Is It A Good Idea To Invest In Your Own Training?

A post from our Career Success blog

The Resounding Answer Is Yes!

In some cases people are lucky enough to work for a company willing to invest in their training for them. But this form of developmental help is often formulaic and only prepares them for the role they were hired to perform – rather than helping them to achieve the goals they aspire to. That's why employees often decide to pay for their own training, safe in the knowledge it'll move them up the career ladder and increase their salary.

Prospective trainees are often hesitant about putting their hand in their own pocket though – and as a result require proof that the benefits of self-study will pay them dividends back in the long-term.

That's why we thought we'd include a brief example of someone who benefited from investing in their own development.

A few weeks ago we were contacted by a school leaver who wanted to break into the IT industry. He had no qualifications in this field and couldn't afford the costs a degree course would entail. He'd been working part time to save money to put toward his tuition fees and decided he'd get a lot more out of an intensive one or two-day course.

Last week we received an email from him to say that, since attending our course, he'd been shortlisted for a position with a local company – whereas before he'd been unable to even get to the interview stage.

Investing in your own development clearly pays off. Here are just a few of the reasons why you should consider taking that daunting – but nonetheless essential – next step.

Better Career Prospects

People generally embark on a course of self-development for one of two reasons: (i) because they find themselves moving sideways in their career rather than upwards; (ii) to prove to their existing employer that they take their commitments seriously and want to progress within the company/organization. Either way, by gaining new skills and/or qualifications, you'll be able to ensure that your profile stands out from the crowd (which, in an overcrowded job market, is more important than ever before).

Improved Rates Of Pay

With greater responsibility comes an improved rate of pay. It therefore stands to reason that by adding niche skills and qualifications to your CV, you'll become eligible for roles that were previously beyond your reach – roles that will undoubtedly have attached to them better levels of remuneration than with your existing role. So, although earning more money isn't your sole aim, you can rest assured the benefits of self study will have (quite literally) paid off for you.

Better Job Satisfaction

As suggested earlier, earning more money isn't the only reason you're looking to change your career focus. Job satisfaction is just as important to you – with your current role proving to be far too prescriptive and lacking the level of challenge you thrive upon. Looking forward to – rather than dreading – the day ahead is therefore something you aspire to. By learning new abilities and gaining new qualifications, you'll be able to gain access to new and exciting work environments that'll help you achieve new goals (which is another way of saying that success breeds success).

Control Your Development

Your employer will ultimately decide what speed you should learn at, meaning you'll follow a proscribed pattern of development that is laid down as a matter of procedure. This can be especially frustrating if you are ambitious and confident in your capabilities. By electing to enroll on a course of self study you'll be able to bypass the red tape that's slowing your development and learn at a level more suited to your ability. This in turn will win you kudos points at work – as your commitment to your employers will be made all the clearer, visibly increasing your profile and enhancing your chances of promotion.

Contact Us

If you are interested in finding out more about the benefits of self study, contact a member of our team today for an informal discussion about the types of courses we run.