Sometimes it can seem hard to argue why your employer should be investing in your professional development. Days are busy, budgets are tight, and how much can you really get out of a seminar?
The thing you need to know is that your boss is always working on their professional development, that’s why they’re doing so well. And if they expect you to be the best then they need to invest in your professional development as well.
Next time you’re asked ‘why should we send you to that?’ here are five convincing rebuts that you can use.
- It fine tunes what you already know.
Have you ever been caught in a scenario where your boss asks you about something that you should definitely know, but you don’t? Focussing on your professional development ensures that this is not a situation you’ll encounter again. Oftentimes it’s not just about new findings and fun tips, there is an underlining sentiment of the baseline concepts that you need to know.
- You can learn new things.
One of the most obvious reasons to attend any form of professional development is to learn. Learn new processes, trends, and tangible skills that you can take them back with you to introduce to your team, and your boss.
- It keeps you from losing touch with industry trends.
Do you keep some time aside each week for research and development? The stats say you should be, but who has the time? Attending professional development events allows you to stay up to date with the inner workings of your industry in one short burst, and gets you back to that daily grind faster and smarter.
- Networking!
It’s so easy to feel stuck in your groove, and never expand your professional network. Attending professional development events provides you with the opportunity to meet new people that can offer you new ideas and even new job prospects.
- It can invigorate projects and processes that were starting to feel stale.
Increase your productivity and passion by learning to look at something from a brand new perspective! Professional networking events allow you to mingle and chat with other like-minded people about the issues you face daily and new ways to deal with them. It’ll keep your work days interesting and reconnect you with your passion for your industry.
Don’t wait for a professional development opportunity to find you, prioritise your learning and find the resources to support your success.