Whether you already have some professional experience or you just entered your desired career field, there’s always an opportunity for you to develop a career plan. Career development opportunities assist professionals at various levels of their careers and excel at the next step in their field.
Therefore, when you understand the different development opportunities available, you can create a plan to achieve your career goals. In this article, we’ll discuss what career development opportunities entail and list 20 types of development opportunities you may consider. So, let’s get started!
What Are Career Development Opportunities?
Career development opportunities help an individual reach new levels of professionalism through areas such as networking, continued education, or skill advancement. With this, you will have the opportunity to obtain jobs with more seniority or leadership responsibilities and also increase your annual income. Keep reading as we discuss 20 Career development opportunities below!
20 Career Development Opportunities
Below, we have compiled 20 examples of career development opportunities and how they can be beneficial to your professional growth. Scroll down!
1. Networking Events
Attending networking events will allow you to connect and build long-lasting professional relationships with other professionals within your industry or other specialty areas. Meanwhile, the people you meet at these events may have the capability to assist you later on. They could act as references to employers or offer you unique job opportunities.
2. Professional Networking Groups Or Organizations
There are various professional networking groups or organizations for different industries and job specialties. Such organizations usually offer professionals with industry updates, recent job openings, and networking opportunities.
3. Bachelor’s Or Master’s Degree Programs
You should consider earning a bachelor’s degree or a master’s degree to help improve your qualifications and eligibility for advanced career opportunities. In addition, you can also speak with your current employer to see if they can help with the cost by sponsoring you.
4. Industry Training Courses
Industry practices often evolve consistently and unique trends have a significant influence on business decisions. As such, you must take training courses to maintain your industry knowledge. And also market yourself as a well-read professional.
5. Job Assignments
At some point in your career, an employer may offer you the opportunity to complete a job assignment in a different city, state, or country. Based on this, you will be able to travel to new places and expand your professional connections. The time spent outside of your usual job environment is also an avenue to reflect on your career goals and your current position with your employer.
6. Industry Conferences
As a professional, attending industry conferences will allow you to connect on a local, state, or national scale. Your company may decide to let you represent them at a conference, and as such, you can purchase a ticket in certain cases.
At conferences, you’ll normally attend presentations, participate in seminars, or meetings, and browse corporate booths to meet other professionals. This gives you the chance to learn about other employers, certification programs, and industry specialties you were not aware of before.
7. Mentorships
Mentors are professionals who provide valuable industry insights to help you develop your career. Sometimes, they connect you with potential employers and encourage you to challenge yourself even more.
Meanwhile, when you need a mentorship figure, choose someone whose values, career success, and personality reflect what you wish for throughout your professional development. Additionally, you can decide to choose a mentor at your workplace or someone you met at a networking event.
8. Internships
Whether you’re just starting your career or intend to pursue another career field, you can take advantage of internships. In some situations, employers may offer you paid internships or part-time internships so interns can work simultaneously. With internships, you’ll be able to explore different jobs and decide whether you want to pursue them further or not.
9. Job Shadowing
Job shadowing simply implies when an employee observes someone’s job duties in a different department at a company. It may allow you to explore other job positions and specialty areas to determine if you want to continue growing in your current specialty or pursue another.
10. Informational Interviews
Informational interviews often take place between one professional and another with the purpose of one learning more about the other’s career moves and current job. Generally, these interviews often take place over the phone or in a casual setting like a cafe or restaurant.
Furthermore, you can engage in informational interviews with more experienced professionals you follow on networking sites or that you met at networking events. During these interviews, you can make inquiries about their daily job activities and their suggestions for someone looking to achieve the same role.
11. Internal Promotions
This occurs when you achieve a more senior position with your current employer. Internal promotion is one of the career development opportunities that gives you the avenue to advance to the next level in your career while remaining in a familiar work environment. As a candidate, future employers may be more interested in you seeing how your previous employer invested in your talents.
12. Presentations
Irrespective of your field, an employer might expect you to present data and other findings in department or company-wide meetings. Therefore, you should use these presentation experiences as opportunities to demonstrate your ability to deliver presentations comprehensively. If company officials are impressed with your work and disposition, it’s an advantage and could help you achieve internal promotions or additional responsibilities.
13. Professional Awards
Whether you completed a professional research project as a part of your job or you just led your project, you can submit your work to professional associations and potentially receive awards for it. This would help your career development by making your name more visible within a professional community at a local, state, or national scale. In addition, it will help you step up your resume.
14. Career Coaching
Do you think you need professional help to create a career plan? No worries! A career coach or career consultant can provide you with sound advice and act as an advocate for your success. Meanwhile, during these sessions, you will be able to talk about your career aspirations and review your resume, and cover letter. As well as identify one or more goals you need to achieve to qualify for a position.
15. Skill Advancement Certifications
To enhance your career development opportunities, you must endeavor to keep searching for ways to advance your professional knowledge. This may include interpersonal skills such as verbal communication, public speaking, active listening, teamwork, or leadership. Or technical skills such as project management and software proficiency. Based on this, you can obtain certifications in one or more skill areas by attending certification courses online or in person.
16. Performance Reviews
One of the ways to achieve career development opportunities is to engage in performance reviews. It allows employees to see what they do well and what they need to work on. You can also use your performance review to speak with your employer about your skills and whether you’re ready for a more leadership role. Additionally, ensure that you get a copy of your performance review, if possible, so you can develop a plan to improve your technical and interpersonal traits.
17. Lateral Career Moves
A lateral career move refers to when you pursue the same job position you are currently at but in a different company. Although there are several reasons why professionals make lateral career moves. Some of these may include a lack of internal promotions at their company, a desire to work the same job for a higher pay grade, or a difference between company values and their own. As such, you can use a lateral career change to gain more experience in a particular role or give yourself a better chance at achieving a more senior role over time.
18. Switching Career Fields
Unlike the lateral career moves, you may find it essential for your career development to switch career fields entirely. For instance, if you worked as an elementary school teacher and switched to education administration. Or if you worked as an accountant but intend to transition into marketing.
Even though it might seem scary or impossible to acquire a job in a different area or industry. However, with additional education, certifications, or internships, you can start a new career in an area that aligns with your interests.
19. Self-Awareness Training
Self-awareness simply refers to the process by which individuals understand themselves, their habits, learning styles, and the way they interact with others. Meanwhile, there are different self-awareness training courses and assessments that you can enroll in online. It will teach you more about your habits and how to evaluate them.
Furthermore, by understanding how you flourish in a professional environment, you will be able to identify areas for improvement. And also develop strategies for learning new skills or adapting to new job environments.
20. Getting Laid-Off
Interestingly, getting laid off from a company can be a great way to re-evaluate your career aspirations. As well as your strengths or weaknesses and your work environment preferences. It may also push you to go after another job or pursue a more senior role when you wouldn’t have otherwise.