#HRStar week one: broaden your horizons!

Good morning and happy Monday to you all!
Welcome to week one of my new initiative #HRStar, following the fantastic response to #HRActofKindness so many people asked me what the next thing will be so I thought really hard and came up with a new weekly challenge to get our creative juices flowing!
As a record number of businesses cite innovation as a lacking quality; it’s time to invest in yourselves to progress your development. The key point is to establish what you want from your career, I like to be involved within the business side so my passion generally lays within strategy. It’s all about finding your happy!
We can enhance our development in a number of ways and the suggestions I have for you are not exhaustive so do feel free to put your own spin on things! These are some of the things that I have done to advance my career:
1. Get involved in your workplace – learn how different departments operate, don’t stay hidden behind the screen, it is the small details that make a huge difference
2. Work outside your comfort zone – I say this a lot but it’s all about getting involved in new projects and areas outside your normal expertise; for example at the moment I am developing a L&D strategy – not my field at all but it adds another string to my bow and I’m learning at the same time
3. Join your local CIPD Committee – here you can work with some incredibly talented individuals on projects and events
4. Get networking and meet likeminded professionals on Twitter or Linked In – I have met some fantastic people and I’m fortunate to be able to work with them regularly
5. Become a mentor or coach – I do this as an ambassador for the CIPD Steps Ahead programme
6. Join a local business club to network with professionals from different industries – you never know, you may just find your dream career path!
7. Attend CIPD events to learn something new
So what are your sticking points? This is your challenge for the week to find your happy and tell me your story. Many have said that the challenges are for HR professionals only, but as you can see, you can adapt the above to suit any profession!
Good luck with this week’s challenge and if you submit a picture of you holding up a piece of paper with #HRStar on it I’ll feature you on the blog (I’m hoping to make a collage of you all!)
Have a fantastic week!