Both crucial to ensuring a successful and prosperous private and professional life, personal growth and professional development focus on investing time and energy into improving oneself.
At the Business Graduates Association, we’re pleased to provide BGA member schools exclusive access to a range of tools and resources designed to support the personal and professional development of business students and graduates. From access to social learning events online and our Career Development Centre (CDC) to professional development webinars and the BGA Book Club, there’s so much to explore. Click here to find out more.
Professional development is defined as the process of gaining the relevant skills needed to progress in your career. This might be attending a relevant workshop or achieving certification from a long-term course. Any activity undertaken with the aim of growing your knowledge, perfecting your skills or providing insight could be considered a type of professional development.
On the other hand, personal growth refers to the various techniques used to improve a person’s habits, behaviours and actions. Examples may include:
An equal combination of personal growth and professional development is crucial to ensure a person can embark on a successful, fulfilling career.
As well as assisting you in achieving your goals, taking time to focus on your personal and professional growth can result in:
Increased self-awareness
By regularly noticing and improving your personal and professional growth, you’re sure to become a much more self-aware individual. This, in turn, can lead to increased self-confidence, better decision-making skills and a stronger sense of self and purpose.
Better relationships
If you’re looking to deepen your relationships with colleagues, professionals and peers, prioritising your personal growth is a must. As well as helping you to improve your communication skills, it can also help you develop better emotional intelligence, enabling you to better understand and empathise with others.
Increased fulfilment
Engaging in tasks that can contribute to your personal and professional growth can lead to an increased sense of fulfilment. Whether it’s pursuing your hobbies, improving the relationships with people in your life or developing a new skill, there are so many activities that you could be unknowingly engaging in daily that contribute to your personal growth and professional development.
Increased career satisfaction
Professional development often involves developing and perfecting valuable workplace skills. This can lead to increased job satisfaction and higher salaries.
As a business student, prioritising your personal growth and professional development is crucial to ensure you’re equipped with the skills and knowledge required to succeed in the business world. It can also help assist you in:
Personal growth involves learning new skills, safeguarding your mental well-being and gaining new expertise. This, in turn, leads to increased professional development and enhanced career opportunities.
Nowadays, more and more employers have noted the importance of investing in the personal and professional development of their employees. There are multiple reasons for this, including:
Investing in the growth and development of their staff can help to make employers feel valued.
Providing training and opportunities to continue to learn gives employees the boost of confidence they require. It can also help to reduce procrastination and increase engagement.
Using company time to assist employees in their professional development can help to instil a sense of purpose and direction within their career.
At the Business Graduates Association, we believe that prioritising your personal growth and professional development is the key to success.
Being open to learning new skills and growing your portfolio is crucial to ensure your professional career flourishes year after year. Whether you’re looking to increase your salary or perfect a relevant skill, taking the time to focus on how your personal growth can influence your professional development is extremely important.
Whether you’re currently studying for your business degree at a BGA member institute or are a graduate seeking new opportunities, we’re pleased to offer a plethora of services designed to support career growth.
Our student and graduate membership platform has been specifically created to allow members exclusive access to CV-building services, job search, skills assessments, thought leadership, partner discounts and so much more.
Membership is free to students and graduates of BGA member business schools. If you’re unsure whether your business school is a member, click here to find out.
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