and reasonable decision that decision making the skill of the manager should be appropriate. A business encounters many challenges and problems while operating in the competitive market active problem-solving skills help in finding creative and innovative solutions for problems, therefore managers are required to have excellent problem-solving skills. As stated by Kiruja and Mukuru (2018), it is also noted in this professional development essay that managers should possess, motivating skills, employees in business may feel low due to increased competition or work pressure, therefore, it is the responsibility of the managers to motivate and encourage the employees to remain positive and active towards their duties so that enhanced outcomes can be gained.

I aspire to become a business development manager at Hardygroup and in order to gain this position; there are certain skills that must be possessed by me. Some of the most significant skill required for this position includes communication skills, good business knowledge, negotiation skills, organisational skills and creativity. As per my self-reflection, I can analyse that my soft skills such as communication skill is excellent and I am confident at speaking with my colleagues and friends. In addition, I am quite creative as I participate in most of the problem-solving activities and try to work on my creative knowledge. I am always trying to think of unique and innovative ideas so I am able to enhance my creativity. However, some of the my soft skills such as negotiation skills, and other hard skills such as business knowledge and organisational skills are quite inappropriate and therefore, lack of these significant skills will reduce my chances of capturing the job opportunity and therefore I am planning to work on improving these skills. I need to improve my lacking skills so that I am suitable for the position.

In order to improve my negotiation skill, I will take up a class in which I can work and learn about negotiation, the activities of the class will help me in practising negotiation ad will improve my knowledge in this area. I will also keep practising this at home and with peers so that I can improve this skill as it is necessary. In order to work on my business knowledge, I will enrol in a business course which will allow me to gain an understanding and also expose me to the business world. The course will also allow me to understand the challenge in difficulties that are experienced by a business I will be able to understand the working environment and it will benefit me in my career development. Business knowledge is a vital skill and joining courses to improve my skill is essential. Lastly, I will have to increase my organisational skills and therefore in order to do that I will take up an internship in a good repute organisation so that I am able to gain practical knowledge regarding the ways a business operates. I will be able to experience the challenges and learn from the situation. Internship helps in gaining knowledge and also improves our skills, we are able to understand work pressure and the way we need to behave and the attitudes that help us in a workplace.

Conclusion In this professional development essay, we can conclude that professionally develops is important as it allows us to work on our skill and professional knowledge so that we are capable and competent. I analysed that significance and importance of skill development and the way skills help in gaining attractive career opportunities. Skills are significant as they help in understanding the capabilities of an individual and based on its job and employment offers are provided. I have discussed the skills of a manager and the ways these skill sets are used by a manager in order to carry out their roles in a business. In addition, I have conducted a self-analysis regarding the skills that are lacking in me as compared to skills that are required for the job I desire to achieve. In the above professional development essay, I have also discussed the ways I am planning to work and improve my skills in order to be appropriate for the job position and gain the opportunity.

Reference List Campbell, C., 2017. Professional development essay Developing Teachers' Professional Learning: Canadian Evidence and Experiences in a World of Educational Improvement. Canadian Journal of Education, 40(2), p.n2.

Cottrell, S., 2017. Critical thinking skills: Effective analysis, argument and reflection. Macmillan International Higher Education.

Divleli, M.S. and Ergun, E., 2015. MANAGER EFFECTIVENESS AND EFFICIENCY: THE EFFECT OF SKILLS ON DIFFERENT LEVEL MANAGEMENT. International Journal of Management & Human Resources, 3(1).

Jackson, D., 2015. Employability skill development in work-integrated learning: Barriers and best practice. Studies in Higher Education, 40(2), pp.350-367.

Kiruja, E.K. and Mukuru, E., 2018. Professional development essay Effect of motivation on employee performance in public middle level Technical Training Institutions in Kenya. IJAME.

Prajapati, R.K., Sharma, B. and Sharma, D., 2017. Significance of Life Skills Education. Contemporary Issues in Education Research, 10(1), pp.1-6.

Pucciarelli, F. and Kaplan, A., 2016. Competition and strategy in higher education: Managing complexity and uncertainty. Business Horizons, 59(3), pp.311-320.

Ritter, B.A., Small, E.E., Mortimer, J.W. and Doll, J.L., 2018. Designing management curriculum for workplace readiness: Developing students’ soft skills. Journal of Management Education, 42(1), pp.80-103.

Rubens, A., Schoenfeld, G.A., Schaffer, B.S. and Leah, J.S., 2018. Self-awareness and leadership: Developing an individual strategic professional development plan in an MBA leadership course. Professional development essay The International Journal of Management Education, 16(1), pp.1-13.

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Why is Professional Development Important?

Learn the role of professional development in advancing your career.

Lian Parsons

Professional development is an important aspect of continuing your career growth and striving to reach your goals.

This blog post will explain what professional development is, its benefits to both employers and their employees, and how to seek different opportunities out to reach your full potential.

What is Professional Development?

Professional development is gaining new skills through continuing education and career training after entering the workforce. It can include taking classes or workshops, attending professional or industry conferences, or earning a certificate to expand your knowledge in your chosen field.

Some companies offer in-house opportunities for professional development, such as training sessions or mentoring programs, but many professional development programs are done independently. 

Professional development is important because it has the potential to open opportunities for career advancement, such as promotions. It can assist you in honing existing skills and in learning new ones. 

It can also help you stand out in a pool of applicants; showing that you have completed professional development programs or additional industry certifications on your resume can go a long way in showing your expertise in your field.

Employees who show initiative in independent learning can signal to employers that you are open to new experiences and are enthusiastic about continuing to grow. 

Benefits of Professional Development for Employers

Professional development can be instrumental in growing a stronger team.

Employers who encourage their employees to seek out professional development opportunities are in turn encouraging higher productivity and job satisfaction. 

Higher Retention Rates

According to a Business News Daily article, businesses should offer professional development opportunities to their employees to improve potential turnover.

Professional development can help to bolster employees’ confidence in their work. Greater confidence can, in turn, translate into higher overall job satisfaction, employee performance, productivity, and overall morale. 

Investing in professional development training programs also shows employees that their company is invested in their success and interested in cultivating their advancement.

Attract Better Talent

It can be challenging to find — and retain — talented employees. Offering professional development opportunities can help employers fill open positions by attracting and retaining skilled employees.

According to talent management platform Clear Company, 74 percent of employees say that a lack of professional development opportunities are preventing them from reaching their full potential. Additionally, 94 percent of employees would stay longer at a company if it invested in staff development.

Employers offering these benefits are more likely to attract potential employees who are interested in striving for excellence and pursuing advancement. 

Investing in professional development for employees can grow an existing team’s skills and entice new talent to join with the incentive of a clear learning and development plan. 

Help Employees Stay Up to Date With Industry Trends to Keep Skills Sharp

Industry trends move rapidly, and it’s important for companies to keep pace with the times. Ongoing professional development can prevent potential stagnation by maintaining — and improving — employee skills. 

Look for programs that will help you stay up to date, such as those for agile leadership for hybrid work, or for innovation strategy .

Employees engaged in professional development are also more likely to stay engaged in their work and to be enthusiastic about pursuing their goals. 

Get started on your professional development journey today.

Benefits of Professional Development for Employees

From gaining confidence in your abilities to building potential for advancement, professional development offers employees many benefits for not only your career, but your personal goals as well. 

Learn new skills

Through professional development, you may hone both hard and soft skills in your work. Hard skills pertain to job-specific knowledge you can obtain through formal training or education. Soft skills are personal competencies, such as effective communication or the skills that contribute to emotional intelligence . 

Developing both types of skills is important to reaching your professional goals — and even some of your personal ones.

Boost Confidence and Credibility

Adding additional skills or certification from a professional development program to your resume is one way to boost your confidence in your skills and show your credibility to employers.

Professional development opportunities can expose both new and experienced professionals to new ideas and expertise. Seeking out these opportunities shows ambition and the space to practice those new competencies. 

Develop Leadership Skills

A confident employee is also likely an enthusiastic employee. If you take the step to grow and develop your skills, the incentive to seek out additional opportunities can continue to expand along with it. 

If you are an employee who wants to advance your career but isn’t sure how to do so, professional development can encourage you to put your hand up for leadership opportunities you may not have sought out otherwise. 

This blog post offers helpful tips on how to choose a leadership development program.

Build Your Network

Professional development can provide many opportunities for networking. Workshops, conferences, classes, and webinars are all spaces in which professionals can meet new people within their industry and make new connections.

These connections can lead to new opportunities, mentorship, and support which may provide the next stepping stone in your career. 

Advance in your career

A well-qualified employee attracts employer attention. Employees who are invested in professional development display commitment to their work and an interest in continuing to improve.

Professional development can also boost your earning potential by increasing your value through obtaining credentials, certifications, and designations. 

Where to Take Professional Development Courses

There are a broad range of professional development opportunities. 

Harvard Division of Continuing Education’s Professional & Executive Development offers dozens of courses spanning multiple industries. Your employer may even help you pay for these opportunities if you effectively show their worth.  

There are both in-person and online options available, so choose what works best for your goals and lifestyle.

Seek out programs, workshops, seminars, mentorship programs, and more within your industry. Investing in yourself is just the first step.

Take the next step to advance your career. Find the program that’s right for you.

Browse all Professional & Executive Development programs.

About the Author

Lian Parsons is a Boston-based writer and journalist. She is currently a digital content producer at Harvard’s Division of Continuing Education. Her bylines can be found at the Harvard Gazette, Boston Art Review, Radcliffe Magazine, Experience Magazine, and iPondr.

Strategic Leadership

Senior level managers must tackle complex problems using creative problem-solving and a portfolio of skills and styles. Here’s a look at how being a strategic leader can move an organization—and your career—forward.

Harvard Division of Continuing Education

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101 Professional Development Goals Examples (Cut & Paste)

The best way to set professional development goals is to use the SMART framework.

The SMART goalsetting framework ensures your goals are well thought-out, and overall, more likely to succeed.

Here’s the framework:

• Specific : Your goal needs to be specific. A specific goal clearly describes what you want to achieve, detailing exactly where you want to end up. 
• Measurable: You need to know how to measure your goal. A measurable goal means you have a way to gauge your progress and know definitively when the goal has been reached.
• Achievable: Your goal needs to be in the Goldilocks zone – not too easy, not too hard. An achievable goal is realistic and attainable, meaning it’s within your capabilities and resources.
• Relevant: Your goal needs to be relevant to your work. If you went into your performance meeting and told your boss that your goal was to become a chess great, they wouldn’t care much.
• Time-bound: All goals need to have a target date. A time-bound goal has a defined timeline, which sets a concrete end-point to aim for and prevents the task from continuing indefinitely.

Whether you’re setting professional goals to map out your career, out of personal development interest, or (most likely) for your upcoming professional development meeting, use these copy-and-paste goal ideas to get those goals down and get on the way to success. I find the more specific I am in my professional development meetings, the more impressed my manager is!

Examples of Goals for Professional Development

1. Secure a Leadership Role Dedicate the coming three years to developing profound managerial skills, intending to secure a leadership role in a respected organization. A tangible way to measure this would be to apply for at least two internal or external leadership positions by the end of the year.

2. Attend Industry-Specific Conferences Aim to consistently expand your knowledge and network by attending at least two industry-specific conferences every year starting from January 1.

3. Achieve a Higher Degree or Higher Education Advance your formal education and expertise by obtaining a higher degree in your respective field within 3 years, which could be measured by successful graduation with a recognized certificate.

See Also: List of Educational Goals

4. Obtain a Project Management Certification Enhance your ability to efficiently handle work-related projects by acquiring a project management certification by the end of the year.

Go Deeper: List of Goals for Managers

5. Complete a Professional Course Deepen your skill set and broaden your understanding by completing at least one professional course in your field every year for the next five years.

See Also: A List of 5-Year Goals

6. Publish a Research Paper Contribute to your field’s body of knowledge by publishing a research paper in a recognized journal by the close of the year.

7. Contribute to a Community Project Commit yourself to give back to the community by participating in at least one community project annually, beginning from the first of next month.

8. Learn a New Language Enhance your communication skills and expand your reach by learning a new language to proficiency level by next year.

See Also: A List of Communication Goals

9. Network Expansion Set a target to grow your professional network by establishing meaningful connections with at least 50 new like-minded professionals by the end of the year.

10. Master Public Speaking Aim to improve your public speaking skills by joining a public speaking club with the yardstick being able to confidently deliver a 20-minute speech by the end of the year.

11. Mentor a Young Professional Share your experience and knowledge with the upcoming generation by mentoring at least one young professional per year starting from next year.

12. Enhance Team Collaboration Invest six months to develop advanced team collaboration strategies in your current role, measuring success with a 20% increase in project efficiency.

13. Foster Emotional Intelligence For the next year, actively improve your emotional intelligence using resources such as books and workshops, gauging success with a marked improvement in relationship management.

14. Advocate for Workplace Diversity Drive initiatives for promoting inclusivity and diversity in your workplace environment, with a target to bring a 15% increase in the representation of minority groups within the next two years.

15. Learn Data Analysis Spend six to eight months mastering the basics of data analysis with a measurable outcome of being able to handle a data-driven project independently.

16. Build a Consistent Reading Habit A future goal could be to strive for professional growth through knowledge by reading a book related to your field every month, thereby covering a minimum of 12 books a year.

17. Start a Professional Blog Establish and maintain a professional blog on a subject within your field, with the goal of publishing at least one post each week.

18. Improve Conflict Resolution Skills Over the next year, focus on developing better conflict resolution strategies to encourage a harmonious working environment; record a noticeable reduction in workplace conflicts as a measure of success.

19. Develop Crisis Management Skills Undergo specific training to master crisis management within eight months, with the aim of heading a team during a crisis simulation by the end of your training.

20. Foster a Healthy Work-Life Balance Start adhering to strict working hours and incorporating regular exercise in the daily routine from today, to better manage work-life balance. Gauge the success by noting an increased feeling of contentment in personal and professional life over time. 

21. Enhance Profit & Loss Management Skills Commit the next half-year learning profit & loss management strategies, aiming to take charge of a budget within your department by the end of your learning period.

22. Improve Presentation Skills Concentrate on mastering persuasive presentation skills over the next year, intending to deliver at least two department-wide presentations by the end of that term.

23. Propel Foreign Market Understanding Spend the next two years building an understanding of foreign markets relevant to your industry; evaluate the success by being able to handle an internationally-oriented project independently.

24. Exhibit Leadership in Community Service Volunteer as a team leader in a community project within the coming year, to enhance leadership skills and contribute to society.

25. Learn Graphic Design Over the next six months, learn the basics of graphic design through an online course in order to assist in creating visually appealing project presentations and marketing collateral.

26. Boost Salesmanship Skills Invest the coming year developing sales tactics and strategies with a goal to increase personal sales by 15% at the end of the year.

27. Earn Industry License/Certification Devote six months to studying for and acquiring a high-valued license or certification in your field, aiming to pass the required examination on the first attempt.

28. Advocate for Sustainable Workplace Practices Over two years, promote environmentally friendly practices in your organization, with a measurable outcome of at least 10% reduced carbon footprint.

29. Implement a New Software Tool Spend the next six months mastering a new software relevant to your work, intending to fully implement it into your daily operations by the end of this period.

30. Enhance Negotiation Skills Dedicate the coming year to improving your negotiation skills, with a measurable goal of successfully closing 10% more deals by the year-end.

31. Speed Reading Over the next three months, learn and practice speed reading techniques aiming to double your reading speed.

32. Learn a Programming Language Spend the coming six months learning a programming language relevant to your work, with the goal to complete a project using it.

33. Master Office Politics Over the next year, study and understand the dynamics of your workplace hierarchy to effectively navigate office politics.

34. Create a Professional Development Plan Spend a month crafting your own five-year professional development plan, including specific steps and goals in your career progression.

35. Increase Productivity Over the next two weeks, implement productivity techniques such as time-blocking or the Pomodoro technique, measuring success by a 20% increase in daily output.

36. Improve Workplace Culture Over a year, introduce initiatives that better the working environment, tracking success by an improvement in employee satisfaction scores.

37. Develop Remote Working Skills Spend the next three months mastering tools and strategies for effective remote work, to ensure equivalent productivity levels when working from home.

38. Boost Physical Stamina Incorporate a regular exercise routine starting today, to increase your work efficiency and overall health over time.

39. Implement Business Automation Over the coming year, learn and apply automation techniques to standard procedures with a goal to increase processing speed by 30%.

40. Improve Active Listening Skills Spend the next six months improving upon active listening skills, gauging success through improved communication with team members.

41. Cultivate a Personal Brand Over the next two years, create and establish a strong personal brand within your industry, tracked by an increase in professional network outreach.

42. Learn Advanced Microsoft Excel Dedicate six months to mastering advanced features of Microsoft Excel, intending to handle large datasets efficiently at the end of this period.

43. Build a Robust LinkedIn Profile Over the next month, enhance your LinkedIn profile, aiming to increase the number of profile views and connection requests.

44. Improve Employee Retention Within a year, implement policies and employee incentives that improve employee retention, with a target of reducing employee turnover by 15%.

45. Master a New Sales Strategy In the coming six months, perfect a modern sales strategy and implement it successfully-proven by increased sales figures.

46. Pursue Public Speaking Engagements In the next year, seek to deliver at least five public speaking engagements within your industry.

47. Develop Digital Marketing Skills Commit three months to a digital marketing course, aiming to put learned skills into practice immediately by contributing in your company’s digital marketing strategy.

48. Increase Customer Satisfaction Over the next two quarters, introduce initiatives to increase customer satisfaction, targeting a 10% rise in satisfaction scores.

49. Launch a Podcast Spend the next months preparing and launching a podcast related to your industry with an output of regular bi-weekly episodes.

50. Create a Personal Website In the next three months, design and set up a professional personal website to showcase your work, projects, and accomplishments.

51. Improve Time Management Over the next month, employ time management techniques to lower stress and increase productivity, aiming for a discernible improvement in daily task completion.

52. Get Published in an Industry Journal Spend the next year conducting original research or preparing a study with an aim to get published in a respected industry journal.

53. Gain a Coaching Qualification Over the next year, look to gain a professional coaching qualification in order to support and mentor team members more effectively. This will include being able to articulate a coaching philosophy by our next performance meeting.

54. Advance CSR Efforts Over the next two years, take charge of corporate social responsibility initiatives at your company to make a significant positive impact on local communities.

55. Develop my Technical Skills Spend the next six months developing technical skills within my field, including the ability to use the latest AI software and create AI prompts that deliver the best outputs.

56. Professional Networking Focus on building deeper professional connections over the next six months, aiming to add 30 professionals to your network effectively by the end of this period.

57. Attend Business Webinars Diversify your learning methods by attending relevant webinars once a month, to stay updated on industry developments and foster new skills.

58. Learn Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Over the next month, delve into the field of SEO to boost your company’s online presence, return on investment and to master the fundamentals of digital marketing.

59. Improve my Communication Styles Over the coming year, become adept at tailoring your communication style to different personalities and situations for more impactful conversations.

60. Deliver High-Stakes Projects Set the goal to lead and deliver at least two high-stakes or high-profile projects within the next two years, developing your project management and leadership skills in the process.

61. Develop Mobile Application Skills Over the next three months, enhance your coding skills by learning to develop basic mobile applications, aiming to complete a small-scale app project as the end term goal.

62. Cultivate Stress Management Techniques Starting today, cultivate stress management techniques such as mindfulness or yoga in your daily routine, and observe improved stress handling over the next six months.

63. Develop Interdepartmental Relationships Set a goal to develop working relationships with at least three other department team leads over the next six months, fostering improved interdepartmental cooperation.

64. Learn Product Management Spend a year learning and applying the strategies of product management, with the intention of leading a product development project at the end of the learning period.

65. Engage in Continuing Education Commit to a path of lifelong learning by enrolling in a course or webinar every six months related to your field or complementary skills.

66. Refresh Industry Knowledge Over the next month, subscribe to and regularly read at least five top industry blogs or publications to keep abreast of current trends, strategies, and insights.

67. Learn Machine Learning Basics In the next six months, learn the basics of machine learning and artificial intelligence, aiming to incorporate it into a work-related project.

68. Improve Cross-Cultural Competencies Over a year, learn about different cultures and improve your cross-cultural communication skills to connect and communicate effectively with global teams and international clients.

69. Foster Innovation Over the next two years, foster an environment of innovation within your team, aiming for at least one team member’s idea to reach production.

70. Master a New Technology Stack Spend the next year mastering a new technology stack or tool that enhances your work productivity, aiming to train your team on it by the end of the learning period.

71. Develop a Mentorship Program Spend the next six months designing and implementing an in-house mentorship program , with sights set on assisting at least five junior employees in their career progression during the first round.

72. Start a Cross-Disciplinary Mastermind Group Get together members of various teams and departments to come together once a week and brainstorm solutions for systemizing and smoothing-out cross-departmental processes.

73. Improve Project Delivery Times Aim to leverage your team’s efficiencies better over the next two quarters, to reduce project delivery times by 15%.

74. Develop Conflict Mediation Skills Over the next eight months, focus on developing mediation skills to constructively resolve team conflicts, gauging success by a noticeable improvement in team harmony.

75. Launch an Online Course Spend the next 12 months to curate, design, and launch your own online course in your field of expertise.

76. Establish a Workplace Well-Being Initiative Over the next two years, develop and execute a well-being initiative, thereby aiming to reduce absenteeism and improve employee satisfaction indices. 

77. Add a New Language to Your Skill Set Dedicate the next year to become conversationally proficient in a new foreign language relevant to your business or industry.

78. Develop Your CSR Strategy Aim to create a comprehensive Corporate Social Responsibility strategy and implement it within the next 18 months, contributing to the positive image of your company.

79. Establish Thought Leadership Over the next 24 months, create insightful content regularly aiming to establish yourself as a thought leader in your field, measuring success by follower and engagement metrics.

80. Drive a Product Launch Allocate the next year to driving a product from inception to launch, aiming to meet all delivery, budget, and quality targets set for the product.

81. Master Online Networking Spend the next six months mastering online networking, with the goal to join industry-specific online communities and effectively engage with peers.

82. Improve Critical Thinking Skills Over the next quarter, engage in exercises and discussions which challenge your thinking process , aiming to improve decision-making abilities noticeably.

83. Amplify Recruitment Strategy Spend the next year streamlining and improving your recruitment strategy, with a target to reduce recruitment timeframes by 20%.

84. Start a YouTube Channel Over the next six months, create and launch a YouTube channel targeted towards industry-specific training or discussions.

85. Write a Professional Development Book Spend the next two years researching, drafting, and publishing a book aimed at professional development within your industry.

86. Develop Diplomatic Skills Over the next six months, work on your diplomatic skills , aiming to apply them successfully in resolving a conflict situation or a misunderstanding at work.

87. Cultivate Technological Adaptability Over the next two years, aim to stay updated with emerging technologies relevant to your work, aiming to integrate at least two new technological tools into your work processes. 

88. Embrace Effective Delegation Over the next six months, hone your delegation skills aimed at improving team productivity by 20% while ensuring no burnout situations arise.

89. Specialize in Customer Relations Dedicate a year to become a specialist in customer relationship management, targeting a 15% increase in customer retention rates by the end of this period.

90. Run for Office in a Professional Organization Over the next two years, get more involved in your professional organization and run for a leadership position, in order to influence industry practices and standards.

91. Improve Decision-making Skills Over the next nine months, work on your decision-making skills aiming to decrease decision time by 10% without compromising on the quality of decisions. 

92. Champion a Sustainability Project Over the next year, plan and implement a sustainability project at work, aiming to reduce environmental impact and meet at least one of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

93. Deliver Efficient Training Sessions For the next three months, focus on developing effective training delivery skills, with the aim to train at least 10 colleagues every six months thereafter.

94. Develop a Healthy Sleep Routine Starting today, work towards a stable sleep schedule, aiming for at least 7 hours of sleep each night for better productivity and improved health.

95. Champion Change Management Over the next year, take the lead on a change management project and drive it to successful completion, thereby improving adaptability and growth.

96. Further Emotional Intelligence Dedicate six months to mastering emotional intelligence-based interaction and communication techniques, with the aim to strengthen team cohesion and understanding.

97. Found a Networking Group Over the next five months, establish a networking group for professionals within your industry, aiming to have at least 50 members within a year of its foundation.

98. Facilitate Professional Development Over the next year and a half, facilitate at least three in-house training or professional development sessions, supporting the professional growth of your colleagues.

99. Increase Task Bandwidth Over the next six months, steadily increase your task bandwidth, targeting a 10% increase in productivity without a dip in task quality.

100. Develop Analytical Skills Spend the coming year honing your analytical thinking skills to help improve work processes, aiming to devise at least two process improvements by the end of the period.

101. Foster Ethical Work Practices For the coming two years, champion ethical practices in your workplace, aiming to build a reputation for professionalism and integrity within your organization.

Setting professional development goals is all about lifelong learning and finding ways to achieve continual improvements over time. These goals can help you to get more out of your job, develop more job satisfaction, and have a sense of purpose in your workplace. As you go forward, you might consider separating out your delegated professional goals into long-term goals and short-term goals . Consider how you can set short-term goals that act as meaningful steppingstones toward those longer-term ambitions you have.

Clear, J. (2018). Atomic habits: An easy & proven way to build good habits & break bad ones . Penguin.

Daw, N. D. (2015). Of goals and habits. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences , 112 (45), 13749-13750.

Donovan, J. J. (2008). Goal Setting: How to Create an Action Plan and Achieve Your Goals. Personnel Psychology , 61 (4), 931.

Ehrlich, C., & Milston, S. (2021). Happiness through goal setting: A practical guide to reflect on and change the reasons why you pursue your most important goals in life . Routledge.

Hidayat, R., Moosavi, Z., & Hadisaputra, P. (2022). Achievement Goals, Well-Being and Lifelong Learning: A Mediational Analysis. International Journal of Instruction , 15 (1), 89-112.

Nordengren, C. (2021). Step Into Student Goal Setting: A Path to Growth, Motivation, and Agency . Corwin Press.

Nowack, K. (2017). Facilitating successful behavior change: Beyond goal setting to goal flourishing. Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research , 69 (3), 153.

Wilson, S. B., & Dobson, M. S. (2008). Goal setting: How to create an action plan and achieve your goals . AMACOM Div American Mgmt Assn.

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 5 Top Tips for Succeeding at University
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 50 Durable Goods Examples
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 100 Consumer Goods Examples
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 30 Globalization Pros and Cons

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Developing Professional Practice Reflective Essay

Introduction, swot: strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats analysis, proposal for professional development, recommendation.

This paper provides a reflective journal on developing professional practice. It examines the author’s career in details, developing a critical analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. First, the journal reflects on the author’s origin, with a special analysis of the country of origin (Saudi Arabia) based on Hofstede’s cultural analysis.

It also develops a critical view of the past activities that have an impact on the author’s career development process as well as the steps required to enhance the impact of each of the activities involved. Finally, the paper develops two logs based on the author’s past evevents and their impact on career.

In the present reflective piece the author would be self-introducing the identity and brief history. This would be to portray of my own personality and career path in order to better analyses the strengths and weaknesses. This analysis would help in reflecting on the author’s strengths, Weaknesses and areas of opportunities to improve on personal and professional front.

According to Moon (1999) reflection is a simple mental activity which remembers the past incidence and analysis the reasoning behind the happenings of those events (Moon 1999) based on the above stated definition, it important to ponder upon the past history and events in order to assess the present and plan for the future

My name is A. I was born in the Kingdom of Saudia Arabia, in its one of the most popular metropolitan city called Riyadh. Since my early childhood days, I always wanted to become a successful Bank Manager. I have always had high regards for the banking sector.

In reflection of my early childhood days I still remember when my father used to take me to the bank I used to feel welcomed by the extraordinary customer service that I used to get whenever we visit our local branch. Coming from an Arab country, I had a high influence of Arab culture on my personality. The culture has induced many common knowledge factors into my personality.

According to Hofstede (2014), an individual’s personality has high influence of their culture. The Arab culture has a high percentage of power distance index, which means the power of an individual is measured by the authority he possess, In other words, not all individuals in the society are not equal (Hofstede 2014) The following diagram further illustrates Hofstede’s view of cultural dimension.

As the above listed diagram illustrates that then the author’s goal was to become a very powerful entity in the society, hence the role of a branch manager of a bank would fulfill the need for this power establishment. Author always dreamt of being powerful and money is the most powerful tool in the Arab society, hence choosing the career path were money is the ultimate commodity.

In the Hofstede’s second quadrant, individualism is rated the lowest among all four quadrant this reflects on the collectivistic culture being cultivated in the Arab country, which has influenced author’s personality. The third quadrant symbolizes about the masculinity, which has a very high number. This portrays that the society is very male dominated.

In order to assess and reflect upon the personal and professional strengths the author has implemented the SWOT analyses. The Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats analysis will assist in reflecting the general Strengths, weakness, opportunities for improvement and threats that can hamper personal and professional growth.

As a dedicated individual seeking to achieve my dream of becoming a professional bank manager, a number of factors and attributes contribute to my strengths.

Over the past two decades, I have been developing a strong foundation for my future banking career primarily through education. Since I realized that professional banking was my destiny, I embarked on building a strong foundation that would propel me towards realization of my goals. First, I hold a bachelors degree in management (human resource) from King Abdullah University in Riyadh.

I studied management, especially human resource, because I was aware that it is the foundation of my dream profession. In the undergraduate course, we achieved a lot of knowledge and skills required to work and manage a financial institution. For instance, we obtained theoretical and practical skills in business management, managing human resources and dealing with diversity at the workplace.

To consolidate our knowledge and skills, the University provided its students with an opportunity to work for 6 months as an intern in one of the best financial institutions in the city of Riyadh. The university has an active memorandum of understanding with a number of financial institutions in the city of Riyadh, which allows its students to take between 6 and 12 months as an intern. I was one of the beneficiaries of this program.

I successfully worked as an intern with the Saudi Telkom in Riyadh for about one year in 2008. The institution imparted me with a lot of knowledge about the corporate industry. For instance, I started at the reception desk before moving to customer service section. At the customer service section, I had the chance to meet a number of individuals from both the corporate and non-corporate world.

I also had the chance to meet various individuals from various nations. These experiences provided me with additional experience to handle both high profile and private citizens. In addition, I realized that hard work; good relations with people and dedication are important strengths in my career.

In other sections, I was taught how to deal with communication problems, opportunities and threats affecting financial institutions. Therefore, the experience at the Telkom remains an important asset to my future employer.

After leaving the university, I worked for one year at Saudi Telkom, where I expanded my career versatility in accounting and finance. I was given a number of responsibilities, including financial analysis, financial reporting, accounting, and front office management and employee coordination.

I have also embarked on improving my academic background through taking an Msc Financial management in finance and banking. For the last 8 months, I have been taking my coursework in this course, which has greatly expanded my knowledge in banking and management.

Before completing the entire course next year, I will have expanded my versatility in banking management, an important strength for improving my capability as a bank manager in Saudi Arabia.

Every individual has at least some weak points that affect careers in one way or the other. In my career and personal reflection, I have realized that I have four points of weaknesses. First, I am over exertive. Secondly, since realizing that I can accomplish almost any task with little or no supervision, I have built confidence and dare to challenge almost any task or problem on my own.

Thirdly, I am a relater, always insisting on a detailed explanation to every person, even those who need little details or advice to handle their issues. Finally, I am a deliberate thinker, a factor that sometimes makes me approach things from a different perspective.

I have realized that the most practical way for me to deal with these weaknesses is to dedicate my time to reflect on each of them and deal with each of them every day. Since I am a dedicated and hardworking individual, I easily become over exertive, which leads to overworking myself. I sometimes put too much pressure on myself even when the task at hand is not complicated.

I have learnt that delegating tasks and asking for help from my colleagues as well as working as a team is the best way of overcoming this weakness. I have also learnt to maintain a high level of work and professional ethics. As a deliberate thinker, I sometimes over analyze issues and situations at the workplace.

Although some employers require this quality because the employee has the capacity to review tasks and problems with thoroughness, I have realized that not every employer wants this skill. Thus, I believe that it is a weakness that should only be used when need arises.

Finally, as a strong relater, it has become a tendency for me to build close relationships with different individuals in different places. Although it is a good habit, it has the capacity to tamper with my work because banking is a serious career that requires little time for making friends. Nevertheless, I am sure that most banking positions such as managerial require strong realtors to develop financial friendships.

Opportunities

My reflection shows that three factors are the major opportunities for my career. First, there is a wide range of chances to expand my banking career beyond the status. Secondly, I have a strong ability to work in diverse departments, industries and environments. Finally, the reflection shows that I have a strong willingness to believe in the corporate goals, visions and missions of my employer.

Financial management and accounting are important fields in banking, but with different aspects that need to be studied and applied. For instance, subfields such as auditing, corporate analysis, taxation and others are very important in this field. The knowledge I gained in my undergraduate level as well as the knowledge I have gained in the current MBA course have impacted a lot of skills on my career.

This knowledge offers many opportunities for my banking career. With this knowledge, I am aware that my career will be in a better position, given that most of the banks and other financial institutions in the modern world require a strong academic background in combination with other skills. While handling my tasks at the workplace, I always focus on understanding the employer’s culture, objectives, missions and visions.

Corporate culture is an important aspect of any business because it defines the practices and beliefs that direct and guide the people at the institution. Thus, I am always focused on understanding the goals and objectives that the employer has put in place and dedicate my time, efforts and skills to ensure that I contribute to the corporate achievement of the goals.

My reflection has identified four major aspects as the threats facing my career in banking. First, I have noted that the degree of competition and work is relatively high. Secondly, these economies of Saudi Arabia as well as other countries in the Middle East are facing transition, with most companies importing employees from the western nations to enhance globalization (Bhuian 2009).

Thirdly, I have noted that the technological advancements at the workplace, especially in the financial sector, is putting pressure on employees and potential employees to ensure that they update their knowledge to go in pace with the dynamic technology.

Finally, I have noted that obtaining my Msc in Financial management degree is a challenging task, which requires adequate skills to balance between work, education and family (Tlaiss & Kauser 2011).

I believe that the best way of overcoming the four threats facing my career is to ensure that I remain focused and positive. I must continue fighting these challenges. Due to globalization, most banking companies are increasingly facing both local and foreign competition (Hamdan 2005)

The increasing rate of influx of western and Asian companies in the Saudi market is challenging the local banks, which I hope to manage (Ramady 2012). Since most local banks do not have huge potentials, large conglomerates from North American, Europe and Southeast Asia are increasingly challenging them.

This means that potential employees like me face challenges because the foreign banks are also seeking employees from foreign countries. In addition, technological advancements have taken the banking field by surprise. In fact, almost all banks are interconnected, with a localized central managerial unit that uses internet and computer based technologies to manage (Darrat 2009)

Moreover, the banking sector is a knowledge based section of the economy. It requires individuals to have a strong academic background and experience. In addition, it requires one to have the right knowledge in dealing with financial crises and problems in the economy (Abu-Musa 2006). Thus, I need to obtain knowledge to enter into the banking sector.

In addition, automation of almost all tasks in banking has required employees to have additional knowledge in user application of these technologies. In this context, I need to keep updating my skills in computer and technology to remain relevant in the field (Ariff 2004). I need to study modern software in order to remain updated. Specifically, I need to train myself how to use and apply these technologies in managerial work.

In order to achieve the highest quality of professional development and skills in banking and financial management, continued development and advancement of my career is fundamental. I need continual learning for to achieve my dreams and success in career. I need to establish a professional development model that will enhance my ability to learn and continue succeeding in my career.

To create and implement a tangible, time bound and definitive process within my professional development, focusing on financial management. The primary objectives seek to:

• Establish a mentality of learning for career and life
• Enhance continued professional development within the financial management sphere
• Obtain skills and knowledge in leading corporations

Options. A self-directed professional development

I need to complete my Msc Financial management within the next 12 months at my own discretion. I will emphasize on working with professional instructors at the university in order to gain the skills required to run a bank. I will develop my own schedule of events leading towards completion of all the tasks involved, including volunteering at one of the leading banks in Riyadh.

This is a good option for post-graduate students who seek to use their skills to enter into the job market. It will enhance my ability to work with professionals and obtain skills from them through voluntary work.

Disadvantages

It is likely that this plan will not succeed if I fail to dedicate my time and energy towards voluntary work, given that the payment offered, if any, is minimal.

Facilitated development

I have the opportunity to find a mentor in the UK as well as in Riyadh in order to obtain advice and skills needed to enhance my career. I will also use the services of a mentor at a leading bank in Saudi Arabia to provide me with the required coaching in corporate finance and banking.

A mentor has the required skills, capacity and the will to help me achieve my academic and professional goals. He or she has the potential to push me through the system until I obtain full employment at a Saudi bank.

It is likely that most of the decisions I make will be developed by the mentor. I am likely to lose some decision making skills.

Option B is the best choice because I am yet to obtain a strong relationship with corporate leaders, especially in Saudi banking sector. To achieve my dreams, I need the services of a mentor at the workplace as well as in academics.

Abu-Musa, A, 2006, “Exploring perceived threats of CAIS in developing countries: the case of Saudi Arabia”, Managerial Auditing Journal , vol. 21, no. 4, pp. 387-407.

Ariff, M, 2004, “Islamic banking”, Asian‐Pacific Economic Literature , vol. 2, no. 2, pp. 48-64.

Bhuian, S, 2009, “Exploring market orientation in banks: an empirical examination in Saudi Arabia”, Journal of Services Marketing , vol. 11, no. 5, pp. 317-328.

Darrat, A, 2009, “Are financial deepening and economic growth causally related? Another look at the evidence”, International Economic Journal , vol. 13, no. 3, pp. 19-35.

Hamdan, A, 2005, “Women and education in Saudi Arabia: Challenges and achievements”, International Education Journal , vol. 6, no. 1, pp. 42-64.

Hofstede, G, 2014, United Arab Emirates – Geert Hofstede , Accessed from https://geerthofstede.com/

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Learning Log

Learning Log 2

• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2023, December 16). Developing Professional Practice. https://ivypanda.com/essays/developing-professional-practice/

"Developing Professional Practice." IvyPanda , 16 Dec. 2023, ivypanda.com/essays/developing-professional-practice/.

IvyPanda . (2023) 'Developing Professional Practice'. 16 December.

IvyPanda . 2023. "Developing Professional Practice." December 16, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/developing-professional-practice/.

1. IvyPanda . "Developing Professional Practice." December 16, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/developing-professional-practice/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Developing Professional Practice." December 16, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/developing-professional-practice/.

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