It’s the information age, and the tips can be found in any women’s magazine, career-planning speech or college marketing pitch. Want to get ahead? “Get more education,” the headlines all implore. But what kind of education, and how much time and money spent on it is enough?
Often, some experts say, we load up on classes we’re not really interested in, just to feel like we’re doing something to get ahead. In fact, 40 percent of American adults engaged in some type of educational activity in 1995, according to American Demographics magazine, citing data from the National Center for Education Statistics.
But before you leap on the education bandwagon, it’s wise to do a little homework, experts advise.
Decide first whether you need skills or your resume needs credentials, says Greta Kotler, strategic planning vice president for the American Society for Training and Development, a professional association based in Alexandria, Va. A homemaker with a college degree who is re-entering the work force for economic survival would be better served by short, skills-based technical training than a management course that builds on her academic background, for example.
“You need to look at the skills and competencies required for the career path you want,” Kotler says, “then let the learning process follow that, because there are a whole range of ways to learn today. The most important thing to focus on is, `What do I need to know and be able to do?’ “
Kotler recently registered for a three-hour certification program in association management to complement her master’s degree in behavioral science. In her case, she wanted to pair her academic resume with skills directly suited to her job with the association. “We all struggle with this,” she says. “The (required) skills are changing so fast.”
Don’t let that pressure force you back to class, however, warns Sheila Rogers, program manager for Women Employed’s Keys to Success program in Chicago, a resource that helps displaced homemakers get back into the work force.
“Education is expensive and time-consuming,” Rogers says. “You need to clarify your reasons for going back. Because everybody else is doing it is a bad reason to jump in. And so is having an unclear focus on what kind of job your particular program will lead to.”
When possible, let your employer pay the tab. Although more working adults are taking their career development into their own hands and wallets, many companies still offer valuable educational help, from tuition assistance to short-term skills courses that can dress up a resume and make you more valuable to your current and next employer.
“A lot of companies looked around after a downsizing wave and said they need to pay more attention to the survivors,” says Clarke Caywood, chairman of the Integrated Marketing Communications program at Northwestern University.
Regardless of your industry, if you’re an older manager who has been downsized and want to appear technically savvy to potential employers, consider a short course in basic office software, recommends John Petrik, director of career services for DeVry Inc.’s Addison campus. Managers and administrative support people come off better in interviews if they feel comfortable using basic office software, including spreadsheets and other application programs, he says. If you’re comfortable with even more advanced applications, consider telecommunications management, Petrik says. Managing local-area networks is a field with rising demand, and is especially sought after in the Chicago area, he says.
Don’t fret if you’re coming from a general background. “Communication and people skills are still very important,” Petrik says. He notes that DeVry is enrolling more career changers than in the past, as adults increasingly look to the technical fields for their futures. The Addison campus, for example, grew from 600 students in 1992 to 1,300 today.
Finally, before writing a check to begin an educational experience, interview a school’s student advisers, recommends Don Collins, dean of Northwestern’s University College, which caters to adult learners.
“It’s surprising how many people elect not to do this,” he says. “Ask what the experiences of others have been in the program, what’s proven valuable to them.” And remember to let potential employers know if you completed a course while working full-time. “That counts for a lot” Collins says. “It’s a tougher game and it’s impressive when someone knows what they want and goes after it while still working another job.”
