This week’s blog is going to be a little different from past weeks. This week I am going to discuss the importance of personal development. You may ask, why the shift in gears for Sowles Consulting blog, my focus is on taking a big test and it’s freaking me out a little bit. I am studying like crazy to take a certification test with the Society for Human Resource Management to become a Senior Certified Profession this Saturday. This test is extremely comprehensive through all aspects of Human Resource Management from strategy to functionality with all of the laws, acts and policies thrown in. I have been asked a lot recently why I am doing this when I have my MBA. Adding the SHRM-SCP to my credentials adds to my credibility as an HR professional and may give me the leading edge for my next client.
In today’s business world, adding credentials is vitally important. The credentials demonstrate your continued drive to stay on top of your industry or profession. The additional certificate, badge on your website or LinkedIn profile, or in my case more letters after your name, may be the differentiating factor between you and your competitor.
I, myself, became complacent after working in the same industry, for the same company, for many years, I stopped adding to my credentials. Now I am trying to catch up on 20 years of credentials to go with my knowledge and experience. Does having a specific credential or certificate mean you are any smarter, probably not. But it does show an independent organization recognizes your knowledge, skills and abilities.
There are so many resources available. LinkedIn Learning provides a lot of different training opportunities to demonstrate proficiencies. Most professional associations have extensive offerings from free workshops to industry certifications. The options are limitless with online learning opportunities. Start to investigate in your industry, what credentials are more desirable? If you are looking to launch in a new venture, how can you demonstrate your knowledge, skills and abilities to new customers? Who are the respected authorities in your industry? They likely have training opportunities and certifications available.
As we go into 2020, what personal development goals are you setting for yourself?
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