Your career development toolkit

In honour of National Career Development Month in the UK, this week we’re taking a closer look at how self-awareness drives progression, pondering key career questions, examining the business case for professional development, and discovering how technology will shape the future of careers.

Self-awareness: The secret weapon for career growth

Feeling stuck in your career? This Forbes article takes us through how important self-awareness is to (in the words of Amazing If) ‘squiggle’ your way out. Knowing your strengths, blind spots, and motivations can help you to make smarter choices, connect better with others, and forge a career journey that’s both fulfilling and future-focused. Here are some top tips:

• Seek learning opportunities: stay open and curious about what you don’t yet know.
• Know your limits, but challenge yourself to step out of your comfort zone and take on responsibilities that foster growth.
• Understand your own biases and beliefs to make more objective, strategic decisions aligned with larger goals and values.

Map your career path with purpose

It's one thing to accept you need to be more self-aware, but where do you start? Amazing If’s Career Canvas template makes it simple. By focusing on five areas — Values, Strengths, Confidence, Community, and Possibilities — it encourages self-reflection and helps clarify what drives you, where your strengths lie, and what opportunities you’re curious about. With structured questions to coach yourself and help identify any blockers, build on your achievements, and explore growth opportunities.

Level up your skills for the age of AI

If the thought of upskilling for an AI-powered future has you breaking into a sweat, you’re not alone. This webinar from largest career community for women breaks down why embracing AI is easier (and more rewarding) than you think — here’s what you need to know:

• Use AI practically: as a coach to refine work, to handle mundane tasks, and boost productivity.
• Regularly audit and improve your skills. Learning is essential, not optional.
• Make the most of skill resources. Places like LinkedIn Learning for AI training and prompt engineering techniques can be a good starting point.
• Build networks to share AI insights and learn collectively.
• Self-advocacy: Take ownership of achievements and be proactive in pursuing opportunities.
• If you’re in leadership or management, make sure you’re supporting experimentation with AI tools.
• Be bold — don’t self-select out of opportunities, use AI to strengthen your work.

Unlock growth through career support

As a manager or business owner, the prospect of investing in your people’s career development can feel like a big undertaking — where do you start and how do you do it effectively? And after all, why invest in it if it only makes your team more appealing to competitors? Watch this panel discussion between HR leaders to learn why. Here are some of the highlights:

• Developing talent internally lowers hiring costs and boosts employee retention.
• Offering growth opportunities keeps employees engaged and drives productivity.
• Promoting from within attracts top external talent by highlighting internal career paths.
• Succession planning with internal candidates ensures smooth leadership transitions.
• Encouraging diverse internal experiences sparks fresh ideas and innovation.
• Strong development programs enhance brand reputation, attracting both talent and business opportunities.