What are you really worth?

How much would you spend on a new top, jeans or a haircut, $100 – $300? Today a cut, colour and blow wave costs $190, an expense most women happily pay monthly. Guys, consider what a night out with your mates costs? Maybe a few beers and takeaway on the way home, $100 – $200?

If I asked you how much you would spend on your career development what would you say, $50 – $500?

Think about it… your career development is an investment that won’t shrink, go out of style, give you a hangover or wear out. But an investment into your career development will enhance your career opportunities, stay with you for your lifetime, open up an opportunity for a job you really want with the opportunity to provides you with job satisfaction and no doubt increase your income potential.

So why do we hesitate when it comes to investing in ourselves?  Many people see this as their employer’s responsibility. Well, yes some of these expenses are their responsibility, operating equipment, OH&S, particular work practices required by the employer, but many of your personal development skills are your responsibility.

Your presentation skills, your networks and specialty skills are what make you an attractive employee above all others; they are encapsulated in your personal brand. So what are you doing about building your personal brand?

So how do you go about budgeting for your professional development and investing in you?

Start by determining how much you can afford to budget each year. We recommend this should be a minimum of 1/50^th of your income. So if you earn $50,000 PA you should budget $1,000 a $100,000 income equals $2,000.  Remember most professional development courses are tax deductable.  And, your employer may be interested in paying for this development if they can see you have a plan and it will enhance your work production/quality.

Now how should you spend your professional development budget?  Start by thinking about where you would like to be in five years time, what role, which industry. Look at the requirements of that position, degree, specialist skills and other capabilities that are sought after.

The options are extensive and may range from a LinkedIn course to crisis media training or possibly a university course.  Do you have the required skills or are you working towards them?  Now start looking around at who offers the requisite courses or training to develop you towards your goal.  It’s always useful to seek advice from people in those roles and those who can offer sound advice on which courses will enhance your career prospects.

Retail therapy may be fun and resolve some short-term unhappiness, and beer talk is unlikely to bring you a better job, however an investment in you will result in ongoing progress, increase your income potential and enhance your fulfilment at work.