By 2018, 60% of U.S. jobs will require post-secondary education [1]. The good news is that it is easier than ever to further your education without adding unmanageable stress to you or your family. Dr. Mary Hawkins, president of Bellevue University, gives her tips on how adults can overcome the education gap to achieve their life goals.
A recent Bellevue University study revealed, nearly 40% of Americans say they are not where they want to be in life [2]. Twenty percent want to make a career change, but feel they lack the necessary education. With competition high for jobs, many feel trapped in their current roles, and the American Dream feels just out of reach for too many people. But the tough climate has also forced people to reconsider what they truly want to achieve in life. Many have taken the opportunity to return to school and pursue career paths they have only dreamed about.
Choosing A Career Path That Aligns Your Career Goals
In reality, this may be the best time to rethink your career. If you are one of the 40%, pursuing a degree or masters can open new doors and make your goals achievable. The following tips should give you some ideas about choosing a career path that aligns your life and career goals.
Career, job – or something else?
Before throwing yourself into a career change, make sure it is your career that is causing you stress. We spend so much time at work it is easy to blame our jobs for any general discontent we feel. But is your current role the problem? Is it your career as a whole? Or is lack of job satisfaction hiding something else? Undertaking a career change is exciting and empowering, but it's also hard work. So, it's worth taking the time to make sure it is what you really want to do.
What is your dream?
This is the hardest step because it is a decision only you can make. But what do you want to do? Be realistic: it may be too late to become an astronaut or a star line-backer, for example. But some of those childhood dreams can provide clues about your future career. A physiotherapist, sports journalist, pilot, or aeronautics engineer are all still possible. It's about knowing yourself, what you're passionate about, what interests you and what your personal values are. Do a self-assessment to understand what drives you. It's OK if the answer is 'more money' – there is no right or wrong solution, only what is right for you. But take the time to make sure you're not moving from one unsatisfying career to another.
Reality - or romantic whim?
Look at what your dream job entails and whether it really suits your working style and preferences. Most importantly find out whether it fits in with the rest of your life. There may be low-risk ways to test-drive your new career: perhaps there are short-term or part-time internships. Ask friends and family: the power of networking could get you a conversation with someone already in your chosen field. Read trade magazines and visit industry events if you can. Check out the blogosphere: getting regular updates from the front-line could give you great insight into what it's really like to work in your chosen field.
Where is your education gap?
What qualifications do you need? One in three adults admit they don't currently have - or don't know if they have - the level of education and skills required to achieve their goals. Don't be one of them. You probably have at least some of the experience you need from your current role. Consider carefully what you have done to date and how that applies to your chosen field – you may be surprised about what you have to offer. Then you can work out where the gaps are and how best to fill them.
Choose your college with care
There has been a seismic shift in American higher education during the past twenty years. Three-quarters of students are deemed to be non-traditional: they are working, they have families, they have deferred application. Forget campus-set movies. The demographic has changed – and colleges are responding.
It is easier than ever to choose an establishment that can provide the education you want at a pace and cost that suit you. There are colleges that will transfer your existing college credits, for example. Look for a college that takes work experience into account, offers online as well as face-to-face tuition, allows you to take one course at a time, and enables you to plan your assignments to fit the rest of your commitments. Accelerated programs are available if four-year study doesn't suit you or your life. The key to success is flexibility and thinking long-term.
Regardless of the path you choose, you will rarely hear anyone say, “I regret taking the time to finish my degree." The hardest part is getting started – but now you can choose the experience that best fits your needs and your lifestyle, and greatly increases your chances of success.
[1]Education Dynamics, March 2011 Presentation titled: The Demographics and Demands of Adults With Some Credit But No Degree. [2] Closing the Nation's Skills Gap: Making Higher Education Achievable, Bellevue University, 2013 This is a sponsored post.This post was originally published at an earlier date.
Is your job search turning into a grind with no end in sight? It may be time to take a step back and reevaluate your entire approach.
In cold weather climates, the beginning of spring is a time to clean the house and get organized—a practice known as spring cleaning. Through the years, spring cleaning has taken on a larger meaning with people using the time to organize and declutter things in their lives.
For professionals on the job hunt, a little spring cleaning (metaphorically speaking) could be a great way to reinvigorate your job search. Here are a few strategies your job search spring cleaning should include.
Reevaluate Your Job Search Approach
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Make a list of the last handful of jobs you applied for and see if you can identify any positive or negative trends. Consider things like:
How did I learn about this job?
How did I apply for the job?
Did I earn an interview?
What was the ultimate result?
A lot can be learned about your job search approach just by answering these questions and identifying patterns. For example:
Negative Trends
You discovered five jobs through job boards, applied to all of them via the job boards, and never heard back from any of them.
The common pattern here is applying through job boards. This isn't to say that job boards don't serve a purpose in the job search process, but they have their limitations, and you can't run your job search entirely off of them. When you apply through a job board, there's a good chance that your materials will never get past the applicant tracking system (ATS) and never be seen by an actual person.
One simple fix is to research who the hiring manager or recruiter is that posted the position and email your materials to them directly.
The more efficient fix would be to take a proactive approach by putting together a bucket list of companies that you want to work for and start making connections on LinkedIn with people who work at those companies. You may already know some people who work there or have connections that can refer you to some individuals.
This is a great way to network your way onto a company's radar.
Positive Trends
You applied to three jobs via referral, were invited to two job interviews, and made it through multiple rounds of interviews for one of the jobs before being passed over for someone with a little more experience.
The pattern here is that getting referred to a job by a professional acquaintance is a great way to land a job interview. This indicates that you're leveraging your network well and you should continue to focus on your networking efforts.
The next step is to review the interview process and determine what went well and what needs to be improved. Sometimes the interviewer will provide feedback, and that feedback can be valuable. However, not everyone is comfortable with giving feedback.
Chances are you probably have a good idea about areas of improvement and the skills you need to gain. Put together a plan for addressing those shortfalls.
The good news in making it deep into any interview process is that it indicates that the company likes you as a potential employee (even if the timing just wasn't right) and the experience could be a roadmap to a job with that company at a later date, or another similar opportunity elsewhere.
Give Your Resume & Cover Letter Some Much-Needed Attention
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Are you continuously sending similar resumes and cover letters to each job opening with only minor adjustments? If so, your strategy needs some serious spring cleaning.
The reason why it's so important to tailor your resume is that throughout your career, you acquire numerous skills, but the job you're applying for may only be focusing on 6-8 of those skills. In that case, those skills must rise to the top of the resume with quantifiable examples of how you successfully used those skills at previous jobs.
Remember, recruiters go through hundreds of resumes. They need to be able to tell from a quick glance whether or not you're a potential candidate for the position.
While updating your resume, you could also spruce up your LinkedIn profile by highlighting the skill sets that you want to be noticed for by recruiters.
As for writing a good cover letter, the key to success is writing a disruptive cover letter. When you write a disruptive cover letter, you're basically telling a story. The story should focus on how you connect with the particular company and job position. The story could also focus on your personal journey, and how you got to where you currently are in your career.
If your resumes and cover letters aren't unique, now is the time to clean things up and get on track.
Build Your Personal Brand
Just because you're looking for work doesn't mean that you don't have anything to offer. Use previous career experiences and passions to build your personal brand.
Ask yourself, "How do I want other professionals to view me?"
Pick an area of expertise and start sharing your knowledge and experience with your professional network by pushing out content on your LinkedIn and social media accounts. Good content can include blogs, social media posts, and videos.
By sharing content about your experiences and passions, you slowly build your personal brand, and others will start to notice. The content could lead to good discussions with others in your network. It could also lead to reconnecting with connections that you haven't spoken to in years, or making new connections.
You never know when one of these connections could turn into a job lead or referral. The trick is to get on people's radars. So, when you're cleaning up your job search, be sure to build a plan for personal branding.
Maintain Healthy Habits During Your Job Search
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Your job search is important, but it's even more important to know when to pull back and focus on personal health and spending time with family and friends.
There are actually things that you can do for your own enjoyment that could help your job search in the long run, such as:
Grab coffee with a friend - It's good to engage in light conversation with friends during challenging times. And if your job search does come up, remember that most people have been through it themselves and you never know when a friend may provide you with a good idea or lead on a job.
Volunteer - Volunteering is a great way to get involved in the community and help others. In addition, if you develop a little bit of a career gap while looking for a job, you can always talk about how you filled that time volunteering, if you're asked about it during a job interview.
Continue to focus on other passions - Are you a fitness nut? Blogger? Crafter? Continue to do the things that bring you happiness. And if you're in a position to profit from your passion through a freelance job or side hustle, even better!
Spring is the perfect time to clean up and improve your job search so you can land the job you want. If you're struggling to find a job, follow the tips above to reinvigorate your job search—and watch your career blossom!
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This article was originally published at an earlier date.