Reflecting and Recording

Developing your skills isn’t just about getting out there and getting experience. Employers value the activity, but what they really want to see is what you have learnt from it and how it might have made you think differently.

Learning the skill of making brief notes about your experiences and keeping them in a notebook, file, on-line portfolio, etc. during your studies will encourage you to identify and reflect on your skills acquisition and development. When you look back later there are bound to be details in your notes that you would otherwise have forgotten. You will also have some solid information to put into a job application or interview!

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is increasingly part of the way in which companies help staff to develop and record learning. CPD and record keeping is also a mandatory element in membership of many professional bodies.

There are some website resources listed below, relating to CPD for employees. They will give you an idea of the sorts of requirement involved. They also offer templates that you might use as the basis for your own records.