Unleash your full potential through interactive online learning

By Lori Jazvac.

As career professionals, we study to enhance our skills and to build a wealth of knowledge so that we can better foster positive change. We recommend that our clients do the same so that they can advance in their careers. Ongoing professional development is not only encouraged, but expected. However, we can expand our definition of professional development. Interactive online learning can help us expand our skills, knowledge, and potential.

Clients commonly express their concern about a lack of formal post-secondary education. However, we must keep in mind that learning is not only formal; it’s also informal. We learn in school, on the job, but also from our colleagues, family, friends, and professional associations. We grow through our diverse experiences, community initiatives, story-sharing, but also through our most trying conflicts and challenges.

We might choose to read current industry trends online, enrol in webinars, take distance education courses, or stay updated on YouTube or LinkedIn. This kind of ongoing training is necessary in order to keep our insight fresh and our skills marketable in a rapidly changing labour market. Professional development helps us maximize our effectiveness when serving clients with a wide range of career-related issues, especially in today’s rapidly changing freelance economy.

Not all of us learn in the same way. We need to understand how best we learn and how we can apply what we have learned to maximize our professional development. Some of us are visual learners, kinesthetic or tactile, while others rely on their auditory sense or a few particular styles. Understanding our best learning style will help maximize our enrichment and communication.

Powerful Learning Gained through Online Meet-Ups

Several years ago, I discovered that while I enjoy learning in a collaborative space, I am an independent learner. Maybe this explains why my resume writing and career consulting business employs a virtual approach to serve clients.

I recently attended CAREERPRO 2016, a virtual conference put on by Career Professionals of Canada. This is one of my preferred way of learning, sharing, and gaining a refreshing perspective on career-related issues that impact career professionals. CPC meetups function in much of the same way. A webinar-style presentation and an online /phone discussion.

Online meetups, webinars, or classes are an effective mode of professional development. Think of a meetup as one huge interactive classroom filled with like-minded professionals. This is an empowering medium that meets everyone’s learning needs. In one collaborative forum, you gain access to a full spectrum of engaging content while exchanging forward-thinking ideas, staying updated on the latest trends, and building relationships. Contribute your ideas without worrying about incurring additional expenses or delaying your schedule. All that you need is a willingness to learn and the technology that is right at your fingertips.

As career professionals, let’s collaborate co-create, and learn together. If enhancing professional development is your goal, then consider participating online is a wise investment in your growth. Hope to connect with you online!

For more information about additional professional development opportunities, visit CAREERPROCOURSE.CA.

“Professional development is beneficial for everyone. Learning encompasses a wide variety of mediums; we need to be open to various forms of learning in order to unleash our full potential for growth.”