There are plenty of reasons why you should continue to invest in your personal and professional development. Perhaps the most important one is your career. No matter where you are on the career ladder right now, it’s important your education and training remain current and relevant. Technology and working practices have changed a great deal in recent years. Are you up to date?

Even if you’ve had a tough time lately, you can stand out from the crowd with brand new qualifications. It’s hard enough being out of work for a long time. Are potential employers passing you by because you have no recent or current work experience? You need something that will shine brightly on your resume. A recent and relevant qualification or training certificate can be valuable to a business.

Many people work for years to try and earn a promotion to lead a team or become a manager. Yes, experience is very important for this kind of role. However, even a modicum of opportunities in that position can be bolstered. You might seek to acquire a formal organizational leadership degree. You can earn them through distance learning, or take some intensive workshop courses. These will provide you with the latest industry thinking, and a current practice certificate to dazzle your new employer with.

A commitment to continuing professional development also impresses potential employers at interview. If you show awareness of new ideas and working practices, your potential boss will know you take your role seriously. Add some industry-specific or market relevant knowledge, and you’ll become a valuable asset in this new role. So how do you keep up with all these changes? Staying in the loop is essential, even when you’re out of work.

Subscribe to industry and trade papers and journals. Do you have professional qualifications or membership to professional bodies? Keep these current by attending seminars and workshops. Yes, it will incur some cost to you, if only in travel. But the value of having a good job surely surpasses that? Furthermore, it’s a great way to network with like-minded people. They may have their ear to the ground about upcoming employment opportunities.

Are you pursuing leadership and management training? You might find it worth your while to explore all those little add-ons that help you stand out from the crowd as well. These include First Aid training, Food Hygiene certification, and Safeguarding Children qualifications. While they might not be directly relevant to the role to which you apply, these extras could help fill gaps elsewhere in the company. You might be seen as a problem solver or a handy-to-have all-rounder. What else could you offer a big firm?

Many recruiters run a series of interviews during the recruitment process. They’re trying to find out more about your personality, how you interact with others, and how you cope outside of your comfort zone. There are training courses that can help you become more mindful of your thinking approach and coping strategies. Perhaps these are worth pursuing, even if you never put them on your resume?