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Ways to develop your career through CPD

Ways to develop your career through CPD

Learning is a continuous process that you'll follow throughout your life.
Team clearing stones and harvesting potatoes. iStock.com/Alan Morris
By engaging in Continuing Professional Development (CPD) throughout your working life, you can make sure you continue to be successful in your career. You can use your CPD evidence in a variety of ways.

You can use CPD evidence in:

Appraisals

A great way to use your CPD record is in appraisals. You can talk about your learning so far, how you've used this in your role, what changes you've made based on your learning and what you want to aim for next.

Job applications

When applying for jobs, you can use your CPD to show your achievements in your learning and development. It can also help show any transferable skills and relevant learning you've completed which fit that role.

Job interviews

Referring to your CPD record can help you stand out in a job interview. Recruiters and employers are always keen to see when a potential employee is committed to pursuing their own ongoing learning and development.

Answering competency-based questions

The word competency means a skill you use when doing your job. Competency-based interviews and applications use questions to find out how you've used specific skills in your previous roles and how you deal with problems, tasks, and challenges.

Good habits formed by CPD, such as applying your learning in your job, thinking about the impact, and considering what you might do differently, can help answer these questions.

Using CPD and planning for career progression  

Within your role

CPD can build on your knowledge and skills. It will also help you keep up to date with new regulations, trends and supply chain demands. This will give you a wider understanding of your role and make your work more satisfying. 

In a new role

Use CPD to develop in your new role by thinking about the skills and knowledge you have and any gaps which you may need to fill. Look at your job description to find out where any of these gaps may be and create a plan to fill them. 

Transferable skills

A transferable skill is one which can be used in a range of jobs. One example of a transferable skill is the ability to clearly communicate ideas to others. Identifying your transferable skills can help when you apply for a new role. 

You can use your CPD record to see what your transferable skills are or to help you decide what you need to learn next.

You can view our agricultural and horticultural job profiles to work out your transferable skills.