To keep the paces with others in the professional environment, communication skills with peers are a crucial part of CPD. In addition, delivery of professional ideas and services to the clients cannot be possible without effective conversions of complicated business ideas into languages understood by the public.

Therefore, in addition to the enhanced understanding of business practices covered in year 1, it is further extended in year 2 to effectively convey these ideas to different audiences, which involves the ability to resolve potential arguments by thinking from the perspective of others.

In terms of public speech and presentation skills covered in year 1, formality becomes less of the focus, while the primary concern shifts to the analysis of the target audience, as well as the most effective method of delivery accordingly. Another important form of communication is with the human resources personnel when entering the professional career, in terms of CVs and job interviews.

In the application of jobs for an IT manager, the different fields of application should be reflected, by slight modifications of the content. To further increase the chance of success for future job interviews, early preparations must be made. Overall, development of the diverse communication skills will generate positive influences in different CPD elements, which will be elaborated below in more detail.

In the past, I considered being a good listener and leading by example to be the only way to lead, which is only partly true. More active parts should be taken for a leader. Since the roles have different thinking patterns and interests, methods differ when it comes to the most effective way to communicate with them. It is based on the effective communication between peers, clients, employees,s and the public that leadership quality is established. With the acquirement of leadership qualities, teamwork will become easier with better communication between the team members. Being eloquent in the professional environment will expand one’s circle of influence, which creates more opportunities for career advancements.

In addition, the CPD events have shown me how to stay relevant and on top of the game at all times in a professional career. A career in the IT industry is ever-changing due to the rapid development of technology, making CPD effective ways to detect the latest trends faster and make timely responses to them. There are also new trends of CV drafting that emphasize not only expertise but also life experiences. Something that used to be trivial can play a significant parameter in whether the job application is successful. As the IT industry is closely related to the world, demonstration of knowledge in related fields, for example, extensive research and a relevant magazine subscription are more likely to catch the attention of HR.

Based on the year 1 session, the CPD sessions in year 2 focuses on the further development of communication, presentation, and cooperation skills. These events have been helpful since they combine to form the big picture of what skill needs to be acquired to build my ideal career in the IT industry. Building on the introductory framework set up in year 1, which composes of the basic elements of CPD, the events in year 2 manage to go further in-depth on connecting the concepts with reality.

Firstly, an assessment of the previous successes in CPD is made to indicate the overall progress. Secondly, based on the achievements, more specific and refined goal were being generated. For example, instead of a career as an IT manager determined in year 1, year 2 further helps in determining what specific areas of application will be the focus. Thirdly, after zoom in on the target, self-assessments are needed to find out which areas are unfamiliar and need more effort. In addition to the level of expertise required by the major of information technology, knowledge of the area of interest, or application, must also be acquired. These are crucial steps before making the actual efforts in the acquirements of the knowledge.

There are several aspects that need to be enhanced following the CPD guidance. In terms of communication skills, there is no better way of improvement through practices. To foster the leadership quality and communication skills in me, enrolment in volunteering projects that require people from different backgrounds to work together would be helpful. Plans to travel to different countries and cultures are also helpful in fostering open-mindedness, which is crucial for ineffective communication.

In addition to fostering communication skills, the acquirement of background knowledge useful for the interview and future career is equally important. Through self-management, odd pieces of time can be used for learning. The contents of such learning are not necessarily complex and specialized all the time. Instead, interesting and relevant elements can be added to broaden my view. Popular tools used by the IT industry in the field of interest should also be familiarized.

It is already a substantial step forward, to know the names and functions of the most frequently used software in the industry. Such information will give me an early start when it comes to learning to use these tools in my career. Also, this knowledge will impress the interviewer by showing an understanding of professionalism in the IT industry.