“You should always be learning and developing” has become a career mantra over the past few decades, not least because the professional world now changes so fast. But what do you do if your company doesn’t support you in this? How do you ensure that your skills and knowledge stay up to date and relevant — and that you fulfil CPD or CPE requirements — if your organisation is too busy to help or does not want to help?
Consider how to start
Professional development is increasingly the individual’s responsibility, so be proactive and take a look yourself at the areas you need to develop. Look on the company’s intranet. Speak to HR. Speak to colleagues and people in other departments. Think about your career goals and what is needed to achieve them. Consider a coach or mentor and look online and at other resources. You want to put yourself in the best possible position to take advantage of any opportunities that may come your way.
Ask your boss
Just because professional learning opportunities aren’t obvious or proactively offered to you doesn’t mean they aren’t there. Ideally, your boss should be on top of your career development. But in practice, they sometimes may not be. So draw up a list of where you think your skills and knowledge need improving, what you would like, and the benefits for both you and the company. Then ask for a meeting with your boss to discuss the matter.
Is it you?
If your company is developing others, but not you, then you need to discover why. Perhaps it’s an oversight, in which case you should move to correct it. But if you have been deliberately placed in a stream where your career is not invested in and you are not seen as a long-term prospect, you must discover the rationale behind this and whether matters can be improved. If there is no prospect of positive change, you will need to consider your options. The same may be true if your company just does not invest in its staff.
Take a step back
There may be understandable reasons why your company is neglecting learning and training. For example, the business might be growing at breakneck speed or might be looking at a new market or merger. Conversely, there may be negative reasons, such as a declining sector or a poor outlook. Whatever the case, it’s smart to take a holistic view. If the business is growing very fast, you might decide to worry less about structured professional development for the time being and instead focus on new projects or other opportunities. Working across a variety of roles can be a valuable form of career development, too.
Look beyond your boss and team
Don’t worry about going over your boss’s head — think of it as taking the initiative. If you do find something that suits, don’t be passive aggressive, evasive, or apologetic about it when you do speak with your boss. Just say, “I’ve become aware that this scheme is available and would really like to take advantage of it. But I wanted to ask you first because I’d appreciate your support.”
Look outside the company
If suitable learning opportunities are not available internally, look outside. Outside professional education or training needn’t be directly related to your job — it could be more general such as taking a negotiating course, a project management course, or gaining a data science qualification. In all cases, it is worth asking your company to pay for (or at least contribute to) these — not least because there may be funds earmarked for this that are largely forgotten. Make the case that by investing in you, they are investing in your performance, your job satisfaction, and your loyalty. The worst they can do is say no.
Stay ahead of the curve
Make a concerted effort to keep up with your industry. Stay abreast of the news that affects your sector, both via traditional outlets and by following influential and interesting people on LinkedIn, X, and industry-specific sites. Look up TED Talks and set up Google alerts. Here, you need to pull off a balancing act — be broad enough in your remit that you’re likely to find interesting and unusual new insights, but be selective enough that you don’t drown yourself with information. Remember, even if this feels like extra work, it will make you better at your job and, ultimately, more employable.
Network
Do this both online and offline. On platforms like LinkedIn, participate in discussions, comment on posts, and follow influential figures. Offline, join industry groups and go to events and meet-ups. Offline networking is particularly important — there is nothing like talking to people face to face to gain new perspectives and insights and, indeed, to bring new opportunities your way. In the digital age, the power of physical serendipity is often forgotten.
Try to cultivate this within your job, too. If someone is needed to visit a client or attend a conference, put yourself forward. And join nonwork groups at work — becoming part of the company orchestra or baseball team may not feel like learning, but it’s likely to bring you into contact with people you wouldn’t otherwise meet who will have interesting views and outlooks. Even if your business won’t pay for formal development, you can expand and enrich your job.
Look at extracurricular roles
In a related vein, sitting on the board of a charity or a local organisation may not feel like professional development and learning. But finance and accounting professionals are particularly in demand here and have a skillset that is widely valued. You give something, but you get something back, too — you’ll be picking up new skills, learning your way around a new organisation and systems, and meeting new people with new ideas. This is also the sort of thing that looks very good on your CV.
Look for another job
If your company really isn’t delivering the learning, development, and career progression you need, don’t despair. You are in a good position to look for another job. Accounting and finance are some of the most portable skillsets there are, and you can afford to take your time and really research potential employers and what they offer. Moreover, when you do start going for interviews, you have a good pitch. You like your present job and company, but you’re looking for somewhere you can really grow, learn, develop, and progress.
Visit the Global Career Hub from AICPA & CIMA for help with finding a job or recruiting.
Rhymer Rigby is an FM magazine contributor and author of The Careerist: Over 100 Ways to Get Ahead at Work. To comment on this article or to suggest an idea for another article, contact Oliver Rowe at Oliver.Rowe@aicpa-cima.com.
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Articles
"4 Shifts Redefining How Finance Creates Sustainable Value", FM magazine, 7 August 2024
"A Rising Demand for Skills and Expanded Collaboration", FM magazine, 19 October 2023
"Develop Your Team — or Lose Them", Journal of Accountancy, 3 February 2020
Guide
CGMA Competency Framework Guide: Generate Value for Long-Term Success, AICPA & CIMA, 2 February 2020
