the ultimate guide to professional development … · the ultimate guide to professional...

THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO

PROFESSIONAL

DEVELOPMENT

FOR SPA PROFESSIONALS

Why Professional Development?

One of the best actions you can take for both personal fulfillment and career growth is to continually improve your skills and knowledge. Also known as professional development, this approach to lifelong learning provides continual benefits such as increased satisfaction with career and personal life. Whether you choose to learn by reading books or blog posts, attending classes online or in person or even volunteering or working with a mentor, professional development equips you for the future – whatever it will bring.

It’s a common misconception that your employer is responsible for providing professional development opportunities for their employees. Although many companies offer initiatives and programs for professional development, it is your responsibility to pursue your goals. Not your company, nor your boss, nor your parents or spouse – personal development and growth is solely up to you. Identifying and pursuing long-term career growth is in the interest of you and will likely outlast your current position.

Make an effort to learn new skills and practice them in your current position or in your life. However you approach professional development, the most important thing is to begin, to make lifelong learning a habit, and to enjoy the benefits including extending your career longevity, mitigating career risks and improving your employability.

The Ultimate Guide to Professional Development for Spa Professionals

Professional Development Plans (PDP)

Use a plan to document and track your professional development goals and achievements to support continuous improvement and career advancement. Managers can work with their employees to identify and set objectives that will both support the organization and career growth of the individual.

As an individual, if professional development planning is not part of your current position, you can create a plan for yourself based on your professional goals.

Professional development planning should begin as soon as you begin a new role, or as soon as a new member joins your team. Expect your plan to evolve along with your career. You should review the plan periodically to identify opportunities or gaps.

Steps to creating a Professional Development Plan (PDP):

Complete a self-assessmentWhat skills or opportunities are you interested in? Are these interests in line with those of your company? What actions could you take in the short or long term to pursue these interests?

Assess skill levelsWhat technical, social or educational gaps exist?

Explore opportunities Research existing opportunities and resources to add to your skill levels to meet professional goals and execute.

Evaluate your results Periodically review your plan and adjust for changes in interests and completed programs.

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Four reasons why you should plan and pursue your own professional development:

Improving current performance If there are areas of your current job that you wish to enhance or skills that you need to bolster, professional development can provide a great opportunity. Identify those areas that you might want to work on by reviewing your most recent performance review or speaking with your manager.

Add new skills Monitor your profession and industry for any new skills or concentrations that you might need to add to stay relevant in your career. For example, staying up to date with newer versions of software programs or learning social media marketing may help you become much more competitive in the job market.

Refresh, update and maintain Many professions require a certain amount of professional development credits each year to retain your license or acredidation. This sort of professional development represents a core need and should be prioritized.

Soft skills Often overlooked, but increasingly important, these skills include things such as communication, collaboration, adaptability, problem solving, and conflict resolution. To boost these skills, consider adding writing classes or public speaking practice.

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Professional Development Resources

To help eliminate any barriers to your personal and career growth and development, here is a curated collection of resources.

These resources include spa-specific and more general business learning opportunities. Many of these courses are online with low or no fees and you can pursue your education when it’s convenient for you. Others may be more involved, but investing in yourself and your career will have a big payoff down the line.

Wynne Businesshttp://wynnebusiness.com/

Offers a seminar called the Spa Director’s Management Intensive as either a live workshop or a self-paced online (12 week) program which they stress that this is not a “Spa 101” course. Their website features access to a long list of presentations useful for Spa Management looking for downloadable pdf format material useful for growing their skills and knowledge to the benefit of their business. Also, sign up for access to upcoming webinars.

ISPA http://experienceispa.com/

A wealth of resources available to members including courses, textbooks and training materials that and professional development webinars all available online.

Universal Companieshttp://www.universalcompanies.com/Learn-And-Grow/Webinars/

On Demand Webinars available (no charge) on a variety of topics including Spa Management, Spa Treatments, Retail, and Spa Greening.

Spas2behttps://www.spas2b.com/

Spas2be provides Advanced Spa Business Management education, available in 70 countries. Asides from certification programs, professionals can take individual courses (paid) or purchase educational resources. Their SpaEd Blog is free and contains great information for Spa Managers and Owners or any Spa Professional looking to develop and grow in the industry.

SPARESOURCES


Day Spa Associationhttp://dayspaassociation.com/education/resource-library/

The Day Spa Association’s Resource Library offers (at no cost) fact sheets, research, and articles on a range of topics from Business and Marketing to Human Resources, Trends and more.

InSPAration Managementhttp://insparationmanagement.com/

InsSPAration offers web-based advanced education programs, seminars, consulting, coaching and business development as well as resource material including manuals, books, and CD’s for purchase as well as membership options.

Spa Standardlearn. share. grow.https://spastandard.com/

Recently launched earlier in 2015, Spa Standard is founded on the idea of collaboration and peer-to-peer sharing of information and ideas and offers membership options for students, professionals and businesses. Membership levels determine the level of access but the site offers a selection of “Free Content” including articles and videos from contributors on a variety of topics.

American Spa http://www2.americanspa.com/webinar/archive

The american spa webinar archive is accessible free online to view recorded webinars on a variety of topics by industry experts.

Learn.orghttp://learn.org/articles/Which_Schools_Offer_Degree_Programs_in_Spa_Management_Online.html

A listing of spa industry specific degree programs available online. The site also offers listings of non-spa specific programs.

UCI Extension – University of California Irvine ExtensionOnline Spa and Hospitality Management Certification http://unex.uci.edu/areas/business_mgmt/mgmt_supervisory_skills/spa/

The link includes access to free webinars on topics such as Spa Consumer Overview, Spa Leadership, Menu Design and Development, and Spa Spatial Design

Online, instructor led courses allow those wanting certification to complete courses at their convenience. The program is geared towards those new to the industry as well as those already in Spa management roles. Courses focus on strategic thinking, marketing, operations, finance, and more.

The program is endorsed by both SpaFinder 365 and ISPA and the Advisory Board includes some key players in the spa industry:

Other professional development opportunities:

• Volunteer experience

• Find a mentor

• Work with a career coach

• Read business books

• Follow industry blogs

• Listen to podcasts or audio books while commuting or working out at the gym

• Join a local industry networking group


Lynda http://www.lynda.com/

Online learning company that offers classes in business, software, technology and creative skills. Offering a variety of types of subscriptions, it provides members access to a video library of courses. The company also provides German, French and Spanish language content under the video2brain brand name.

The Muse https://www.themuse.com/resources?tag_short_name=career-advancement

This career guidance and resource site offers a selection of free online courses including “Management 101” and “The Leadership Skills That Everyone Needs”

Master Class Managementhttp://www.masterclassmanagement.com

Master Class Management offers a free online management training and leadership skills course that teaches management skills, leadership styles, and the fundamentals of a mini-MBA business management certification program. It is a free, self-paced course.

EdXhttps://www.edx.org

EdX is governed by MIT and Harvard and offers a wide variety of online classes for free. They offer many leadership classes as well as courses on Excel and other computer programs.

Alisonhttps://alison.com/

A global online learning community offering free online education resources for the development of workplace skills, the site offers courses in various categories such as Financial & Economic Literacy, Business & Enterprise Skills, Digital Literacy & IT Skills, Health Literacy, Personal Development & Soft Skills, and Languages MOOC (Massive Open Online Courses) List https://www.mooc-list.com

MOOC List is an aggregator (directory) of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) offered by different providers. MOOC List is a website where you can find free online courses (MOOCs) offered by the best universities around the world. Cornell even offers some hospitality classes that can be accessed via this website.

BUSINESS AND GENERAL LEARNING

RESOURCES

Saylor Academyhttp://www.saylor.org/

Saylor is a nonprofit academy of open learning. It is fully online, free, and self-paced. They have an entire section of courses on professional development that offers classes in time and stress management, customer service, professional etiquette, and more.

OpenLearninghttps://www.openlearning.com/

OpenLearning offers a variety of free online courses. What is unique about OpenLearning is that it is very interactive. You can join activities, share ideas, and talk to other students throughout the world. OpenLearning provides a great networking opportunity with like-minded individuals.

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DuoLingohttps://www.duolingo.com

Does your hotel or spa have guests from throughout the world? DuoLingo is a completely free website that teaches foreign languages. Duolingo’s adaptive experience has gamified elements to make language learning more fun and effective. It is also available on an app so you can learn right from your mobile device.

Universal Classhttps://www.universalclass.com/index.htm

Universal Class provides high quality, online courses in a variety of subjects. They have many courses that will enhance a spa professional’s skills such as effective communication, customer relationship management, and dealing with difficult people. Classes subscriptions range from about $50-$100, or you can buy a yearly subscription that gives you access to unlimited courses.

Udemyhttps://www.udemy.com

Udemy is an online learning marketplace. They offer free and low-cost classes that are self-paced and can be accessed on any device. You can find classes such as hospitality management, customer service, how to motive employees, and more. There is also Udemy for Business (business.udemy.com) which allows businesses to create their own online learning portal to train employees.

Courserahttp://www.coursera.org

Free access to online courses at top universities and organizations. There are literally hundreds of courses and subjects available on Coursera, many available on demand, enabling you to access world-class education in topics such as business for no cost. Check out their marketing and finance courses to expand your knowledge. Specialization certificates are also available for a small fee.

About SpaSoft SpaSoft, from Springer-Miller Systems, offers a dynamic spa and activites management system, specifically designed to meet the needs of resorts, day spas, and medi-spas. With over 70% of Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star spas using SpaSoft, it represents the technology of choice for the world’s most luxiourious and guest-focused spas.

To assist spas in better utilizing their SpaSoft system, Springer-Miller provides online learning courses and a system knowledgebase. SpaSoft enables users to become experts at their convenience.

Learn more at www.SpaSoft.com

ATRIO SpaThe latest spa management system from Springer-Miller Systems, ATRIO Spa offers an innovative user experience that substantially reduces system training time. Built for the cloud, ATRIO Spa is poised to become the new standard in spa management software.

Learn more at www.atriospa.com

The Ultimate Guide to Professional Development for Spa Professionals© 2015 Springer-Miller Systems, Inc.

the ultimate guide to professional development … · the ultimate guide to professional...

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