Professional Career Development: Skills, Goals, and Action Plan

This report delves into the multifaceted aspects of professional career development, emphasizing the skills and knowledge essential for effective workplace performance. It examines vital competencies such as problem-solving, time management, teamwork, communication, and innovation, alongside the importance of lifelong learning and negotiation skills. The report also highlights the significance of technical, administrative, legal, and economic knowledge in navigating the contemporary business landscape. Furthermore, it emphasizes the importance of self-managed learning, including research, reflection, and seeking feedback, to enhance employability and personal advancement. A SWOT analysis is incorporated to assess personal strengths and areas needing development, culminating in the establishment of employment goals and the creation of a personal action plan to achieve them. The report underscores the dynamic nature of the professional world and the continuous learning required for sustained career growth. This report is contributed by a student and is available on Desklib, a platform providing AI-based study tools and past assignments for students.

PROFESSIONAL
CAREER
DEVELOPMENT

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
1. Understand the skills and knowledge needed for working effectively...................................1
2. Readiness for employability and personal advancement through an understanding of
personal strengths and areas for further development.................................................................5
3. Employment goals and develop a personal action plan..........................................................9
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................11
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................13

INTRODUCTION
Career development refers to the strategies through which individual can gain new skills
and knowledge through which hey are able to achieve heights in their career. In professional life,
there are different roles and responsibilities which h has to be fulfilled and there are many
changes taking place in external market, hence with getting new learning about new techniques,
then individual is able to achieve good heights in their career. Career development of an
individual is equally important for organisational growth and development as well (Akkermans
and et. al., 2015). If individuals are ready to learn new techniques for career growth, then
organisation wants to maintain long term relations with them. There are many changes which are
taking place in current market such as technological changes, change in legal factors, etc. which
have to be learned by individuals in order to maintain resistance in industry. In current market,
there are many employees which are working in industry for achieving their aims and objectives,
so there is requirement of some new and innovative working style which makes it easy for
employee to sustain in industry and achieve heights through career growth (Bryła, 2015).
In this report, there is discussion about different skills and knowledge which are required
to work in effective manner at professional. SWOT analysis is done for understanding about
personal strengths and weakness and areas which are required to be studied for future
improvement. At last, there is discussion about goals which are settled under employment and
development of action plan to achieve it.
MAIN BODY
1. Understand the skills and knowledge needed for working effectively
In current market, there is requirement of different skills and knowledge to deal with
external environment. At work place, there is requirement of complete and relevant information
about different working style which is important for sustaining in industry. If individual wants to
retain in industry, then they must be ready to understand changes which are taking place in
business environment. This makes them ready to learn new knowledge through which they can
perform actions in better and effective manner. There are many workers in organisation, so if
individual is not ready to improve or enhance skills and knowledge, then they can excel in
organisation (Chan and et. al., 2015).
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Problem solving skill- There are different types of problems arise in organisation because
of uncertainty in environment. While working in organisation, there are different problems faced
by individuals such as improper demand, difference in views of team mates, etc. So it is essential
for individual to improve and enhance problem solving skill. Problem arise with its solution, so
individual must have capabilities to solve it with best and effective solution. When individuals
are able to deal with issues arise at working place, then they assist company in achieving aims
and objectives.
Time management: Time is important prospective which for organisation while they are
operating in industry because there is specific deadline for every task. So individual must possess
time management skill through which organisation is able to finish projects on or before
deadline. With the help of this skill, if top level managers assign some roles and responsibilities,
then they can perform actions within deadlines. This assist in complete assigned task and make
good image in organisation. There are some assignments which are required within specified
deadlines without any delay, so in this case managers or supervisor prefers to assign task to
individuals if they possesses time management skill (Chen, 2017).
Team working skill - Team working is another important skill which has to be present in
individual. In organisation, there is requirement of different skills and knowledge which assist in
performing business operation in better ad effective manner which is possess by different
individuals. So there is requirement of different individuals working in team for achieving aims
and objectives. Individual must possess skill through which they can perform business operations
in synchronise manner. In team, workers have different characteristics and skills, hence it is not
easy to deal with team. So in order to learn and get positive outcome from whole team,
individual must able to work in team. If there is dispute among team mates, then there are
possibilities that overall objectives are not achieved.
Communication skill : Communication is the way through which individual share views,
ideas and thoughts which each other. Communication is complete with the help of two way
interaction and getting revert from other candidates. In organisation, communication skill is one
of the most important skill through which individual can communicate with each other. There are
many departments working for achieving organisational objectives, so individual must have
proper knowledge through which there is synchronisation in organisational operations. When
individual is good in verbal and non verbal communication, then it is easy for them to make clear
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understanding in mind of other. Individuals must ave ability to communicate clearly and
concisely, through which possibilities of mis- communication is less (Donelan, 2016).
Innovative skill- Innovation is important in current market because demand of client is
changes frequently. These days, organisation can resist in market, if they come with new and
innovative ideas, hence managers motivate workers to come with new approaches of working
through which they can get heights in professional career. Employee must possess innovative
skills under which they innovate new ideas. This makes easy for candidate to work under
innovative environment by accepting changes in organisation because of external market.
Life long learning: Learning is important for individual if they want to get growth in
their career. There are new and innovative changes taking place in current market, so if
individual is not able to learn, then they can not sustain in industry. For instance: there is arrival
of new technology in organisation, then it is important for the candidate to learn about new
techniques. This assist in improving personal knowledge and organisational objectives can be
achieved be achieved. When employees is ready to learn, then they get more opportunities of
growth in terms of designation. When candidate is ready to learn , then they have different ways
through which they can perform their actions in better and effective manner. There are many
changes which are taking place in business environment hence with the help of continuous
learning, there is scope of growth in career (Evetts, 2017).
Negotiation skill- negotiation skill refers to the way through which candidate is able to
make others to come at specific view point. There are many changes taking place in current
environment and organisation has to accept it. But as there area many workers, so with
negotiation skills, employee is able to make other candidates as well in their shoe. If employee
does not have negotiation skill then there is difference in views of individuals and they are not
able to come at specific point. For instance: consumer demands for some other colour and
organisation does not have that specific colour. So in this case if worker have good negotiation
skills, then they can sell available colour to consumers. This is beneficial for career of employees
as well as organisational growth and development.
Above discussed skills are important for an individual if they want to resist in corporate
environment. In market, changes are taking place very frequently. Hence if individuals are not
able to perform actions in better and effective manner, then their career growth is not possible.
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There is requirement of zeal and enthusiasm in workers through which they are ready to learn
new skills or improve them. In order to perform business operations in better and effective
manner, there is requirement of some knowledge as well (George, 2015). When employee have
knowledge, then they can easily work in desired direction and assist in achieving organisational
objectives. Some knowledge which are required by workers in current market are as under-
Technical knowledge- In fast changing environment where business are partially
controlled and managed by technology, employee can not survive without having knowledge in
technical terms (Kearney-Nunnery, 2015). Computers, automated machines, different software
used in research and development, controlling equipments all these are widely used in
organisation these days. Basic knowledge about these technologies will bring efficiency in
performance, assist in personal growth and career development. This also provides effectiveness
in decision making process for employees and bring scope for creative ideas to perform roles and
responsibilities. This will also benefit firms as there will be less wastage from these technology
and effective prediction can be made to identify and grab opportunities from business
environment.
Administration and Management knowledge- Employee need to have basic knowledge
about how management and administrative operations are carries out in organisation. Strategic
planning is basic process which involves management and business principles, employee should
have knowledge so that actions can be directed towards objectives. Personnel need to work in
team or groups to put efforts in achieving organisational goals for which coordination with other
members and resources is important. Employee working in manufacturing department need to
have knowledge about production method to efficiently operate machines and equipments. There
is also importance of leadership technique knowledge so that individual need not to have
motivation from outside (Gledhill and Harwood, 2015).
Knowledge about legal laws and regulations- From the very day an individual is
employed in organisation, it is necessary that complete knowledge of legal codes, government
regulations, various employment act so that employer can not exploit personnel on any ground.
Basic information of such rules and regulations ensures that employee is safe in and outside
business premises and in any case of not following these acts by employer can lead to court case
against company which will effect image in society. Candidates having sufficient knowledge can
also aware management in case of variances to avoid any fines and penalties for company.
4

Knowledge about economics and accounting- Employee working in finance department
of an organisation requires complete knowledge about accounting principles and practices to
work effectively. Every organisation directly or indirectly gets affected by economic changes in
respective country so there is need of having basic knowledge about financial markets and
institutions that affects working of business. Analysis of financial reports and statement shows
real financial position of company which can be useful for employee to ensure that business is in
profits (Grant, 2017).
From the above discussed skills, it is clear that employees must possesses these
knowledge through which they can maintain good image in organisation and perform actions
accordingly. In current market, changes are taking place with rapid speed, hence it is essential to
have concurrent knowledge through which organisational operations are achieved in effective
and relevant manner. Knowledge must have candidate through which they can excel in
organisation because supervisor present idea about it.
2. Readiness for employability and personal advancement through an understanding of personal
strengths and areas for further development
In order to gain personal as well as professional development it is essential to increase
knowledge as well as skills along with utilizing all possible learning opportunities. In addition
with this, with the help of self managed learning skills individual can effectively able to increase
level of their personal advancements (Jackson, 2016). There are numerous mode of learning
approaches with the help of which increase in professional development can be seen by an
individual. Some of that include technical assistance, supervision, consultation, coaching and
mentoring. In context with employability and personal advancements individuals can effectively
able to take use of opportunities by considering self managed learning approaches as to gain
maximum achievements within personal as well as professional life. Some of the certain self
managed learning ways are defined below:
Research:
Individuals can effectively able to gain knowledge in best effective manner with the
assistance of learning by researching on diverse range of heads. This will further assist them to
gain maximum number of knowledge related to some specific perspective. Thus, research acts as
5

an one the most effective method with the help of which individual can effectively able to
understand topic and further attain knowledge on same in best effective manner.
Newspapers or information boards:
Bulletin boards as well as newspapers are also an effective method with the help of which
individual can effectively able to improve their learning. It further aid them to increase their level
of knowledge. Thus it is also the one of the effective method that assist an individual to learn
through this method.
S.M.A.R.T goals setting:
S.M.A.R.T goals setting is mainly related with specific, measurable, Achievable,
Relevant and Time bound. All these goals acts as an one of the basic strong feature with the help
of which individual can effectively able to achieve success. As these goals effectively aid an
individual to evaluate five such situations with the help of which they can effectively ale to
identify needs which is required to improve these features.
Superiors or mentors:
The learning can be achieved by the experienced superiors and the coaches or the
mentors. The mentors and the coaches of the organization provide the knowledge and improve
the skills of the person in a manner to achieve the objectives of the organization effectively. The
learning can be developed through observing these people in the organization.
Meetings and seminars:
The meeting and the seminars are also important in self learning management. The
seminars which are conducted by the organization or the conferences where the discussion
happens can be beneficial to gain the self learning to an individual. These improve the skills of
communicating as well as provide the encouragement and eliminate the fear of communicating
in the public.
Access to internet:
Internet is the best medium to learn anything anytime without any long process. The
learning becomes easy with the technology. The internet can help an individual to develop the
skills and learn the different skills and knowledge. The internet access is an easy way and an
effective approach to gain the self learning management.
Personal vision and mission setting:
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Individual can also effectively able to improve their self learning with the assistance of
setting mission and personal vision. As with the help of this person can effectively analyse work
in a proper manner and further achieve them separate basis.
Strategic learning:
It is learning method basically emphasis on taking advantage of evaluation method as
with the help of this individual can effectively able to learn in a quick manner from both
activities and work (George, 2015). One of the most effective benefit of strategic learning is that
it effectively aid in synchronizing work as well as learning. In addition with this, it aid individual
to learn in highly attentive manner with each and every prospective situation. This will further
assist individuals as well as employees to imply more strategic approach in order to overcome
organizational as well as personal issues.
There are different types of skills as well knowledge that can be effectively increase with
the help of continuous learning. Mentioned below there is a SWOT analysis is being done that
effectively revels my strength and weakness which can be further overcome with the help of
different types of measures:
Strengths Weakness
 Good Communication Skills effectively
help me to make communication with
other individuals as well as colleagues.
 As being a ambitious person targets can
be accomplished in timely manner.
 Decision Making helps to complete
work with great efficiency.
 Being a quick Learner knowledge and
skills can be effectively increase by
learning through visual and Audial
mediums.
 Time Management acts a weakness that
restrain accomplishment of work in
proper time frame.
 Problem solving skills is also a
weakness that affect sound growth.
 As being shy sometimes there are
situations within which lack of clear
expression prevails.
 Emotional instability due to work
pressure.
 Lack of creativity is one of the
weakness.
Opportunities Threats
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 To continue learning with further
education.
 In addition with this, with the help of
sessions of different types of learning
attributes progressive growth can be
measured.
 While performing work in a team
effective outcomes can be sustained.
 Availability to time
 Work pressure is also one of the
possible threat that will impact.
 Due to increase in competition decrease
in morale acts as a threat.
As per above mentioned SWOT analysis evaluation individual can effectively able to
develop their skills as well as knowledge, with the help of personal learning. In order to
accomplish this individual can undertake use of numerous set of tools such as continuous
professional development and self-reflective learning. In addition with this, with the help of
SWOT evaluation individuals can also able to identify their own weaknesses and can further take
corrective steps to effectively overcome them. There are some weaknesses defined in the SWOT
evaluation that can be effectively overcome with the help of continuous learning. It will further
benefit in both personal as well as individual way which is defined below:
Benefits as personal as well as professional manner:
Time Management:
By overcoming this skill, employees or an individual can effectively able to accomplish
their task in a perfect set of time frame. In addition with this, it not only aid a person to take
advantage of large number of opportunities but also them professionally to increase working
capabilities (Donelan, 2016). In addition with this there are different types of time management
strategies that can be effectively consider by employees and individual. Some of that include,
setting up priorities, using planning tool, scheduling time in a proper manner, delegation of work
and avoid doing work in a multi-tasking manner.
Problem solving skills:
Problem solving skills can be developed by an individual with the help of self managed
learning. As with the help of problem solving approach employees can effectively able to
perform their task in a multitasking way while gaining advantage of large number of
opportunities. While problem solving skill benefits person to attain growth in their career in best
8

effective manner. In this there are some effective measures that can be consider by individuals
and employees as to overcome their weaknesses as to increase their overall performance in best
effective manner.
Team work
This skill can be effectively manage by performing work in a team. In addition with this,
in order to increase efficiency of team work skill it is important for an individual to conduct
group work assignments. Further employees can perform their presentations in a team as to
promote team work as to ensure confidence and good position within work place.
3. Employment goals and develop a personal action plan
In this modern competitive world with the increase in competition it is essential for an
individual to accomplish their work with a defined set of goals and objectives and further attain
that in timely manner. Thus, in order to effectively develop these skills it is important for a
individual or an employee to consider development plan as to make an increase in skills and
competencies. Mentioned below there are personal action plan given:
LEARNIN
G
OBJECTIV
E
CURRENT
PROFICIE
NCY
TARGET
PROFICIE
NCY
DEVELOP
MENT
OPPORTU
NITIES
CRITERIA
FOR
JUDGING
SUCCESS
TIME
SCALE
Measures
Effective
form of
communicat
ion on stage
Fear lead
towards
ineffective
form of
communicat
ion.
In order to
effectively
overcome
stage fear,
communicat
ion acts as
an of the
best skill.
With the
help of
regular
session
along with
classes fear
can be
overcome.
With the
help of
testing
communicat
ion on stage
fear can be
judged.
10 days With the
help of
proper
planning
fear can be
overcome.
Increase
creativity in
work
With the
rise in work
pressure,
creativity
Regular try
to make an
increase in
work
With the
help of
proper time
table along
With
increase in
creativity
skill at
7 days With the
help of time
management
creativity
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lacks while
performing
work.
creativity
(Chan and
et. al., 2015)
with
following
same in best
effective
manner.
workplace. skills can be
effectively
increased.
Emotional
Stability
Due to
emotional
instability
outrage and
anger lead
towards
negative
performance
and
outcomes.
Try to
effectively
make a
control on
outrage and
anger as to
promote
emotional
stability.
By
considering
meditation.
It will
further aid
me to
achieve my
goals along
with this, it
will help me
to control
anger.
This can be
effectively
judged
while
performing
work in a
pressurised
situations
1 or 2 moths With the
assistance of
daily yoga
classes
effectively
control of
emotions
can be
sustained.
In order to effectively gain maximum output from the above mentioned development plan
it is essential for a personal or an employee to consider some required essential activities to
implement the plan. Mentioned below some of the activities are defined below:
Scope of personal development plan:
It is essential to develop plan with proper aim. In this it is essential for employees and
individual to identify those areas which are required to be developed.
Relationship between personal development plan and interlinked factors:
In this, it is essential to identify relationship in between links of plan. As with the help of
this best effective outputs can be generate.
Implementations:
It is important to implement the plan in best effective manner. For this it is essential to
measure necessary efforts and further understand necessary related factor that are required to be
undertaken as to implement plan in best effective manner.
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In addition with this, there are some other related necessary activities that can be
undertaken by employees and well as individual while preparing development plan. Some of that
include, gather all the essential information and necessary requirements related to plan,
preparation of necessary notes and review of document. It will further assist in identification of
errors which can be effectively undertaken as to develop final development plan. Thus, this can
be said that with the help of personal development plan individual and employee can effectively
able to increase their competitiveness and efficiency in both personal as well as professional
way. In order to increase skills and knowledge individual or employee is required to take
advantage of personal development plan. As per the above mentioned plan, there are lot of
measures by undertaking which individuals or employees can effectively able increase their work
efficiency (Akkermans and et. al., 2015). For this, proper procedure is required to be consider
that include, development of time frame and further implement strategies as per according to set
and determined deadlines. In addition with this as to review activities individual is required to
undertake the step of self assessment, in this self assessment of abilities, skills and knowledge
will help an individual to achieve objectives that are mentioned in personal development plan.
Further employee and individual is required to adopt different types of learning strategies as well
techniques as to increase the efficiency of skills. Lastly, by taking feedbacks from peers and
senior implementation of plan can be successfully attained. Thus, by undertaking all these
measures individuals and employees can effectively able to accomplish the objectives and goals
defined in personal development plan and further lead towards more growth opportunities and
career advancements.
CONCLUSION
From the above discussion, it is clear that individual require some skills such as
communication, problem solving, time management, etc. through which individuals are able to
perform actions in better and effective manner and complete assigned task. There is requirement
of some knowledge as well in order to sustain in industry such as technical knowledge,
administration and management knowledge, etc. which assist in working efficiency in
organisation. Skills and knowledge are equally important because this makes easy for individual
to deal with external market. In individuals, there are some weaknesses as well as capabilities
11

with which candidate have to deal. These strengths and weaknesses are analysed with the help of
SWOT analysis. There is use of different techniques to overcome weaknesses. With this there is
personal as well as professional development of skills and they can sustain in organisation for
longer period of time. In personal action plan, there is discussion about ways through which team
working, time management, problem solving skills with expected time. Hence with this plan,
there is systematic manner through which individuals can enhance their skills and get career
growth.
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REFERENCES
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development intervention for young employees. Human Resource Management. 54(4).
pp.533-551.
Bryła, P., 2015. The impact of international student mobility on subsequent employment and
professional career: A large-scale survey among Polish former Erasmus
students. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences. 176. pp.633-641.
Chan, K. Y. and et. al., 2015. Comparing two career adaptability measures for career
construction theory: Relations with boundaryless mindset and protean career
attitudes. Journal of Vocational Behavior. 87. pp.22-31.
Chen, C. P., 2017. Career endeavour: Pursuing a cross-cultural life transition. Routledge.
Donelan, H., 2016. Social media for professional development and networking opportunities in
academia. Journal of Further and Higher Education. 40(5). pp.706-729.
Evetts, J., 2017. Women in Primary Teaching: career contexts and strategies. Routledge.
George, C., 2015. Retaining professional workers: what makes them stay?. Employee
Relations. 37(1). pp.102-121.
Gledhill, A. and Harwood, C., 2015. A holistic perspective on career development in UK female
soccer players: A negative case analysis. Psychology of Sport and Exercise. 21. pp.65-
77.
Grant, J., 2017. The good CPD guide: A practical guide to managed continuing professional
development in medicine. CRC Press.
Hirschy, A. S. and et. al., 2015. Socialization to student affairs: Early career experiences
associated with professional identity development. Journal of College Student
Development. 56(8). pp.777-793.
Jackson, D., 2016. Re-conceptualising graduate employability: The importance of pre-
professional identity. Higher Education Research & Development. 35(5).pp.925-939.
Kearney-Nunnery, R., 2015. Advancing Your Career Concepts in Professional Nursing. FA
Davis.
Kyndt, E. and et. al., 2016. Teachers’ everyday professional development: Mapping informal
learning activities, antecedents, and learning outcomes. Review of educational
research. 86(4). pp.1111-1150.
Masters, K., 2018. Role development in professional nursing practice. Jones & Bartlett
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career satisfaction and patient care: meeting the needs of novice to mid-to late-career
nurses throughout their career span. Administrative Sciences. 7(2). p.17.
Sharf, R. S., 2016. Applying career development theory to counseling. Nelson Education.
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Tekavc, J., Wylleman, P. and Erpič, S. C., 2015. Perceptions of dual career development among
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pp.27-41.
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Till, K. and et. al., 2015. Retrospective analysis of anthropometric and fitness characteristics
associated with long-term career progression in Rugby League. Journal of science and
medicine in sport. 18(3). pp.310-314.
Vondracek, F. W., Lerner, R. M. and Schulenberg, J. E., 2019. Career development: A life-span
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