4 tips for making a perfect professional development match

Fuel Your Curiosity Newsletters
Written By michele ronsen

How’s March roaring in for you? These first sunny days of spring always seem to bring the energy of new adventure, opportunity and growth. For me, that means considering classes, workshops, coaching and other ways to shake off the haze of winter and get my brain going. A few months ago, I came across this post on social media:

 
“If you’ve ever been a part of a coaching program or career development program that you paid for, how did that go? Was it worth it for you? Also, did it feel cultish, or is this just how industry sells their product?? How much did you pay on average?

I’m considering investing in one right now; however I feel kind of weird. Not because I don’t want to but because the way they sell their services seems so intense. In all seriousness I’m trying to figure out “are these red flags or am I just anxious/ not used to all this energy?”

Please help and share!
Signed - low energy ex-academic”
 

Great questions! Since good professional development programs can be a significant time and financial investment (especially if you don't have employer sponsorship), take time to find the right ones. I currently have a fantastic coach and have paid for several career development programs on a variety of topics. So, I thought I’d share my tips for finding the kind of program or mentor that works best for you!

Tip One: Know your own learning style Consider how YOU learn best and what YOU want to get out of this program. Everyone has a different learning style. Do you learn best by listening, reading, discussing, or doing? Do you thrive in group settings (and have time for meet-ups) or prefer (or have to) to work alone at off-hours? It’s important to make sure your learning preferences align with what the class or coach offers.

Tip Two: Trust your network One of the best ways to find a coach or program is the recommendation of a trusted colleague who’s been through the experience. They’re in a unique position to share how it may match up with your strengths or the areas you’d like to improve. If no one in your network has experience with the program/coach, ask to speak with the program’s clients and students to get first-hand feedback. And always seek out and read testimonials! Do they resonate with you or not?

Tip Three: Talk with the instructor or coach Great coaches and educators are looking for a good fit with their clients. It’s a two-way street! (A great fit means success all around!) They SHOULD be happy to answer your questions and likely will have some for you as well. Use your research skills to get the most out of this call. For example, ask about the types of people who succeed with XYZ and people who do not. Be candid and don't hold back! Note: I speak with prospective students every week. Many I refer elsewhere because I don’t think what we offer them will address their goals. Reach out to them! There are no bad questions!

Tip Four: Ask whether they practice what they preach Finally, ask the coach if they have a coach. Or ask the instructor what classes they’ve taken or conferences they’ve attended lately. Most great coaches have coaches, and the best instructors are curious people who never stop learning.

Curiosity Tank may have the right workshop or coaching opportunity for you.

We’ve worked hard to create Ask Like A Pro® offerings to fit different learning styles.

  • All of our workshops offer prework videos, via transcripts (PDF), and as audio files. We understand, support, and celebrate learning differences and preferences!

  • Our single-class or full series Ask Like A Pro On Demand workshops are great for solo learners with hectic schedules.

  • If you’re a watch-and-listen learner, the Observer participation for our live cohorts provide you with front-row seats to research in action! You’ll follow the start-to-finish process of executing several research studies simultaneously — including ALL of the twists and turns. The Observer group has its own Slack channel and weekly check-ins, allowing them to ask questions and get feedback along the way.

  • And if you’re a jump-in, hands-on learner, with existing research experience, the All-in six-workshop series, with its live discussions, multiple group office hours and 1:1s with Michele, and real research projects with stakeholders, may be exactly what you want.

Wondering whether Ask Like A Pro is a good fit for you? We’re hosting a live presentation and Q&A with alumni on Tuesday, March 15th, from 5 - 6:30pm PST — it’s made to answer just that question! It’s not for everyone. Click here for more information.

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And that's a wrap!

We typically alternate between a theme and UX/UXR jobs, events, classes, articles, and other happenings every few weeks. Thank you for all of the feedback. Feedback is a gift and we continue to receive very actionable input on how to make Fuel Your Curiosity more meaningful to you.

What do you think? Lmk. We're constantly iterating and love to hear your input.

Stay curious,
- Michele and the Curiosity Tank team

PS. Don't forget to register for the free live Info Session about Ask Like A Pro with Alumni on March 15th. And bring questions! We love questions :)


michele ronsen
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