As a mother of 4 children, I strive to help my kids understand the importance of a good education. I’ve been blessed to have kids that seem to love learning. There have been a few bumps along the way, but for the most part, they are brilliant kids, and it shows. They are at ages where they are learning all about how the world works. They are realizing that the more you know about the world around you, the more likely you are to make informed decisions about important things. The importance of a good education is particularly important when it comes to a career.
As I was walking to my office from the parking lot this morning I had one thought, “the world revolves around money.” If it were not for needing money, I would not be going to work. The university where I work would not exist. We would not be worried about making a good amount of money to have nice cars and nice homes. And unless you are truly lucky and win the lottery, the only way to ensure that you have a truly comfortable existence is to work. And the more education you have, the better job you can get.
The Importance of a College Education
I’m honest with my kids. I tell them that I wish I would have finished college. I’m lucky in that I’ve been able to get decent jobs without a degree, but there are some companies that will not even consider a resume without one. No matter what you are interested in being “when you grow up” there are degrees for careers ranging from fashion merchandising to computer design to marketing. And having a degree will help you get ahead in your chosen line of work.
Don’t Allow Yourself to Get “Stuck” in Your Career
If you are interested in career advancement, recognize that for the most part, no movement in your career could be because of skills that you do not have. And it could be due to a lack of a degree. We are often reluctant to admit to ourselves that the reason we are not doing as well as we believe we should in our careers may be due to the knowledge that we do not have. It could be technical knowledge or something harder to pinpoint, perhaps an inability to know how to close a sale, make a convincing presentation or even just an inability to communicate clearly in writing.
Don’t Be Afraid to Go Back to School
It is never too late to better yourself. I’m over 40 (surprise, surprise), but I often think about it. It’s not too late to learn new skills or even go back to school. It is something that I’ve been considering for quite awhile. Whether you still need to get your Bachelor’s degree, or you are considering getting an MBA going back to school could give you the kick in the butt and the know-how to advance your career. Many companies realize this and help their employees by offering classes and even tuition reimbursement programs. Depending on where you work, you may even get your whole tuition covered. There are even some schools that will give you credit for work experience, which could cut some time off getting your degree. If that is the case, there is no reason to take advantage of it. I will be looking into these programs over the next few months and making an informed decision about going back.
I admit that I was not that crazy about college. But, that was 20 years ago. I am a different person now. I like to think that I’m smarter. And I have more focus (sometimes). This is the case with many of us. We have lived our lives, have families, and now realize that the only thing we feel that we are missing is the satisfaction of that piece of paper… a college degree.
Do you ever think about going back to school? What is your focus?
