It is easy when you work from home to get too cozy, especially when you can stay in comfy pants all day. However, like all employees you should pursue professional development opportunities. This is your chance to learn and grow in your skills and career.
You may actually have to get out of your comfort zone and leave your home office to pursue some opportunities. Here are some ways to have professional development when working from home. These ideas may be beneficial to you even if you go to an office.
Why is it important to maintain professional development?
In order to continue to grow in your trade and career, you need to keep learning. You need to update your skills, keep up with the latest technology, and network. It also helps your mind to stay fresh and energized. If you stay in your job for a long time, you will need to “kick start” your brain every once in awhile to stay energized and excited about work.
When you work from home it is especially important to maintain professional development. It is easy to get stagnant and too comfortable. You get to get out and about and keeps you from being too isolated but rather connected to the external world. It puts your work in perspective.
How to make a professional development plan
Before you jump into professional development, it is a good idea to make a plan of how to go about it.
- What are your goals? What skills do you want to develop? Do you want to meet new people or simple acquire a new skill? Maybe you want to pursue a certification.
- What professional development opportunities are available? See the list of ideas below.
- What is your budget? Will your employer pay? If so, how much? Or will you have to cover the costs? If so, how much are you willing to spend?
- With whom would you like to network? What are the skill sets or positions of people that would be beneficial to meet in your career? Being willing to get out of your comfort zone to meet someone new.
- What is your timeframe? How much time do you have available? Make a realistic schedule. For instance, start small. Can you commit to 1 activity or course, once a month? Once a week? Make it achievable.
- How to make time for professional development? Actually schedule things. Start putting them on your calendar.
- When will you check your progress? 6 months from now, a year? Or perhaps you want to achieve a skill, in 1 year you want to be able to use a particular type of software? Or you want to take the certification exam.
If planning isn’t your thing, it is totally okay to just dive into action. Take a course, go to a networking event, etc. The main thing is to propel yourself into action.
What are examples of Professional Development Opportunities?
Professional Development Opportunities you can access at home
Online Courses – Look for courses from associations in your industry or trade. See if your workplace has any online course subscriptions. You could also use Linked In Learning or Udemy. Check your public library for free subscriptions to many online course providers. I recently bought my husband a gift subscription to ‘MasterClass’ in which all kinds of famous people describe their paths to success. Also check your workplace for online courses and training.
YouTube Videos – There is so much educational content on youtube. I needed to make an access database, a skill I used to use, but had forgotten. There were so many content creators that had created wonderful playlists, and with a little education, I was able to make my database. I love the ability to jump to the video that I need quickly.
Online Webinars – Join associations, email lists, or groups for topics related to your industry or trade. I usually sign up for 1 or 2 webinars a week. Put them on your calendar. Since you work from home it is usually a natural part of your daily routine. What is nice is you only have to block an hour or two and that is easy to commit to. Many places also post the recording if you need a more convenient time. Your workplace may also sponsor webinars for customers that you can also attend.
Books or journals – read professional development books or journals. You can read books related to your skills, industry or general business and career books. You can get these from the library, Amazon, or other online retailers.
Certifications – You may find organizations that relate to the work you do. They may offer certifications and as part of the process you need to attend meetings or trainings. This is a good way to get credit for your meetings, and it will make you do it as they often have guidelines for how much you need to attend to stay certified. For example, this is common for Project Managers wanting to get a PMP (project management professional) certification. You can also check vendors you may deal with to see if they have certficiations related to your industry.
Professional Development opportunities outside the home
Networking groups – check for networking groups related to your industry or trade. You can check linked in or conduct an online search such as ‘graphic designer in St. Louis’ to find groups. Find events than actually attend. Introduce yourself and exchange contact information with people you connect with. Send a linked in invitation after the event.
Alumni groups – Check your university alumni association. They often host events in your city. You always have the common bond of having attended the school to get the conversation going.
Conferences – Conferences are a great way to combine networking with learning and professional development. They can be engaging and social and you may even get to travel to fun destinations. Any industry or trade association will post the conference ahead of time.
Since they can be expensive, you may look to see if your employer will pay for at least 1 or 2 a year. There are also day long conferences that are more affordable. Sometimes if you deal with vendors, they will have user group meetings in your area for no cost to you. These are a great way to stay in touch with current trends in your industry. Many also offer an online conference, in case it is challenging for you to travel.
The best thing about professional development when you work from home, is that it can actually be fun. It is great to get out of the house and be social sometimes or get away from the grind and take an engaging course. It is fun as well as productive. Get into a habit of having a plan for professional development and watch your career soar.
