Continuous professional development (CPD) can be defined as ‘the learning activities that professionals engage in to develop and enhance their abilities’. Professional development is indeed multidimensional and spans across all industries. Over here at jenniferfrimpong.com we are all about continuous professional development. Whether you are just starting out in your career or have a few years under your belt, CPD is and should be a priority.

Benefits of CPD
Staying on top of your professional development will have you feeling more confident in the workplace, developing and furthering technical and interpersonal skills as well as abreast of the developments and trends within your industry. Remaining committed to developing as a professional will change your attitude towards your career and profession as a whole. This is fundamentally a commitment to self, a commitment to levelling up and up-skilling where required, doing the things today that your future [Insert your profession/title] will thank you for. Below, are a few practical techniques and tips that you can adopt into your day-to-day as a young or seasoned professional committed to growth. It starts with you, benefits you and in turn, your organisation also. The things you learn, on and off the job should cause you to elevate within your role and also provide your business unit/function with efficiencies and insight when considering meeting department targets, presenting deliverables, reporting - the list is endless!

How can you up-skill?
Consider the additional qualifications that you could undertake to get ahead in your organisation and/or industry. Did you know that additional qualifications, whether paid for independently or as part of your development budget, could act as leverage when it comes to salary negotiations, performance reviews and securing that bonus? The more knowledge you have, the more knowledge you apply and the more you deliver, should equal a bit more in your take-home. I am currently undertaking a course with The Wharton School of the University of Philadelphia on Competitive Advantage via edx. This has nothing to do with my corporate career directly. It has, however developed my transferrable, soft skills and also given me the ability to further my understanding on business development whilst gaining access to a prestigious institution and an academic thought leader in the area as well as a Certificate of Completion to add to my resume. It is my absolute dream to get an MBA from a renowned institution (Ivy-league dreams!) so for now, undertaking extra courses has been useful in helping me mentally prepare for my upcoming MBA study! Technical skills are important and are often the go-to when considering professional development, but it does also include soft, interpersonal skills - communication, time-management, team work - to name but a few.

The CPD Certification Service site is for my UK readers and acts as a great starting point for you to consider professional development pointers for your industry, by breaking it down into courses, accredited providers, courses and workshops, online learning, events and articles you should be reading. Take time to find your country equivalent and go through the site to find out what you can be doing to get further qualifications or accreditations. You are welcome to email me if you require further assistance on this.

Network, network, network!
One of my favourite quotes in recent times is from Issa Rae who said, “We have a tendency of trying to network up, but it’s really about networking across”. Networking with people ahead of you in your organisation and/or industry can give you a head start on how to accelerate your career trajectory. Networking with your peers is not to be ignored either. My network has grown so much over the years by virtue of me fostering genuine connections and cultivating fruitful relationships. My peers motivate and inspire me so much and often act as a go-to for accountability, professional advice as well as support when juggling business and career. Not many people know or necessarily believe this, but I am actually naturally very reserved and rather shy. I don’t like crowds and would rather not put myself out there. I learnt to put the latter part of my character to one side by knowing the value that I hold and can add to conversations and networking opportunities. It can be challenging approaching people, whether it be online or in-person, but the worst that the person could say is no - may bruise your ego a little but you will not die. Send that direct message, set up that meeting, be intentional about networking!

Industry News
Sign up to newsletters. Whilst working on the insurance market, Slipcase was one of my favourite daily newsletters to receive via email. Give me a black Americano with a double espresso shot and the Slipcase newsletter, the mornings an insurance operations professional dreams of! I personally block out an hour before my working day starts to read any newsletters that have dropped into my inbox that morning to just know what is going on in the industry or in the spaces that I am interested in, outside of work. Articles from industry professionals, experts or leading thinkers are edifying and can be great conversation starters when interacting with senior management (they do notice!).

Side note: As an advocate for my fellow black sisters in the corporate world, I cannot go on without promoting The GRC Network which connects professionals in Governance, Risk and Compliance within financial services. They release a weekly newsletter on all things financial services which allows you to stay in the loop of pressing industry matters across the financial services industry. The founder, Roselyn, is incredible, super inspiring and definitely worth following. Subscribe to The GRC Network newsletter here.

Events
Now that lockdown restrictions have eased in many countries, in-person events have resumed. Wherever you are in the world (almost everywhere!), Eventbrite should be your friend, all it takes is a quick search to find in-person or virtual events in your industry or sector. Sign up, have a few business cards in your notepad or your introductory bio and contact information in your notes on standby for virtual comment boxes or breakout rooms.

Don’t forget to keep track of your CPD, whether it be via your industry’s accreditation body or just personally using a tracker so you can monitor your growth and areas in which you could focus on for further development.

If you are interested in Ghana or Africa as a whole, I do share a lot of events I will be in attendance to on my personal Instagram and Twitter so feel free to follow me on both for that. InTouch Africa will have a list of events worth attending every month for Diasporans and across the continent also so make sure you subscribe to our mailing list to be the first to know.

Yes, this is a shameless plug - I really am that babe.

STAYING ON TOP OF YOUR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

TO THE YOUNG PROFESSIONAL 003