To feel more secure in your career, you need to look out for new experience at work. Besides, it’s another way of growing in your role and also, develops your skills as an employee.

Seeking out ways to grow, Professor Alphonse Uworwabayeho, a lecturer of mathematics at the University of Rwanda says comes with a wider set of skills.

It is also great for work performance, he adds, explaining that if one for instance wants to advance their career, it’s vital that they prove to their employers that they are working towards their full potential.

And one way of doing so is seeking out new opportunities within the organisation that is related to their expertise. Any employer would want to offer employment to individuals who take initiative and want to improve their skills in any area, he says.

Uworwabayeho says one can do this by pursuing new responsibilities and experiences, without focusing much on the mistakes or challenges, as this is the best way to be successful in your career.

Henriette Niragire, a chief chemist says that when one is trying to grow as an individual, they can improve their sense of well-being and that actively working toward goals and expanding one’s abilities is a good feeling to anyone.

"This whole thing can increase the feeling of happiness and accomplishment, which is essential for one’s growth,” she says.

Sylvester Twizerimana, a psychologist says when you seek out professional experience; it plays a big role with relieving stress and anxiety.

He explains that knowing how to do your job well can lower feelings of stress and anxiety. This means that when you have room to grow, you no longer need to worry about barriers in your career.

"By seeking out new experiences and chances to develop your skills, you can feel more secure in your career in general,” he says.

Besides, Twizerimana says seeking professional experience also comes with higher job satisfaction in essence that when you feel like you are progressing in your career, you tend to feel better about where you’re at in life.

"One also tends to improve their confidence thus believing in themselves especially when it comes to doing things that may seem impossible,” he adds.

How can this be achieved?

Niragire says staying competitive in today’s job market and realising your career goals is important, especially when it comes to seeking ways to develop professionally.

She notes that those who invest in personal and professional development often benefit from new advancement opportunities and other benefits that come along with this.

One way of achieving this is by coming up with clear goals about your expectations, she points out. By setting detailed goals, it helps one create clear steps to help achieve those goals.

According to Uworwabayeho, while training is an important aspect of professional growth, experience and opportunities can also be important and for this reason, finding more opportunities is essential.

Here, he says one can look for opportunities to attend classes but also be aware of projects to challenge them and grow their skillset.

By taking on new responsibilities, you will learn more about your potential.

"It can also be of great benefit if one is willing to be mentored or simply mentor someone else. Mentorship provides advice and guidance to those looking to advance in their careers and be exposed to new perspectives,” he adds.