Committing to your career means understanding when your current skillset has been pushed to their limits. Yes, you can learn a lot on the job search advice, and in some cases, you might even know how to handle more advanced positions on the career ladder. The issue arises when you need formal qualifications to advance, or your employers prefer to hire those with MBAs or specialized Masters for higher position roles, in order to bring in a new perspective.
These obstacles exist for everyone, and if you are in a career that has them, it is not time to lament how unfair it is, but to take up the opportunity to further your career and yourself.
In today’s world, you don’t even need to take time off your job to go back to school. You can instead take on both and further both your skills and your education all at once with an online degree. You can even start to put what you have learned to work at your job from day one, allowing you to demonstrate your value and your knowledge right away.
A Masters is not necessary for every career. In others, however, it is a prerequisite. If you have reached a point where you realize obtaining your Masters is the way to go, then follow this guide so that you may get the most out of the experience:
Choose a Degree That Will Further Your Career
There are degrees for everything, but not all of them will give you the practical experience and knowledge that can be put to use towards your career.
Wait to Choose a Masters
Always wait to choose a Masters. Instead, work to get an entry-level position in the industry you want to work for and try to work your way up the old fashioned way. (alignlife.com) Having a Masters will start to work in your favor higher up the corporate ladder, so take the time to figure out which career path you want to take, so that when it comes time to choose a degree you know which skills you want to develop.
Characteristics of a Great Masters
To help you choose a great Master’s program, ensure your options have these characteristics:
Practical Based
A great Masters is one that offers a unique specialization in your field. If you are an engineer, for example, then the best way to move up the corporate ladder is to start to apply for managerial roles and higher. By committing to a specialized MBA like this online Engineering management degree, you can learn academic-level theory and industry-specific skills that will take you far.
Able to Be Used Towards Work Towards a Second Degree
Another great characteristic to look for in your degree is the ability to apply the courses you have already completed towards a second degree. With that EMES degree, for example, you can take just four more courses and also obtain an MBA in Ghana.
This double focus will show employers and board members that when it comes to a talented engineer that has a business focus, you are at the top of your class.
From a Top University
If you can, try to choose a top university. They have greater resources available to their students, and also have the added benefit of being impressive on a resume.
How to Make Full Use of Your Learning
Once you have enrolled, you will want to make full use of your learning and solidify what you have learned by using these tactics.
- Commit to Your Education Every Day
- Read All of the Recommended Reading
- Create Detailed Notes and Put Them to Use
- Start Applying What You Learn Immediately
How to Continue Learning and Developing Skills After Your Degree
Your education once you have completed your degree is not and never will be done. By committing to a lifelong learning approach, you can always stay at the top of your field.
Reading Opportunities
- Books
- Academic Journals
- Industry Magazines
Listening Opportunities
- Podcasts
- Industry Talks and Workshops
- Podcasts
Networking Opportunities
- Events and Conferences
How to Take What You Know and Apply it To Your Career
To put your learning efforts to good work, you will want to use these top three strategies to both solidify what you know and to make it work towards your career progression:
Offer Creative Solutions at Work
The point of choosing a practical-based degree is that it should start to give you real skills that you can apply right from the beginning. Though you shouldn’t jump the gun, don’t be afraid to use what you learn at work. Offer creative solutions that put you as a someone who knows their stuff and, more importantly, can lead a team and do a better job than your current managers.
Start an Online Platform for Your Expertise
You don’t want to just rely on others to help you propel your career. By starting an online platform by creating a niche website and marketing it to those in your industry, you can put your name out there as an industry professional. Take this a step further and write articles for news and magazines, host a podcast or talk, create digital workshops, and more.
You can even sell these digital resources for a small price and create a healthy secondary income to support these efforts.
Create a Digital Following
Though it isn’t an indicator of how great you are at your job, a healthy, thriving online community can still do wonders for your career. If people follow you, quote you, link to you, and more, they build up your name and reputation online.
If you apply for a new job position at a different company, your digital search will be incredibly impressive as a result, and that’s if you get that far. More likely, you will be headhunted because online you are the best of the best.
Your career can always be improved because the industry itself and the technology that powers it will advance and develop again and again. Learn, stay up to date, and become one of the most notorious and experienced professionals in your field.
