Take Charge Of Your Own Professional Development

Your employer may offer some job-specific training, but in the long run, you’re responsible for your own professional development.

To keep your selling skills sharp, follow this sales advice:

• Read widely. Look for books and articles (online and in print) with fresh points of view that will open your mind to new professional techniques and innovative ways of looking at the world.

• Join up. Look for professional organizations that relate to your job, your industry, and where you want to go in the future. Attend their meetings, volunteer to help with their events, and participate actively.

• Network. Joining professional organizations is one way to expand your network. Look for other ways to make meaningful contacts inside your industry and beyond. Listen to their ideas and advice.

Embrace technology. Don’t be a Luddite. Invest in a smartphone and other tools that the rest of the workforce is already using. Getting comfortable with high tech will help your mind grow more adaptable and increase your efficiency.