Getting a degree often can take longer than expected–and still leave you wondering what to do next. That’s the case for John Lasse, 49, who has made three attempts to get his bachelor’s degree and is finally about to finish it the fourth time around.
In 1997, after 12 years working as a territory manager in the lawn-care industry, Lasse went back to school at Northeastern Illinois University to get a bachelor’s degree. He now has just five electives to finish before he earns his English degree with a minor in communications, areas he chose because he was told they were versatile.
Because Lasse has been in school for the past five years, he has supported himself with part-time jobs in lawn care and as an aide at a Montessori school that served hearing-impaired children, which he found both meaningful and stimulating.
Now he has a two-fold employment goal. He eventually wants to find a job that will let him use his degree and also be fulfilling. But he also has to find a job right now to get through the rest of school. He is hoping such a job would allow him to eventually move up and utilize his English degree.
Lasse says he has thought about teaching, thanks to his Montessori experience, but is also thinking of going for a master’s degree in English at night.
His 26 years in the workplace have included stints as an insurance rater and a paramedic. In his lawn-care position, Lasse developed an expertise in planned health care for trees, diagnosing problems and recommending corrective measures.
How can Lasse capitalize on his prior experience and find a job with a future?
“Lasse wants to be paid to do something he enjoys and is good at, but needs to know what that is. He seems to be someone who finds nurturing and care rewarding and will value doing the kinds of things or achieving results that impact or help other people,” said Howard Campbell, vice president and career management consultant at the Philadelphia-based Right Management Consultants, a career transition and organizational consulting firm.
Lasse should keep his interests and goals in mind as he begins to explore options now for his future career.
“He probably has several good networks to mine since he knows people from his former jobs, other students and his teachers,” Campbell said. “He should tap into them and identify the kind of people he wants to talk to . . . and get more people to network with through these interviews.”
Campbell added: “Teaching may be a good fit for Lasse, but other areas where a caring nature can be an asset include training and development or marketing an educational product or service. Talking to as many people as possible about their fields will give him a sense of the environment that will be a good fit.”
But Lasse’s short-term needs are more immediate, and Campbell points out “it would be nice to get a temporary job in a field related to his long-term career goals, but it’s not necessary, especially since he needs to generate income.
“He can look at a marketing or sales role in a service-oriented field, particularly one that has to do with horticulture since he has product knowledge and might be able to generate more money if he takes a position in the marketing, sales or customer-service side instead of operations management.
“But he can also try for a position as a teacher’s aide to gain more insight into education as a career.”
Campbell’s final words of advice to Lasse can pay off socially and professionally: “Get involved in volunteer work, clubs, associations and extracurricular activities that relate to your interests and give you the skills, knowledge and experience you can translate into a job.”
