Professional development is a term we hear tossed around from time to time. Its meaning can be ambiguous, yet its importance to career development and advancement is essential. Every employee and employer have to strategically improve the mobility of their career through a professional development program.

Professional development is nothing more than a series of opportunities that allow you to improve what you already know and learn something totally new for the purpose of achieving more in your career learning. The main benefit of professional development is that the skills and knowledge that you reach through a variety of learning opportunities should assist you in developing your career and personal advancement.

Professional development is not a matter of one-shot. It must be done in a sustainable manner. Since professional development can occur in the form of seminars, workshops, training sessions, a college degree, certification, and/or a training session, employees and employers must determine when and how they will invest in professional development.

Identify what you want to do. Make an assessment of what you want to achieve in position, occupation, business or your career. (Example: Being the number one sales company). In addition, review the requirements that must be met to maintain your position, job, business or career. 

Identify the skills and talents you already have that can help you to do what you want to do. Consider the skills and talents that you are using on a day-to-day, month-to-month and year-to-year basis which help you to successfully perform in the position, job, business or career.