Certainly, being a recognised industry expert has very clear benefits among today’s rapidly changing industry movements. However, a lot of enthusiastic professionals are not quite there. Life is busy. Nowadays, our daily routines get spent by work, family/friends, eat, sleep and repeat. As a result, there is little time left for us to focus on our professional development.
Staying up-to-date in our own respective industry is now a necessity. That’s why increasing your industry knowledge provides you with a competitive advantage and supports you in the progress of your business.
But how would you do that?
If you’re not quite sure how to do that, here are a few pointers.
Ways to Grow Your Industry Knowledge
Embrace Your Values
Staying true to your values is something that is the only way to uphold your sustainable success in any volatile market. Trends will always come and go but never losing your values to “stay related” or out of anxiety that one will lose your market share.
Nevertheless, staying updated is extremely important but let your values lead your decision making. While staying related to various trends to understand what, if any, changes in approach could profit you and your company without lowering your principal values.
Mentorship
Get a mentor. It may be a friend, tutor or family member with extensive industry experience. This type of professional learning includes safeguarding the guidance of an individual more recognized in your industry. Mentorship can develop as an extension of interacting with contemporaries, or it can be organized. Also, try to contemplate what you can deliver a mentor in return for guidance, such as any kind of focused area of skill that you may have. You may approach your potential mentor to propose a barter planning: his/her training in exchange for your support in an area in which he/she may not be as well competent. Use your professional/social networks. Different websites like Meetup are a great way to find out what’s happening in your industry.
Subscribe To Industry/Trade E-Magazines, Blogs and Newsletters
In today’s world, there are several industry experts, located overseas. Subscribing to any of their journals or e-magazines is an effective way of continuing your industry acquaintance.
Especially, bloggers are up-to-date, and frequently interview business leaders to support their content. You may plan some time into your day to read through them, be it first thing in the morning or as the last thing you do before you sleep.
Undertake Professional Accelerated Courses
The significance of technical skills or building a range of soft skills cannot be over-emphasised in today’s dynamic market. Thus, undertaking additional training will go a long way in keeping your skills up-to-date. As you have a busy schedule already, many online accelerated degree options are available nowadays.
Believe us, you will be amazed to see how much there is out there related to your industry. Various courses are available online or on a part-time basis to meet your hectic time-table at a reasonable cost.
Use News Apps And Google Alerts
After gaining a certain level of industry knowledge, your core acquaintance doesn't go away. Nevertheless, the subjects you may want to focus on may go away. To keep being professed as new and future-focused, you may use apps or tools like Google Alerts to aid you to curate the latest movements, news and advancements in your specific industry. Suffuse those learnings in your work and discussions.
Networking
Most of the professionals are on LinkedIn but how well do we use LinkedIn? The same applies to other social networks as well. As your business network starts to cultivate, don’t be shy about asking for advice and recommendations from your network. You may ask which journals do you recommend I read? Who else do you recommend I follow? Networking is a great way in which you can communicate and acquire information effectively.
Webinars and Podcasts
One thing is for sure that the digital world has opened the doors to a plethora of audio and visual modes of information. With these shifts, staying up-to-date in our industries has never been easier with the rise of relevant webinars and podcasts. These are great ways to spend your break sessions. There are also numerous pre-recorded webinars accessible to download for viewing at times that best suit your lifestyle. You may even listen it on your way to/from work.
Stay Open And Inquisitive
Needless to say, the best approach to uphold industry expertise is to share what you know and stay open and inquisitive about your subject. Communicating with professionals within your organization, across your industry and in other businesses will give you the opportunity to do this. This will help you to spot new trends and best practices.
Apart from the above-mentioned approaches, you may attend various large industry events like trade shows etc. However, if you’re really serious about not just dreaming of yourself as an industry expert but sincerely being one, get yourself a professional doctoral certificate online. Shortly, you will gain the assistance and set yourself apart from those who haven’t made it a priority. Keeping your knowledge up-to-date is now an essential part of the career journey.
Please feel free to contact one of our dedicated advisors.
Written By : Elizabeth Garcia