You can always do more to build your knowledge and skills. But it’s never obvious how best to do so.

Let’s start with what makes professional learning difficult:

  1. Time

It can feel like there are nowhere near enough hours in the day to indulge in something as luxurious as learning — but that’s ok. Never forget that learning takes many forms and that you’re developing your skills each time you show up for work, even if it doesn’t feel like it.

There’s more to learning than collecting certificates. Drink in wisdom from the projects you work on and the people you work with.

  1. Drowning in choice

Here’s another problem: there are far more hours of learning materials out there than any one human could process. Which will boost your impact? Which will get you promoted? How do you sift the gems from the dross?

  1. Government is, as ever, unique

Most governments set out clear (or rigid, depending on your view) frameworks for skills development. These can be helpful for setting measured, short-term plans for growing your skills. However, when you consider how you want your career to grow over the next decade and beyond — it can be hard to see the big picture amongst the small details.

đź’¬ Let us know what you think about professional learning in government by leaving a comment below

A related, but similar challenge is the (often) tight control that your institution will have on your learning. They’re likely to closely vet the options you have, and offer you the learning they want. This is unlikely to align perfectly with your career dreams.

The solution: Strategic learning

We recently hosted an event on Unlocking your potential through professional development. Two experienced learning and development experts, Jennifer MacDougall and Marcela Popowich, shared their advice and proven methods for approaching your learning and development in government. We took the transcript of the Q&A discussion and asked ChatGPT to clean it up for us. Read on for their best advice.

Where should you start?

You’ve got to begin by developing a bit of self-awareness and take stock of yourself. Before diving into a course or programme, you need to understand where you currently stand in your career and where you envision yourself in three years. This kind of self-assessment should factor in your personal life as well as your professional life, as they impact each other in important ways.

Do you have any tips on how to go a bit quicker in the promotion process?

We can all be a bit impatient. Sometimes, you really have to look for the feedback you need to learn what you should do to get to the next level. Your manager is the person who can help you do that, but it’s possible they’ve never really had the chance to tell you. You need to ask them questions when you’re trying to move forward.

Remember that, to move forward in government, you need to demonstrate your competency and your experience. That takes time.

How do you assess your current skills and competencies?

  1. Start by making a list of your current job experiences, skills and competencies. Engage in introspection to determine your strengths and areas that need improvement. Tools like self-assessment quizzes and feedback from colleagues can provide valuable insights. Remember, it's not just about identifying the skills you have but also understanding the skills you want to acquire. Ask yourself: What are my strengths? What do I bring to a team? Use those answers to help you identify where you want to go, or what you need to develop.
  2. The second step is research. Find things that interest you or that will further your career based on what you’ve identified as skills that you want to develop. If you see someone who has a cool job that you’d love to do, don’t fear messaging them to ask about it!
  3. Finally, use a template! They’re very helpful, especially when it comes to writing down your goals. Make sure those goals are realistic. Curveballs are inevitable and your personal and professional lives are not inextricable from each other. It’s ok if you have to say to yourself: I don’t have time for this right now but I might pick it up later.
Want to get strategic about your professional development? Try the goal-setting worksheet

Can building a network help with professional development?

Government is a specific and complex place. Understanding government priorities can be daunting, especially for newcomers. One effective approach is to learn through osmosis. Engage with colleagues, attend discussions and immerse yourself in projects that align with government priorities. Building a strong network of engaged colleagues can provide insights into the workings of the government without the need for formal courses.

If you come across someone interesting, don’t hesitate to add them on LinkedIn! Ask them questions about how they got there.

What if you’d like to make a pretty drastic career change? How would you approach that?

Making a drastic career change is hard. But it’s worth remembering that most jobs within government have a pretty clear set of soft skills, which means you definitely already have at least one skill that’s required for your next role. It’s worth asking yourself: What am I doing today and does it apply to this kind of work? In doing so, you’ll develop a better understanding of your existing skills and capabilities. Once you feel confident that you possess at least one skill, you can start figuring out how to acquire any others.

Question: When you’re new to government, there’s a lot in front of you and you can really go anywhere. What are your tips for making good decisions in that context?

It’s good to know where government is moving. There’s a need to understand government quite broadly, and to know that what people are talking about now isn’t necessarily what they’ll be talking about in 20 years. Keep a close eye on what’s happening today whilst looking ahead to broader government priorities.

If you’re in local government, that’s still true. Ask yourself what you don’t know about government regularly. Do everything you can to learn through osmosis. Ask people questions, and display a genuine interest in the projects they’re working on.

Done reading? Make sure to share your own tips for learning in government by leaving a comment below ⬇️

(Image credit: Unsplash)