Undertrained? How to Take Charge of Your Professional Growth

Reading Time: 6 minutes

Do you ever feel like you’re not receiving the training you need to excel in your role? Or perhaps you’ve noticed that while your job responsibilities keep growing, the support for developing your skills seems to be lagging.

Feeling undertrained? You’re not alone.

According to recent workplace surveys, a significant number of employees report feeling undertrained and unsupported in their professional growth. The following data points are provided by Lorman, a professional training platform:

• Nearly 59% of employees claim they had no workplace training and that most of their skills were self-taught.
• 33% of U.S. workers say their current company-provided training doesn’t meet their expectations.
• 1 in 3 employees say their organization’s training is out-of-date.

This lack of training isn’t just frustrating—it can also limit career advancement, reduce job satisfaction, and create a sense of disconnection from personal and professional goals.

The consequences of inadequate training

As businesses evolve, they often introduce new technologies, tools, and procedures, expecting employees to adapt quickly. However, without proper training, these expectations can feel overwhelming, leading to stress and uncertainty. Employees in such situations may find themselves experiencing the following consequences as they struggle to keep up and question whether they’re even in the right role.

Missing out on growth opportunities

When employees aren’t trained to develop their skills, they often miss out on crucial growth opportunities. Lack of training can result in missed promotions, limited advancement, and a slower path to career progression. Companies often seek to promote employees who demonstrate expertise and initiative, but without the right tools and knowledge, even the most motivated employees can find themselves held back.

Frustration and disempowerment

When training isn’t prioritized, it’s easy for employees to feel frustrated and disconnected from their roles. Feeling underprepared for everyday tasks or lacking knowledge in key areas can create stress, impacting overall job satisfaction and even mental well-being. This disempowerment often leads to a sense of stagnation or even questioning one’s career choice—a common sentiment among employees who feel their companies haven’t invested in their growth.

Increased job stress and burnout

Inadequate training can add significant stress to the workday, especially as employees try to meet high expectations with limited resources or knowledge. Over time, this stress can contribute to burnout, affecting both workplace productivity and mental health. Employees might find themselves struggling to complete tasks efficiently, leading to long hours, frequent errors, or even physical exhaustion.

Low confidence in job performance

When employees feel they lack the knowledge or skills needed for their roles, they can experience a drop in confidence. Self-doubt becomes more common, and some employees may second-guess their decisions, worrying that they aren’t meeting expectations. This lack of confidence can impact not only their performance but also their relationships with colleagues and supervisors, as they may hesitate to take on new challenges or voice their ideas.

Poor work-life balance

Undertrained employees often spend extra time outside of work trying to “catch up” or fill -skill gaps- on their own, which can interfere with their work-life balance. Without adequate support, they may feel compelled to study or practice independently in their personal time, which can lead to frustration and resentment. The boundary between work and life becomes blurred, contributing to the sense that work is consuming more than its fair share of their time and energy.

The good news? While it’s common to feel undertrained, there’s also a powerful opportunity to take control of your growth. Taking steps toward self-driven learning can unlock new career possibilities and a renewed sense of purpose and confidence.

Identify your learning needs and career goals

Knowing that you’re lacking training in specific areas is no excuse to give up on your growth and professional success. By embracing personal development, you can begin shaping your career path, fine-tuning experience and skills, and inching closer to accomplishing your career goals.

Self-assessment: where are you now, and where do you want to go?

The first step in taking charge of your professional growth is understanding your current skills and identifying the areas where additional training is needed. Start by conducting an honest self-assessment and consider creating a list of your current strengths and weaknesses.

Example questions for your self-assessment:

• What tasks or skills do you find challenging?
• Which parts of your job make you feel unprepared or uncertain?
• What skills do you want more experience in?
• What area of your work would you like more feedback on?

Next, think about your long-term career aspirations. Where do you see yourself in the next year? In five years? Establishing a vision for your career helps you identify which skills are essential for the path you want to pursue.

For instance, if you aspire to move into a leadership role, focus on developing skills like communication, decision-making, and time management. If you’re aiming for a technical role, prioritize learning relevant software, tools, or coding languages that are commonly required.

Setting SMART goals for development

Once you have clarity on your skills and career direction, it’s time to set goals. Effective goals are SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. For instance, instead of a vague goal like “get better at Excel,” you could set a SMART goal: “Complete an Excel certification course within the next three months to improve my data analysis skills.”

SMART goals provide a structured roadmap, breaking down large ambitions into manageable steps and giving you benchmarks to measure your progress. These goals also help you stay focused, ensuring your development efforts are aligned with both your job role and future career aspirations.

Identifying skills essential for your role and beyond

It’s beneficial to distinguish between immediate skills that will help you excel in your current role and long-term skills that could open up new career paths. Some of the most valuable skills today—such as adaptability, digital literacy, and project management—are applicable across many industries, giving you flexibility and resilience in an evolving job market.

Take time to research and observe which skills are in demand in your industry. Speak with colleagues and mentors, or even explore job descriptions of roles you aspire to. This research helps you understand which skills will provide lasting value and increase your career potential.

Developing a consistent learning routine

Consistency is key when it comes to skill-building. Setting aside regular time for learning, whether daily or weekly, ensures that your personal development remains a priority even when other responsibilities demand attention. Establish a learning schedule that works with your routine, whether it’s dedicating an hour each morning, taking online courses on weekends, or setting monthly goals for completing projects or certifications.

By creating a habit of consistent learning, you’ll make development an integral part of your life, not just something you do occasionally. This steady commitment will compound over time, leading to noticeable growth and increased confidence.

Building resilience and staying motivated

Pursuing professional growth independently can be challenging, but recognizing and celebrating each milestone can keep you motivated. Small wins, like completing a course, mastering a new tool, or successfully applying a skill in your role, are all signs of progress.

Celebrating these achievements—even the minor ones—helps reinforce the effort you’re putting in and keeps you energized as you move forward. Consider keeping a personal development journal or list to track these wins and reflect on how far you’ve come.

It’s also important to positively confront the fact that not every effort will yield immediate results, and setbacks are a natural part of any growth process. If you encounter challenges or fail to meet a goal on the first attempt, remind yourself that each experience is part of your development. Reflect on what you can learn from the setback: Did it reveal a skill you still need to build? Did it teach you a new way to approach problems?

Resilience isn’t just about staying positive; it’s about adapting to difficulties, learning from them, and using that knowledge to become stronger. Consider developing a growth mindset so that you’re more capable of seeing setbacks as steps on your path to success; you’ll be better equipped to handle challenges and make steady progress on your career journey.

Finding support and accountability

Having a support system can make a significant difference in staying motivated. If possible, find an accountability partner, such as a colleague or friend, who can check in with you on your progress. This could be a mentor at work, a family member, or even a coworker who’s also pursuing self-improvement. Regular check-ins help you stay on track, and sharing your achievements and challenges with someone else can provide motivation, encouragement, and new perspectives.

If an accountability partner isn’t an option, consider further networking by joining online forums or communities where people in your industry discuss their development goals and support one another. Connecting with like-minded individuals can remind you that you’re not alone in this journey and can inspire you with ideas and insights to reach your own goals.

Remember, taking control of your professional development is an investment in your future, and building resilience along the way is essential. When training opportunities aren’t readily available, cultivating a mindset focused on lifelong learning ensures you’re ready to meet new challenges, evolve with industry trends, and continue growing. By staying motivated, resilient, and proactive, you’re not only developing skills but also setting the foundation for a fulfilling, adaptable career.

Contributed by Mary Dominguez