There is no way you can survive in this ultra-competitive world if you don’t improve your skills and boost your knowledge. Your education and basic skills won’t get you too far in your field. If you refuse to learn new things, you’ll be stuck. You will watch people pass you by while you remain in your job doing the same thing you did 10 years ago. You cannot afford to remain stagnant with your knowledge. Improving is the only way to go.
For example, accountants need CPE training in accounting both to renew certifications and improve on their existing knowledge about the field. It is a no-brainer that the industries have changed the last decade. People are no longer dependent on human knowledge. They also depend on artificial intelligence or computers. If you don’t know how to navigate your way around systems and software, you are going to lose opportunities to younger ones who are more adept at new technologies.
Ask for Feedback
Ask your manager for a progress report on your work. Next, set up a schedule when you can discuss this report. It shows a willingness to learn. Ask about what you can change for the coming days, weeks, and months. Focus on questions that will show how much you want to help the company progress.
Get a Mentor
Ask any of your supervisors or managers if they can be your mentor. Tell them that you want to learn more about your industry. A good mentor will help you solve challenges and roadblocks. They will tell you what you need to know rather than what you want to hear. They will give you real feedback that will help develop your skills.
You might want to find a protégé, too. As you go up the corporate ladder (or open a small business), you will need to hire people who have the same passion and dedication as yours.
Use Company Programs
Plenty of companies have existing training programs for their employees. Some even send employees to workshops and seminars. While others frown at the thought of having to spend a day in a conference room, raise your hand and volunteer. This is your chance to get free training from the experts. These conferences cost hundreds of dollars. Your company will enjoy sending people who want to learn because they will eventually benefit from what you have learned.
Find the Time
People say that they can’t improve their skills because they don’t have the time. They spend most of their days in the workplace, and they have to take care of the household. Everyone goes through the same things, but some people prefer learning than browsing their Facebook.
Carve the time out of your busy schedule. You can watch a tutorial video during your 30-minute break. You can catch up on your reading during your daily commute. You can enroll in an online class that meets virtually every weekend only. There are so many opportunities, and you have to grab them all.
Success, much like learning, is a process. It begins with your dedication to what you’re doing. If you are not willing to sacrifice time and energy into your work, you can say goodbye to that flourishing career you’re dreaming of.
