This post is first in a series discussing the many ways in which you can work from home while spending more time with children and family while pursuing other interests. Please submit your stories if you are currently working from home or have a telecommuting arrangement with your place of employment.

This article from Squidoo, Legitimate Work From Home Jobs is full of great information about opting out of the rat race and doing so as long as you have an internet connection.

Check out the following companies hiring work at home agents:

Freedom Telework

Freedom Telework has a reverse bidding structure – you should have a business license and your own equipment. You tell their clients how much you’ll charge by the minute or hour.

Alpine Access

Alpine Access hires virtual call center agents as W-2 employees. Competition for jobs is stiff, however, they are one of the most respected in the industry.

LiveOps

Liveops is another BPO firm – you’ll be an independent contractor.

Superior Telemarketing

Superior Telemarketing pays an hourly wage for their W-2 employees to work from home.

1-800-FLOWERS

1-800-FLOWERS hires in specific regions. Their work-from-home agents are W-2 employees.

West at Home

West at Home hires home-based independent contractors, and they tend to hire on a regular basis. Again, because of their popularity, there’s some real competition to get a job with them.

American Airlines

American Airlines hires home-based reservation agents across the U.S. who have a call center close to home.

Accolade Support

Accolade Support also hires home-based agents to work on a variety of client projects.

Extended Presence

Extended Presence hires outbound callers to work on their B2B campaigns.

Working Solutions

Working Solutions hires agents throughout the US and Canada. Call center projects can include order processing, reservations, enrollments, customer service, sales, market research, technical support, etc.

Things to Consider:

Fees. Some companies charge start up fees, training fees and/or equipment fees which you are responsible for since you will be working as an independent contractor in most cases. I will cover the pros and cons of this in an upcoming post. Make sure that your cost-benefit analysis puts you ahead in a fairly short amount of time. For example, I wouldn’t pay a $550 set up/equipment/training fee for a job that pays $8/hr.

Time Management. While working as an at home agent last summer, I found it became difficult to remain productive since I wasn’t commuting and my work didn’t have set deadlines attached. I had extra time on my hands and I tend to work best when I am under pressure to meet a deadline. Be mindful of any decreases in productivity as you transition into telecommuting.

Company Culture and Expectations. Pay attention to company culture and adapt, quickly. You’ll save yourself time and unnecessary frustration if you’re able to figure out whether or not you’ll fit in. While you won’t have a supervisor in your face, you will be interacting with other work from home employees typically within a forum or chat room, this is not the time to talk with co-workers about topics other than work-related issues, keep it clean and professional. This is also not the place to lodge complaints about the company, do so with your supervisor or get advice from other coworkers.

Backup Plan. Working from home is a blessing in so many ways, but it can be a nightmare if there are cutbacks due to budgetary issues or if you aren’t making the arbitrary “cut”. This happens frequently in the work from home agent field so be prepared to pursue other opportunities should this one fall through. An emergency fund is key once you make the decision to opt out of the rat race.

Reputation. Check out the company’s reputation because scams abound in this field and Ive known a few people to give up a good paying day job for a telecommuting job that seemed too good to be true. Check them out via telecommuting forums and by searching online for general information and employee experiences.

Resources:

• Rat Race Rebellion
• Work Place Like Home
• Search Tempest (Lets you search multiple states at the same time through Craigslist)

Future posts in this series will address The Pros and Cons of Working From Home An Independent Contractor, Mystery Shopping, Securing a Telecommuting Schedule with Your Boss, Freelancing and Starting a Business. If you are or have worked from home then feel free to share your experiences in the comments area.

(Photo)

This article was published on April 14, 2008 and updated on January 30, 2011.  See old comments on the original post here: work from home

I consider myself to be a student of life, however there comes a time when you realize that maybe going back to school may be the best thing for your career.  A great education is priceless but for our purposes, let’s discuss a few things you should look at when deciding to take the plunge and enter graduate school.

Cost

This one is obvious.  How much will it cost you to return to school for the total time in school?  Will you take out loans or have you saved to cover all costs associated with returning to graduate school.  Make sure that you understand the real cost of graduate school.  Real costs: loans + interest, living expenses, books, tuition etc.  Don’t just look at the tuition and call it a day.

Relevance + Market Demand

When researching what to major in while in graduate school, look at the current market relevance as that will determine how much your chosen field is in demand.  For example, here in the DC Metro area, degrees in Nonprofit Management, Information Technology, Project Management and Psychology/Social Work are all in high demand.  Check the local job search engines and you’ll see plenty of positions in those fields in this area.   This is because the federal government lives here so there are more than a few contracting corporations to fuel the job market for the previously mentioned fields.   Based on where you live or plan on living after graduation, ask yourself, – will that local economy support your chosen field?

Starting Salary –> Mid Career Salary

What is the median and starting salary for your chosen field?  The best way to figure this out isn’t to Google it but talk to people currently in your field to get a sense of what the going rates are right now.  Sites like Glass Door and The Vault tend to give median averages which don’t tell the whole story.  Do your research by talking to people about current salaries right out of graduate school and mid career salaries.

Experience of Past and Current Students

This is really important!  When you talk to current and past students, discuss how they were treated by the administration and whether or not they felt that the quality of the education is commensurate with what they paid for.  I’ve always had good reviews from students so I am lucky in that regard.  However, when I checked online reviews of the schools I researched I would often get a different picture, especially for some of the for profit schools.

Years To Achieve Return On Investment

Consider the following:

• Lost years of productivity while in graduate school working part time or not at all
• Loan amounts vs starting salary
• Total amount paid back for loans vs starting salary and length of time expected in career

Is it worth it?  Crunch the numbers based on your financial situation and then decide whether or not it makes financial sense.

LinkedIn

This has been a gold mine of connections for me in that I was able to connect with so many people in my field to discuss their experiences in school, current career options around salaries and job prospects.  You’d be surprised how much people are willing to tell you as someone coming behind them in the field.  How did I get in touch with them?  I simply performed a search and most wrote back.  I even met with one woman for coffee as she told me about her experience in her PhD program.  She warned me against going back to school for a degree I do not need and it was the best advice, ever.

My Story

I spent about 2 years since the completion of my Masters degree researching doctoral programs trying to decide if it was in my best interest to do so.  As some of you may know, I am a licensed psychotherapist by trade and within my field over the last 5-10 years there’s been some significant encroachment of mid level professionals like myself upon the domain of doctoral level professionals.  In my state, we are can now perform assessments and other tasks that were once only the domain of doctorate level therapists.   So it was important for me to understand whether or not a doctorate was actually crucial to the advancement of my career.

It isn’t.

Teaching is something I was told that I would not be able to do without a doctorate, yet if I wanted to I could go back to my graduate program and teach there as an adjunct.  And, while I was accepted to a few programs, shelling out $80-$120k in extra student loans for a $5k annual difference in pay wasn’t worth it for me.  Insurance companies pay out $5-$10 more to doctoral level therapists and that sealed it.  I  also had to consider the years I would spend in school (4-7) and the lost opportunity for full time income during that time as well as the harsh reality that the increase in salary and total amount paid in student loans isn’t worth the “prestige” of having a doctorate.

This is a conversation I have at least once a month with the interns at my job as well as potential new hires fresh out of doctoral school.  They often regret the decision to go back to school as they were fed stories of prestige and promises of having dominion over mid-level professionals like myself.  Taking the time out to research this was one of the best things I did and I don’t regret it one bit.  Currently, I am now researching a career in cyber terrorism as it is something I actually moved to this area for right out of graduate school.  We’ll see where it takes me as I want to make sure the money I put out will be worth it.

(image: momlogic)

Is there a perceived loss of equity and partnership because a stay at home wife/mom isn’t “pulling her financial weight”?  Given the feminist fight for equality, should women make the choice to stay at home?  Will our daughters revolt when all is said and done?

Let’s rehash this debate shall we?

Historically on this blog, and I’m sure many other sites-the stay at home mom vs stay at home wife vs working mom/wife debate has been heated and at times unbearable to watch or read.  It’s one of those debates that stirs the ire of many women who feel strongly about their decision -to stay at home or work outside of the home.

When I started writing this blog, I was a graduate student with no real personal income.  Sure, I had PT jobs here and there but nothing really consistent that brought in any significant moolah.  This made me dependent on my husband’s income during until I began working full time.  At the time, I was OKAY and quite content with being a stay at home wife, but if we’re being honest, I was also quite nervous about “not pulling my weight”.  Not because my husband said so but I had a working mom growing up so this was new to me.  I had no real responsibilities and able to come and go as I pleased.  I made friends with a few wives in our community and we’d either go shopping or hang out during the days when I wasn’t burning the midnight oil on campus.

Since then, my position has changed.

Why?  I’m not sure.  Well, let me take that back, I do.  I love working for my own money.  I enjoy making my own money. I am secure knowing that if something were to happen to the other income in our household that I’d be able to hold down the fort.

This isn’t a swipe at stay at home wives or moms because I think we’re all free to make our own decisions around what makes us happy.

Still my position remains the same for women in any situation where they aren’t bringing in money on their own.  Where is your safety net should the other income disappear?

To answer a few questions that have come up and still do even now:

Why then did I think a one person income was more secure than a two person income?

I felt this way because we lived within our means and had a 14 month emergency fund.  If his income was no longer there then we would have the emergency fund to fall back on with no problem.  Usually two income households are stretched to the limit and living outside of their means and this wasn’t the case with us.  If one person loses a job then there’s hardly any savings and the other person must shoulder the burden.  Now, this isn’t the case for all 2 income households but have you seen the average US individual savings rate lately?

Why tout breaking financial ceilings but at the same time support women who stay at home with no job?

Because I can.  Because those women can and choose to do so despite what anyone thinks.  Feminism is about choice and I what works for someone else won’t work for me and I’m OK with that.  At the end of the day women have the right to choose what situation works for them.

Is it something I would choose to do today?  No, I don’t believe so.   Since that time, I finished graduate school and I’ve spent some time in my career.  The decision I’ve come to is that my ideal would be working 15-20 hours per week if I had a child.  Right now I work long hours on site and from home.  When I have kids I’ll need more balance and at this time (child-free) I don’t know that I would want to stay at home all day with my kids.

I’m sure it’s the all encompassing dream that some moms make it out to be but I know better given my day job working in mental health.  Being a mom is a full time job with no breaks and I respect that.  Luckily, I know myself well enough to know that I’d need more of a balance with my career and raising children.

My boss is a great example of this as she owns a business and while she does most of the work from home (I run the daily operations) she gets to be at home with her children (she works from home on other projects) while we make her money.    I’m not mad at that at all!  In fact, this is my new blueprint for balance when I have children myself.

You see, while I want kids, I also know that I enjoy the financial freedom of making my own moolah.  She is living my ideal of having it all- she is a doctor, married, children, successful business and she looks pretty good doing it!    Aside:  I really admire working moms who don’t let themselves go, I want to be like them when I grow up!

I’d love to hear your position on the stay at home vs working wife/mom debate?  Has it changed at all over the years?  If so, why?  Tell us below!

In today’s economy, we’re tempted to build our expected salary based upon our own needs, wants, bills, expenses and then sometimes based on our skills and experience.  However, the reality is that your personal lifestyle choices and needs are not at the responsibility of your employer and I’ll tell you why.

Your Choices.  Figure Out How To Fund Them.

During interviews, a frequent discussion is the cost of transportation, student loan bills and any other expense that may come up.  I’m here to tell you never to bring those up during the course of an interview as that is the least of your employer’s concerns.  If the salary doesn’t meet your expectations then thank the interviewer politely and walk out or figure out how to make it work for your budget.  Perhaps, you can get a second job where you supplement your income to make ends meet.  However, your employer cares more about their bottom line and you should too if you want to get the job.

Increase Your Value By Highlighting Your Skills And Experience.

Focus on discussing what made them consider you the top candidate for the job.  Ask outright, why do you want to hire me?  Once they lay it out on the table for you, add the icing by discussing in depth how you plan to utilize those skill sets.  This helps to portray you as a valuable team player who understands their worth.  As someone who understands their worth and it’s value to the company, you are more likely to have you needs met this way.

Focus On Their Bottomline and Use It To your Advantage

Discuss n depth, the bottom line and how you can help them get there.  When in salary negotiations, the concern is how you fit in with their goals and whether you can help them get there.  It is a mistake to go in solely concerned abour how you will make ends meet if the salary does not meet your expectations.  After all, being on the brink of another recession, beggars cannot be choosers and we simply must make it work or be without work.

How do you like negotiating your salary?  Is it hard?  Do you look forward to it?  What tips can you share with us in the comments?

Over the last year, one of my main challenges in the workplace has been learning how to manage difficult personalities.  I’m hoping most you can relate to this since it’s something I hear about all the time and having experienced this I understand how hard it can be.

In my line of work we tend to talk about feelings, all day, everyday.  My husband teases that we do too much of this but it is the crux of what we do.  But he does make a good point.  That being we need to draw a line between feelings and business as we can’t let our feelings and the need to process them cloud major business decisions.  Still, we have to find a balance between how we feel about someone and getting through the business of the day.

I could go through a slew of tips and tricks to manage, trick and outsmart your worst and most hated enemy in the workplace.  But, frankly, they all boil down to one thing.  Managing your level of reactivity to those coworkers who work your last rotten nerve.

Having read a few books by Deepak Chopra, specifically, The Seven Spiritual Laws Of Success and just being an overall fan of his work I remember a tweet and I think it really changed how I interacted with people.

Those who are defensive and reactive find it impossible to have healthy relationships

And, just like that I did some introspection and managed to change how I reacted to the offenses and more importantly for the purposes of this blog, the difficult personalities I deal with on a daily basis be it coworkers or clients.  I’m not perfect, no where near it, but I am truly more conscious of myself in difficult situations.  Plus, it’s an energy drainer to deal with people like this.  My aura is nothing to be messed with.

Is It Worth It?

Sometimes we have to ask ourselves is it really necessary to react to everything a coworker does, even it you know it is meant to spite or hurt you?  Now, before you launch into “I’m not a punk…I’ll put them in your place” blah blah blah, think about what’s at stake and who is watching your reaction to that irksome coworker?  No one can steal your peace, but you don’t have to give it away by reacting to each and everything issue that comes up.  Trust when I say that your boss is watching how you handle yourself and more importantly your enemy at work.  Stop giving them the reaction they want and the thrill of seeing you seethe will subside along with the need to be petty.

Everyone reacts at some time with defensiveness in order to protect themselves: It’s universal. Those who are defensive and reactive find it impossible to have healthy relationships. Once you are aware of what sparks your own defensiveness and that of others, you can make the choice to act and react differently.

Must You React In Kind?

The need to react to others in a negative manner is often about ourselves more so than it is about the actions of the other person.  Once they have you by your proverbial neck, entangled in a nasty exchange you’ve lost as you’ve given them your peace and power.  This person more often than not is struggling with something that has very little if nothing to do with you.  Muster up a bit of compassion and note how you react differently moving forward.

Compassion:  The Answer

I could tell you stories of how this has worked for me in the last few months but I won’t go there least of all  give you specifics.

But, I will say that things changed once I realized the bigger picture.  That is, the person who had the major axe to grind needed more compassion from me than disgust.  While I was frustrated on a daily basis, deep down I felt this person’s pain which predated the interactions with me.  I was merely a symptom and once I embraced that my interactions became easier.  It was easier to focus on the mechanics of our differences rather than the emotional part of me that wanted to scream every time they did something wrong.

And, like that, that one quote really changed my perspective.  Hopefully it does something for you as well.  Knowing this, hopefully it empowers you to react differently to offenses knowing that this is more about you and maintaining your peace than it will ever be about them.

Every morning I get up, one of the first things I do is switch to MSNBC to catch Morning Joe.  Now, while I enjoy the banter between the talking heads and pundits, I watch moreso for the commentary and “real talk” from Mika Brzezinski.  I truly enjoy her perspective and boldness.  Though I may not always agree, when it comes to speaking her mind on certain hot topic issues facing the country today, she nails it.

But here’s why I’m writing about her today!  She wrote a book.  A good book!  A book that speaks to the call for women to know their worth and value in the workplace.  This book was in part influenced by her experience as co-host of Morning Joewhen she discovered that she was paid 14 times less than her counterpart, and show’s namesake Joe Scarborough.  While she understood that Joe created the show and came from prime time TV thus meaning she would be paid less than him, Mika felt that the degree to how much less was staggering.  She tried 4 times to correct that issue until she succeeded and from that process and experience the book was born:  Knowing Your Value, Women, Money and Getting What You’re Worth.

From Amazon.com:

Mika reveals how these women, including such impresarios as White House star Valerie Jarrett, comedian Susie Essman, writer and director Nora Ephron, Facebook’s Sheryl Sandberg, and broadcaster Joy Behar, navigated the inevitable roadblocks that are unique to women. Mika also uncovers what men think about the approach women take in the workplace, getting honest answers from Donnie Deutsch, Jack Welch, Donald Trump, and others about why women are paid less, and what pitfalls women face—and play into—as they try to get their worth at work.

The premise of the book is that women don’t get raises or aren’t paid as much as their male counterparts for the following reasons:

1. We don’t ask for what we want at work
2. We feel lucky just to have the job
3. Women tend to focus on feeling needed and appreciated
4. We assume that as long as we work hard then someone will notice and due the job of advocating a raise for us

Having just transitioned into a new position myself I can offer the following tips:

Know Your Worth
Understand the skill set you bring to the organization.  Get to know a bit about your predecessor, out shine their strengths and build upon their weaknesses.  How will you bring value to the bottom line?  Are you a diligent worker and do you excel in whatever assignment presented before you?

This involves developing a deep worth ethic that identifies you and only you as the master behind the work your produce.  If not, then work on getting there.  Get to know the needs of your superiors and make sure that at the end of the day, your work makes them look good.  Mark my words, this is key.

Match Skills + Duties + Accomplishments
If you’re up for a review later this year or next year.  Start planning now.  What skills do you bring to the organization?  How do they match up with your job description and what are the resulting accomplishments?  Create a list that details this information in a detailed but concise manner (love the contradiction, right?).

Show your boss, what you do, how you do it and how this improves their bottom line.  At my current place of employment, my admins talked to me about how to ensure a raise from our CEO by the end of next quarter and I advised them on how create a Goal, Plan, Accomplishments spreadsheets which will detail just how much they have accomplished which increases revenue and value.  We check in about this on a weekly basis so this motivates them to work towards a tangible goal.

Stop Apologizing For Who You Are!
Paralyzing Phrases:  Do You Use Them?  An example of this is ”I’m sorry, I know it’s not a good time to ask for a raise“.  Trust me, unless your company is about to file for bankruptcy or is selling of assets to make payroll it’s always a good time.  It’s just a matter of knowing your worth but also working with your company on the amount just in case they are in financial trouble.

But sometimes we cut ourselves off at the knees when we shirk value by apologizing for who we are so that we can be liked! This is business.  Not a PTA meeting.  Ask for what you want.  Even if you don’t get it, this will be an awesome exercise in asserting who you are and what you are worth.  Even if they don’t pay attention now, someone will down the road.  Believe that.

Aside:  I just love the cover of her book!  She is WERKING IT!

How are you proving your value in the workplace?  What can you improve upon and where are you shirking your value to those in the position to grant you the raise you want?

photo credit: ?

One of the most interesting lessons I’ve learned recently is how to make yourself indispensable to an organization while making your boss look good.  This my friends is key to making yourself valuable.  Some of you may think it’s not your job to make anyone look good, this post isn’t for you.  For the rest of you who want to keep your job in this economy?  Read on.

Work ethic seems to be something missing from today’s generation.  I often hear about what people will and won’t do at their jobs because they hate their bosses or because they just plain won’t do it.  The following tips will help you get out of reverse as it relates to your job search and/or relationship with your company boss.

Fix Your Attitude
Employers like to deal with people who have a positive can do attitude and if you lack this then it’s really easy to lay your  name on the chopping block.  No one owes you anything, not even a reason as to why they would let you go, so don’t give your boss one.  Your bad attitude translates into how you interact with your coworkers and even your boss and in a season of pink slips and dwindling unemployment, bring your best face to work or get sent home.

Be Flexible
Your job isn’t just about you, but also about the needs of the business.  I think it’s easy to decide that you’ll walk into your place of business, do exactly as on your job description and any deviation from it is met with a “that’s not my job” with a few bobble head movements.  Check your attitudes and intentions.  Stepping up on a task outside of your job description might make you eligible for a promotion due to stepping up and showcasing your abilities.  But you’re too busy working so hard to stay in your current position that you don’t realize that you will do just that or even worse lose it to someone else willing to step up without questions.

Be Ready to Make Sacrifices
Let’s say you’re working on a project but need to work late.  But wait, your girlfriends are waiting on you to catch up over dinner and you haven’t seen them in a long while.  I won’t tell you what to do but I will say that you should consider which of these options is enduring and which could be yanked away with the presentation of a pink slip.  Phone in a rain check with the girlfriends.

Focus On How To Make Your Boss Look Good (Which Means Feeling Good About You And Your Work!)
What is the most important thing to your boss as it relates to your job?  How can you make them happy by achieving these goals?  Even if you feel that your boss is impossible to please, make it your goal to become a diligent employee and own your work area.  Excel in whatever the assignment by developing a deep work ethic that identifies you and only you as the master behind the work your produce.

Let Go of Bitterness and Entitlement
After conducting several interviews over the last few months, terminating a few people and watching others give themselves the permission to leave (perfectly fine by me), I’ve realized that the common thread. The air of bitterness and entitlement.   I cannot tell you how much of a turn off this is when dealing with someone on a daily basis.

Understand that no one owes you anything but you.  If you’re bitter about your salary, job description or coworkers, move on.  No one wants to deal with your problems on the job since that’s a personal situation and this is business.  The less you expect, the more you receive.  We all deserve the best but you do have to show why you are the best by putting for forth a positive can do “get it done” attitude.  Leave your problems in a box at the door if you can’t deal with them in a constructive manner.

Question:  How have you made yourself indispensable at your place of employment?

Education vs Experience vs Entrepreneurship

The recession has started some interesting debates in my circle and I am interested to hear your thoughts on which of the three you think win out during hard times?  What has worked for you?

Education

A college degree is great, opens many doors, but with the rising costs and decreased worth because everyone has or has access to get one (funny how that works?) it doesn’t seem to matter as much any more.  I tend to think that the education system should be revamped.  Much of what I learned in college is irrelevant to my life today yet I paid 6 figures for it.  I almost feel like I could have gone from high school to grad school and be better off today.  Love my friends and the experience but yea high school to grad school would have been a better route.

In my field it’s worked out pretty well.  Sadly, there are more people turning to mental health treatment due to financial pressures and there’s just the ongoing need for mental health services.  I am a licensed Masters level clinician (therapist, counselor, psychotherapist) so while jobs aren’t necessarily plenty, it’s pretty adequate.

I know of a local agency who recently moved high ranking people from their positions because they don’t have a Masters and are now looking to me to take over because of the new regulations.  For example, years ago it was easy to get into a Director position just based on work experience.  But with insurance and state licensing regulations they were fired or demoted in favor of folks with the correct education and licenses.  So in my field, there is more of an emphasis on education.

Experience

I know that I just said in my field education trumps experience due to licensing limitations, however in other fields, specifically business, it matters more about your experience.  This is interesting to me but it seems to be the case.  I have a friend who was recently told by an employer that they would take experience over a degree any day.  So that tells me the choice is mostly based on your industry and what matters most.  The same goes for my husband’s field, Project Management.  They tend to be more focus on your experience first with certifications coming in a close second.

Entrepreneurship

This trumps everything.  Rain, sleet or snow if you are running a good business and are prepared for the times we live in now then you’re good to go.  Now, if you’re living in Arizona like the couple on Downsized with a contracting business then you might want to regroup.  However, I feel that entrepreneurship brings with it several pros and cons.

Pros

• You control your time, product, goals etc- it’s all on you
• This is your baby,your passion, everything you love and want to work on.  You’re not working on someone else’s dream while yours whittle away
• Financial benefits: there are some tax benefits to running your own business: tax credits etc

Cons

• Contrary to popular belief, you really don’t set your own schedule, though I know this is specific to your business.  The biz owners I know are always working.  There are very little boundaries, the 9-5 doesn’t exist when you’re working for yourself.

So this wasn’t one of those really technical articles about the topic, moreso my views based on my own personal experiences.  What do you think/feel trumps during a recession?  Education vs Experience vs Entrepreneurship?  Who wins?

I’ve been doing some soul searching lately leading to research around graduate certificates vs a full on Masters degree.  But, my dilemma is that I don’t want to go deeper into debt unless the return is worth it.

My answer?  Get started on a graduate certificate and get my feet wet.  The plus for me is that I found a program, fully accredited, even top ranked that allows me to complete their certificate online and the tuition is dirt cheap.  So cheap, I plan to pay for the whole thing myself!  I already have two Masters degrees and this field while related, will require further education to prove that I have the basics needed to succeed.

I’m psyched to say the least because this achieves my goal of getting my feet wet while keeping costs low.  That said, some of my research included reasons as to why a graduate certificate would be beneficial to one’s career.

Here ya go:

1.  Demonstrates initiative. You’re taking your pursuit one step further than most, this is a plus to most employers.

2.  Builds on what you already know and takes it one step further.

3.  Credits are often transferable to the attached or related Masters program.

4.  Strengthens and updates your overall skill set.

5.  Connects you with other professionals in your field giving you a new perspective and opportunities for networking.

6.  Gets you in the door for an interview.  This is the most a certificate or any graduate program can do.  Once there you need to sell yourself on why you are the woman for the job.

7.  You gain admission to a field you were heretofore not qualified to enter.

8. You become informed about your intended profession thereby grounding yourself in the basics needed to succeed in your new field.

9.  Minimal financial risk. Certificates typically require 12-18 credits instead of 36-60 as with most full Masters level programs.  Consider that once you get your foot in the door you can decide if you need to finish with a Masters or leave the certificate as is.  Alternatively, as you gain more experience and you decide that you want to continue, your work experience will bring real world to the classroom that you can build upon in your studies.

10.  Flexibility. Graduate certificates offer flexibility in many ways.  If you have a few interests but have neither time not the money to pursue a few Masters degrees then you can take the course online or even take courses from another certificate program while still getting the best of both worlds: flexible learning format (classroom or online) while dipping your feet into several pools to test the waters.

What a graduate certificate is is not:

1.  Trump card.  This does not guarantee you open admission into that field.  You must work hard to gain experience in addition to the certificate since the certificate gets you in the door.

Even better:

1.  Find a mentor.

2.  Couple the certificate with experience such as an internship or volunteer work.

3.  Find people via LinkedIn who are where you want to be.  The search and filtering tools are great to find people who share your intended career path.  Send them a message requesting an informational interview.

Have you completed a graduate certificate?  How has it helped you (or not)?