Whether you’re looking for that first job, hoping for a promotion, or simply looking to improve yourself for improvement’s sake, it’s always a good time to boost your workplace skills! Here are some tips to get you started.
Identify areas for growth
The first step is to figure out what skills you’d like to improve. What strengths do you want to build? Where do you have room to grow? You can think about job-specific skills or more general universal skills here.
The areas for growth you identify could be things a teacher pointed out to you on a recent report card—organization, or staying on top of deadlines, for example. Ideas could also come from feedback from your boss—maybe they’d like you to improve your efficiency or take more initiative during slow shifts. Or maybe you’ve got your own list and are already set to go.
Once you’ve identified areas for growth, pick a few you’d like to start actively working on. Three is a good number to start with.
Create a growth action plan
Now that you’ve got some goals for improvement in mind, you can create a growth action plan to work towards them. This plan will help you better understand various components of your goals and what steps to take first.
In the video below, Cait will walk you through the growth action plan template. If you’d like to create your own plan, you can find the template here.
Stick with it
Like Cait says in the video, filling out your growth action plan is just the beginning. It’s an important step, but working to improve your skills and strengths will take time and energy.
As you work towards your goals, congratulate yourself on the progress you’re making, ask your friends and co-workers to help support you, and keep at it!
