BGA’s vision for professional growth | A guide

Look to future vision
Look to future vision

At the Business Graduate’s Association, we’re dedicated to aiding business school’s in their quest to become some of the best in the world. We are also passionate about providing business school students and graduates with a range of helpful tools and services, designed to encourage continued professional growth.

The road to reaching your professional goals is likely to consist of a series of pit stops, all of which must be navigated by you. If you want to continue to climb the career ladder and cement yourself as a formidable force in the world of business, you’ll need to be continuously seeking professional growth opportunities. 

Did you know that, if you’re a student or graduate of a BGA member business school, you’re eligible for exclusive access to a range of tools, designed to promote professional growth

Designed to give members access to CV-building services, thought-leadership webinars, partner discounts and so much more, student and graduate membership is completely free to all schools that hold a BGA membership. To find out if your business school is a member, click here

What does professional growth actually mean?

Defined as the process of gaining new skills and experience in order to reach a goal in your career, professional growth exists on a spectrum. 

Your first thought will probably be to link the term to educational advancements, like going back to school or completing a short course. However, you can also seek professional growth opportunities on a smaller scale, for example, by joining a mentoring programme or developing skills you already have.

To ensure you stand out in a long list of job applicants, adopt our vision for professional growth today. 

Focus on long-term goals

If you’ve ever found yourself umming and ahing after being asked – “where do you see yourself in five years?”, don’t worry, you’re not alone. Having an end goal in mind before beginning your career journey will enable you to adapt your life around your new objectives.

For example, if your end goal is to become an SEO, you need to make sure that your daily activities incorporate the development of skills that will help you get there. These could include anything from improving your people skills to challenging yourself to look at situations from an analytical point of view. 

Manage your expectations

Before you pursue a certain career or job opportunity, knowing what type of working environment is best suited to you is important. 

For example, do you prefer working alone or in a team? Do you want to work for a small or large company? What skills do you currently have that complement your desired role?

If you thrive in a client-facing role, you probably won’t be looking to apply for a work-from-home position. If you don’t want to be in charge of leading a team, you won’t be the ideal candidate for a managerial position. In order to enhance your professional growth, you’ll need to first establish a clear understanding of your expectations regarding the type of career you’re looking to achieve. 

Be open to new opportunities 

Seeking new opportunities in your quest to promote professional growth is incredibly important. From attending insightful webinars led by industry-leading experts to taking an evening class on business management, there are so many things you can do to ensure you’re always progressing. 

At the Business Graduates Association, we regularly host online social and learning events designed to empower the next generation of business leaders. If you want to  connect with fellow BGA business students and graduates why not join our exclusive BGA student and graduate members group on LinkedIn, join here. 

Challenge yourself

It might seem obvious, but you can not claim to be enhancing your professional growth if you regularly avoid challenging situations. 

If you are unhappy with where your career is heading, take that as a clear-cut sign to make a change. Don’t be afraid to approach your peers – you’re all on the same journey, so why not lean on each other? Attend all the conferences, training and networking events you can, after all, some of the most successful business professionals secured their former positions through recommendations from networking connections. 

When it comes to highlighting areas for professional growth, be honest with yourself. Recognise gaps in your resume and put systems in place to implement change.

Don’t underestimate the power of mental growth 

Before you pin all your efforts on promoting professional growth, it’s important to ensure you’re also prioritising your mental well-being

Meditating, journalling and practising daily gratitude techniques are excellent ways to attain mental growth. Just as important as your physical counterpart, taking the time to focus on your mental development is crucial to avoiding stagnation. Ready to secure your BGA students and graduates membership and start making use of an abundance of professional growth opportunities? Click here to register.

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