Job search and workplace skills help you turn your education into opportunities and keep growing once you are hired.
How to start building it
- Keep a running list of projects, skills and results for your resume
- Practice common interview questions for your target job
- Set one learning goal for each semester or quarter
Careers that rely on professional development
Corporate Trainer
Design and deliver training that helps employees learn their jobs.
- Typical training: 4 years or subject expertise plus training courses
Training and Development Manager
Plan and lead training that helps employees grow.
- Typical training: 5+ years of experience
Human Resources Specialist
Recruit, hire, onboard and support employees while keeping the company compliant.
- Typical training: 1–4 years
Career and Technical Education Teacher
Teach high school students job skills in trades, health, technology and business.
- Typical training: Industry experience plus licensing
Truck Driver
Haul freight safely across town or across the country with a CDL.
- Typical training: 3–7 weeks
Registered Nurse
Assess patients, give treatments, coordinate care and educate families.
- Typical training: 2–4 years
Administrative Assistant
Keep offices organized: calendars, communication, documents and logistics.
- Typical training: Weeks to months
Security Guard
Protect people and property by observing, patrolling, controlling access and reporting.
- Typical training: Days to 2 weeks
Majors that build professional development skills
Training that builds professional development
A self-paced online course on what human resources specialists do: duties, 15+ key terms, step-by-step tasks, tools, safety and how to launch the career.
Skills you build: recruiting and interviewing, employment law basics, and HRIS and ATS software
Why it fits: Professional development is central to this job.
A self-paced online course on what corporate trainers do: duties, 15+ key terms, step-by-step tasks, tools, safety and how to launch the career.
Skills you build: instructional design, facilitation, and e-learning development
Why it fits: Professional development is central to this job.
A self-paced online course on what career and technical education teachers do: duties, 15+ key terms, step-by-step tasks, tools, safety and how to launch the career.
Skills you build: trade or technical expertise, lesson planning, and shop safety management
Why it fits: Professional development is central to this job.
A self-paced online course on what training and development managers do: duties, 15+ key terms, step-by-step tasks, tools, safety and how to launch the career.
Skills you build: instructional design, needs analysis, and facilitation
Why it fits: Professional development is central to this job.
Professional development skills: frequently asked questions
Why are professional development skills important?
Job search and workplace skills help you turn your education into opportunities and keep growing once you are hired.
How can I improve my professional development skills?
Keep a running list of projects, skills and results for your resume. Practice common interview questions for your target job. Set one learning goal for each semester or quarter.
Is professional development a hard skill or a soft skill?
Professional development is usually considered a soft skill: it shapes how you work with people and apply your knowledge, and it transfers to almost every job.
Which careers need professional development skills?
Careers that rely on them include corporate trainer, training and development manager, human resources specialist, career and technical education teacher, truck driver, registered nurse, administrative assistant, and security guard.
Which college majors build professional development skills?
Majors that list them among their core skills include Health Sciences, Business Administration, Graphic Design, and Fine Arts and Studio Art.
How do I show professional development skills on a resume?
Give specific examples: a situation, what you did, the tools or methods you used and the result. Add related training, certificates or projects.
How long does it take to build professional development skills?
You can learn the basics in weeks with focused study and practice. Strong skills come from using them regularly over months and years, on the job, in classes or in projects.
Can I learn professional development skills online?
Yes, you can start online. Career Education Institute trainings that build them include Human Resources Specialist Training, Corporate Trainer Training, and Career and Technical Education Teacher Training. Practice with real tasks makes them stick.