Enhancing Professional Development During COVID-19

Rebecca Serviss

As businesses open their doors after being shut down for many months due to the pandemic, one of the best ways to come back stronger as a professional is to take advantage of a fresh new start. Here are some ways to improve and develop your career.

Try something new

Walking into a familiar place after a few months can be a good time to spark new ideas and innovations. Everything feels fresh again and being in a place surrounded by the same friendly faces you left back in March can help inspire.

According to a report from Northwestern University, “often during periods of rapid transition—because of a major change to an industry or to a person’s specific job—people become stuck in their old ways or are afraid to be vulnerable and try something new. But there are strategies for becoming unstuck.”

The report suggests for workers to “test their provisional self,” and switch things up a bit. Even if you’ve been in the same position for years, try to find ways improve and test your new skills. Try new strategies and approaches to everyday tasks and don’t be afraid to ask your supervisor about changing up your routine.

Also take this time to learn new skills that can help improve the workplace. Dedicate some free time to watch a few YouTube tutorials to brush up on skills like mastering new software or finding new techniques to help become more productive, like time management or collaboration.

Enroll in some Master Classes and learn new skills from professionals to advance your abilities and add them to your resume.

Evaluate your previous work methods and find ways to improve

After months of being away from the office, it is a perfect time to re-evaluate things that did not go as planned. Was there a presentation where you didn’t get your message across the way you expected? Are you trying to find different methods to “wow” your audience at the next meeting?

Arrange a meeting with your team to discuss ways to improve on past attempts and new innovations to add to the workplace. The article from Northwestern University calls this innovation “version 2.0” and suggests that employees take small steps to get a feel of what direction they want to go in.

Mistakes are unavoidable in any situation, but it is up to each individual to pinpoint what went wrong and find the resources that can help find a solution. Of course, make sure to ask for assistance when you need it.

Keep a good mindset

It’s always important to try your best when it comes to your work, but it is just as important to feel good about the work you produce. According to an article from Forbes, “Improving one’s mindset requires specialized training. It’s not something that can happen overnight. Just like with honing their craft and skills, individuals often need to be guided through the process of training their minds.”

Have you been let go as a result of COVID-19 and are looking for new work? Don’t be too hard on yourself and use the approaches above to find ways to develop. Keep yourself motivated and create daily goals to help you stay on track. If you don’t have any objectives in mind yet, use this time to make a list and prioritize what you want to accomplish.

Most importantly, remember to pace yourself and know your limits. Find ways to be productive and that remember long-term goals become more achievable when mapped out with smaller objectives to work toward them.

Wrap up

Wherever you are in your professional career – whether you’re in the same position you’ve been in for a few years, recently promoted, or looking for your next adventure – it’s always a good time to find ways to develop and improve professionally.

With so many people being out of the office for so long, the business world has advanced to a new phase. Use this new start to your advantage and remember to take these new approaches slowly, giving yourself time to adjust.

July 23, 2020