November is Canada Career Month, a time when we celebrate all things career-related. As professionals dedicated to helping others navigate their career paths, it’s easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of guiding others. But let’s not forget to invest some time in our own career development during this month devoted to the profession.
As career development professionals, the daily grind revolves around guiding others in making important career decisions. But, here’s the kicker – your career journey is equally significant. Canada Career Month is the perfect excuse to dive into self-reflection. Take a breather and reflect on your own career path, recognize your achievements, and set some exciting new goals for your own personal and professional growth.
Take time to reflect on, and define your career goals and dreams. Maybe you want to specialize in a particular area of career development, expand your practice, or even step up into a leadership role. Set clear, doable objectives that’ll take you closer to your dreams.
As a career development professional, you’re always talking about the importance of networking to your clients. Well, don’t forget to practice what you preach! Connect with your fellow career professionals, attend insightful industry conferences, and join professional organizations to keep updated on the latest trends and opportunities.
The field of career development is a moving target, with new challenges popping up all the time. To stay on top of your game, spend some time sharpening your skills.
There’s so much value, personally and professionally, in continuous learning. Exploring online courses, workshops, and seminars will upgrade your career development skills and broaden your horizons. Anything from a certification program for an assessment like Personality Dimensions, or a 1-hour webinar on assessments will make a positive impact on your work as a professional.
In today’s digital age, technology is a big deal in career development. Make sure you’re comfortable using career assessment tools and digital resources to better serve your clients. Also, take some time to explore the latest AI tools. We know that AI is starting to, and will have a massive impact on the world of work, so staying up to date on the trends on the technology to give yourself an edge. You’ve got this!
Our world is wonderfully diverse. To be a top-notch career development professional, it’s essential to understand the cultural aspects of career development. Take courses, workshops, or read up on unconscious bias and its impact on career development.
If more formal courses and workshops aren’t your thing, you can still build your expertise by exploring the many tools and resources that are available to use in your practise. For 25 years, CLSR has been the go-to for career development professionals. From assessment tools to help you dig deeper into your clients’ personalities, interests, and values, to training materials that level up your knowledge and skills in career development, we are here to support you doing your best work. People that have visited our office have described it as a candy store for career development professionals. If you happen to find yourself in beautiful Aurora, Ontario, stop in and have a look around.
While you can (and probably should) work on your professional skills all year, Canada Career Month is an opportunity to shift the spotlight onto your own career development. Self-reflection, skill enhancement, and the use of fantastic resources can make a world of difference in your practice and help you give even more effective support to your clients. By investing in your own career growth, you’ll not only advance professionally, but also supercharge your ability to guide others on their career journeys. So, let’s make the most of this Career Month and set sail on our own journey of personal and professional greatness!
Brad Whitehorn – BA, CCDP is the Associate Director at CLSR Inc. He was thrown into the career development field headfirst after completing a Communications degree in 2005, and hasn’t looked back! Since then, Brad has worked on the development, implementation and certification for various career and personality assessments (including Personality Dimensions®), making sure that Career Development Practitioners get the right tools to best serve their clients.