Professional Development

Professional Development

Whether you’re mapping out short-term and long-term goals or feel ready for the next step – professional development will vary from person to person. We all have different experiences, skills, and goals for ourselves, so finding the right way forward for your professional life is often an exciting but daunting journey to embark on.

To help get you started, browse our professional development guides below for all the tips, tricks, and advice you might need at various points throughout your career.


Career planning & goal setting

A solid plan and clear goals often form the backbone for professional success. Discover our collection of advice for creating and sticking to your career goals and plans no matter how far ahead you’re looking.

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How to choose the right career path

Knowing which career path is right for you can be difficult, which is why we’ve created this guide exploring the available options and packed it full of advice you might need to choose the path best suited to you.

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Creating a five-year career plan

Looking for a way to track your career milestones and lay down a solid foundation for building long-term professional success? Crafting a five-year career plan can do all this and more.

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What is a professional development plan?

Ready to begin your professional growth journey? This post is packed full of how-to advice, and we’ve even added a free, downloadable template for you to use.

How to get promoted at work

Seeking out your next promotion but unsure how to get the ball rolling? Our guide contains all the top tips to help you reach for the title you’re chasing.

Job skills & competencies

Consistently expanding your skillset is one of the best ways to stay ahead of the game in your professional life. However, it isn’t always easy to know where to start.

From communication skills to problem-solving and decision-making – we’ve got all the how-to guides and advice to help you enhance your skills and competencies.

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How to identify transferrable skills

Unsure of the transferrable skills you possess? Below you can find out what transferrable skills you might have, and why and how these key skills can fit into your career as it develops.

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How to improve assertive communication skills

Being assertive in the workplace can tread a fine line, and finding the perfect balance isn’t always easy. In this guide, we’ve assembled seven top tips for improving your assertive communication skills.

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How to improve problem-solving skills

Most employees will tackle challenges as part of their weekly to-do list. Here, we’ve defined problem-solving, explained its importance, and offered some pointers for boosting this key skill.

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How to develop negotiation skills

In this guide, we’ve presented the key negotiation skills you should have in your arsenal, alongside our top tips for maximising these skills to get the most out of your day-to-day dealings.

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How to develop active listening skills

Active listening can positively impact your participation in workplace discussions and conversations. Here’s what it means, how it can benefit you, and how you can sweeten your approach to listening to others.

graduate-skills

Free online resources for learning new skills

Free online courses are available for just about anything you think of, and they have the power to improve your CV while providing opportunities to challenge yourself. Our guide below includes eight of the best free online resources to try.

Moving into a management role

Whether you’re finding your feet as a first-time manager or just looking to update and enhance your existing managerial skills – you’ve come to the right place.

The posts below contain advice on how to manage others effectively.

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A guide for first-time managers

Here are our top tips and advice for starting your new management role off on the right foot.

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How to be authentic at work

Find out how and why you and your team can and should lose the façade by becoming more honest and authentic in the workplace.

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The most important skills for managers

From leadership to decision-making – take a look at our complete list of management skills no leader should be without.

Tips for delegating effectively

Free up your time and empower your team with effective and efficient delegation – here’s how it’s done.

Career guides – by job role

Looking for professional advice for specific job roles? From project managers to business analysts – we’ve got you covered with our career guides…

developers collaborating

Developer career guide

We’ve gathered all the insights and tips to further your career as a software developer right here.

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QA Analyst

Looking to make the move to a career as a technical QA analyst? Here are our hints and tips to help you take the necessary next steps.

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Data Scientist career guide

Get ahead as a data scientist without our collection of insights and tips on everything from the training you need to the experience requirements.

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Solutions Architect career guide

Delve into the technical world of solution architecture to help you decide whether it would be a good career move for you to make.

Tax Strategy

Management Accountant career guide

Here, we’ll guide you through the ins and outs of a management accountant role to give you a leg up on your journey. 

Project Manager career guide

Whether you view project management as a small step or a giant leap in your career, the guide below contains all the tips and insights to boost you into this role.

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Account Manager career guide

An account management role is tailor-made for outgoing individuals looking to strengthen their communication skills, expand relationships and carve a well-stocked track record with sector-specific knowledge and expertise.

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Risk Manager career guide

Risk management is so much more than simply crunching the numbers – find out the training, qualifications, and experience required to land these coveted roles.

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Business Analyst career guide

Whether you’re the go-to problem-solver in your workplace and want to transition into a career in business analysis or a junior BA looking to advance your career, this article guides you through the ways to get ahead in this role.

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Finance Controller career guide

For those looking to make this career move, we’ve delved further into the experience, qualifications, and training – as well as the soft skills – required to jump into a senior finance role right here.