Personal development

The employment market is more competitive today than at any time in recent memory. The recession has changed the face of finding or moving job and employers can afford to be increasingly choosey about who they employ. There are plenty of people looking!

Probably the worst hit segment of the employment market is the 16 – 24 year olds. These, at least, have the option to stay in or return to further education in order to add to their qualifications to make them more attractive when the employment market eases.

Qualifications, along with experience, are the two main criteria that employers will look for when looking for people to interview for a role. These are the first hurdles to overcome in order to get past the paper based long listing approach and get that all important face to face interview or assessment day. Employers are demanding and reading the job specification carefully will give you an insight into what qualifications and experience you will need.

But it isn`t just the young who can better themselves. Many colleges and professional bodies offer part time or distance learning courses to enable those already with a job to learn new skills. These can complement a busy work or family schedule and allow you to learn at your own pace and when you have the time. Technology has helped enormously as agencies like Learndirect has made access to further knowledge an easier option than having to attend classes at fixed times.

There is no doubt that increasing your knowledge and skill makes you more attractive to employers. Not only does the qualification itself say that you can do the job but the fact that you have taken the time to enrol and complete the course demonstrates a commitment to ongoing learning. Increasing numbers of employers see continual development of their staff as a key ingredient to employee satisfaction and as a means of finding their most suitable internal candidates for promotion.

Getting and maintaining an edge is important for career development. But gaining qualifications is not just about the pieces of paper you receive at the end of the course. One of the main benefits of enrolling in further education courses is the interaction you have with fellow students and the added confidence you gain through self belief. This is particularly so where the qualification is more vocationally or skills based rather than knowledge based. Here you will have to practice what you learn with others and, like riding a bike, the more you try and succeed the better you will become. All skills need regular practice if you are to become better – business skills are no different.

Unlike the old days, there are innumerable business & marketing courses available through local colleges or professional bodies such as the Institute of Marketing. Probably the biggest challenge you will have is in deciding and selecting which programme best suits your needs and/or gives you the qualification level that you want. Whilst the prospectuses may help a little, you may need to talk to your employer (if you have one) about the one they recommend. If you are not currently employed then seek out recommendations from friends who are employed or from parents and family that do have jobs where they can do some research for you. Further education is not necessarily cheap so taking some time to select the right programme can save heartache later.