5 Questions to Ask About Choosing a College or Training Program

No matter your age, level of experience, or stage in life, it can be beneficial to your career to pursue additional education or to earn a degree or certification in a specific field. Often it can be difficult to negotiate this decision and you likely have many options.

In addition to ensuring that your program is fully accredited, you’ll want to ask some questions to arrive at the best decision for you and your career.

Here are five questions to ask when considering enrolling in a program at a school or college.

What is the cost and how will you pay for it? There are many costs associated with taking classes, including tuition, books, equipment or tools, uniforms if required, and graduation fees. You might need to pay additional fee if you must drop or add a course. Understand the total costs involved, including time and travel costs to your classes. And there is also the question of how you will pay for your education. Will you take out a loan, use money from your savings, or only take courses you can pay for at the time? If you take out a large loan you will want to consider the likelihood of getting a good job or promotion after graduation to enable you to pay back the loan.

Can you earn the credentials you need? You will need to consider whether you plan to earn a degree or certification in your field and whether that will be enough to obtain the job you are after. For example, many jobs such as a psychologist or professor will require you to earn an advanced degree. Be sure that you understand the field you’re in or the field you wish to enter and gain a clear understanding of the credentials needed to be successful in that field.

Are you feeling pressured to enroll? If you have a recruiter pressuring you into applying for a program you might want to step back from the situation and trust your instincts. Some recruiters or counselors are paid based on the number of students they enroll and might be encouraging you to apply for a program that is not a good fit for you. Trust your gut and talk to some individuals you respect for their input. 

If you’re a veteran, can you get credit for your military training? Some schools and programs will help you save costs, if you’re a veteran, by applying credit for your military training. Be sure to ask about this of any program you’re interested in as it can save you a lot of money and time.

What percentage of graduates move on to jobs in their field? Of course, the primary reason you are pursuing additional education and training is to gain employment, move to another field, or increase the possibility for a promotion. You’ll want to obtain recent and clear data indicating the number of students that are hired upon graduation, in order to make a good decision about whether a program is right for you.

5 Steps to Take After Your Performance Evaluation

Many companies and businesses implement a regular review process to evaluate employee performance. Employees often look upon these as a necessary evil to be dreaded and then moved past as quickly as possible.

But, like all aspects of our work experience, a small shift in the way we view and respond to the performance evaluation can bring significant value to our careers.

Here are five things to do after you’ve gone through the performance evaluation process.

Avoid defensiveness. This is a critical first step and it can help us take further action to improve our work performance. It is difficult to take criticism and often our first response is to disagree with the assessments of others, including our supervisor, or to make excuses for our failure to meet a goal. Instead, resolve to listen, avoid a defensive response, and take the time to really understand the feedback. You just might learn something valuable about yourself.

Get specific. While you seek to understand the areas you need to improve at work, get as specific as possible. It provides little in the way of insight to suggest that you need to improve your communication skills. What are we talking about here? Do you need to be clearer about what you need in your emails? Or is this about face-to-face meetings with clients? Or perhaps your manager believes you need improvement when speaking in front of large groups. Gain as much detail as possible to help you get specific about the areas you need to improve.

Take on new tasks. Once you’ve gotten specific volunteer to take on new tasks or responsibilities that will help you gain experience and improve your skills in the areas identified through the evaluation process. Be focused on those areas of the project that will help you gain new skills and strengthen your weaknesses.

Get additional training. In addition, seek out workshops, conferences, and other training opportunities to improve the skills you need to work on. Speak to your manager for recommendations, as well.

Set personal goals. Take some time to develop some personal goals as response to your performance review. These goals can be about anything from a promotion you’re seeking to some specific skills you want to acquire, or a degree or diploma that will help your career.

Taking these steps will help you gain the most from a formal performance review process at work.

5 Things To Do When You Don’t Get the Job

© Laurin Rinder - Dreamstime.com

You carefully prepared for the job interview and it went well. You were called back for a second interview and had been excited to make a job change when you get the disappointing news: You were the runner-up for the position. Thank you for your time.

What to do you now? Manage your disappointment, of course, along with continuing to crush it at your current job.

In addition to maintaining your strong performance at work, take the following steps to turn your disappointment into something positive and beneficial for your career.

Be gracious. When you get that call letting you know that you did not get the job be sure to be kind and courteous. Thank the interviewer for taking the time to consider you for the position. You want to continue to make a good impression by demonstrating how you manage disappointment when a situation doesn’t go as hoped. You never know, you just might get a call back for a future opportunity. Or your interviewer might remember you when they’ve moved on to another job.

Seek feedback. While you have the person on the phone, make the most of the opportunity by asking for feedback on your interview and the areas you seem to be lacking in knowledge or experience. This is simply for information gathering. Do not get defensive or attempt to persuade the interviewer that he or she is making a mistake. Your job here is to listen, take notes, and say thank you.

Fill in the gaps. Take that information you just received and put it to use. Sign up for a class or a training session to master the skills you’re lacking or seek out a mentor who can provide some counsel. Develop a plan to improve your skill set and get after it.

Widen your net. Use this experience to widen your network of contacts and deepen your relationships. Perhaps seek to develop a professional relationship with someone at the company you interviewed with. Find a connection through LinkedIn or inquire among your friends. Go to conferences or events where the speakers or attendees will likely be individuals from companies you’ve targeted.  

Be grateful. Flip the switch and turn your disappointment into gratitude. The grass is not always greener and many of us have made career moves we’ve regretted. You might have been spared a difficult situation. Turn your attention to what is good about your current situation and focus on that. There will be other opportunities that come up and for now you can master your current work and develop skills that will help land that next job.

Signs from Your Company That It's Time to Look for a New Job

If you work at a company or business, large or small, you might be getting some signals that its time to look for another job.

You don’t want to ignore these signs, or you might find yourself as part of the next round of layoffs.

Notice the following indicators in your company and it will be time to ready your resume and strongly consider moving on.

The company fails to meet its financial goals, loses money, or loses market share. When your company is not competitive in the marketplace over a period of time there will be difficult decisions to make. Often those hard decisions include a reduction in work force. No one wants to be on a sinking ship. This is a signifier that you should consider looking toward one of your competitors that is succeeding in your industry.

The company lays off staff and does not replace them. A company that reduces its staff frequently and does not replace them is likely in a difficult financial situation and is trying to save money. A company that is cutting costs and reducing staff is often a stressful place to work and the company may not be able to provide you with stable employment and clear ways to develop your career.

The company no longer provides you with an opportunity to advance. Perhaps you’ve hit the wall and there is no way to move forward in your company. This can happen in a small company with a boss that intends to remain long term or maybe you’re in an industry that prefers frequent turnover rather than offering opportunity for slow and steady promotion. If you want to move up in your company, develop new skills, and advance in your career you may need to consider a new employer to acquire the skills you desire.  

The company offers no training, nor does it provide support or funding for continued learning. When your employer does not value your knowledge and skills enough to invest in them with additional training you will need to consider a new position or watch your skills stagnate. Change is constant in business today and you need to have opportunities to continually upgrade your skills and knowledge.

When your company is sending you signals that its future is unclear you might want to take the time to update your resume and LinkedIn profile, deepen your network, and keep your eyes and ears open for another opportunity.

4 Tips to Renew Your Passion for Work

Yes, it happens.

You lose that passion and drive you once had for your job. Instead of getting up with enthusiasm you reach for the snooze button on the alarm, or you start to feel the anxiety creeping up on you throughout the weekend in anticipation of that Monday return to work.

Sometimes it's not easy to restore your passion and enthusiasm you once had for your work. It might not be as simple as taking a few days off.

Consider taking a look at things from a new perspective in the following four ways:

1. Attend a conference. A conference provides a great opportunity to learn new things and hear from some motivational experts in your field. It also provides a great opportunity to meet new people who can help shake up your perspective and see your work in a new light.

2. Check out a new podcast. This can be particularly useful if you have a long commute or spend some time at the gym. There are so many incredibly useful and interesting podcasts out there that can help you gain new understanding of your field and the world. Next week we'll take a look at some of these and recommend some podcasts to add to your playlist.

3. Read a book. If you have time and enjoy reading there's never been a better time to find a great read. Head over to the library and check out the books on the new book stand and you're likely to find several fantastic books to challenge your view of the work you're doing.

4. Attend a special training. Don't have time or the money to attend a conference? Attend a local training session or an evening workshop on a topic of interest to you. Wherever you live, it's likely you'll find some excellent training or workshops put on by local libraries, nonprofit organizations, or community colleges.

Implement one, or better yet ... all four tips, and you'll be on the way to feeling more enthusiasm and energy for your work and career!

High 5 Weekly Career Transitions Roundup: 13 Simple Steps to Land the Job You Want

This is our weekly roundup of some of the best career-related articles, interviews, blogs, etc., we've read during the week. We share them so you have some great resources to prepare you for the coming week. Enjoy!

• 13 Simple Steps to Land the Job You Want: "Network with everybody you’ve ever worked with; connect on LinkedIn with each person you meet on the job."
• 3 Tough Habits You Must Drop to Succeed: "Being an effective leader will require you to break the storytelling habit that's happening in your head. Instead, separate the facts from the stories, and make decisions based on what you know for sure."
• 4 Ways to Make Your Employees Love Training: "The key is to not approach training with a one-delivery-system-fits-all mind-set."
• How High-Performing Leaders Refuel: "I am delighted when I see someone emerging from a mid-afternoon break because it means that they feel comfortable taking care of themselves and they will be performing at a higher level for the rest of the day."
• Using Social Media to Build Professional Skills: "If you want to work on self-development while working out, doing household chores, or commuting, that’s a great time to listen to the podcasts you’ve discovered."

5 Things to Consider Before You Take a New Job

Each person has some specific criteria they consider when looking for a new job, and sometimes we feel like we can't afford to be picky so we take the first thing that comes along. Bills are mounting or we've been turned down for other opportunities.

However, when possible, consider the following five things before taking a new job:

1. Advancement: Do you have opportunities to advance in this new position or will you quickly feel stuck? You might not want to take a job that will soon have you needing to look elsewhere.

2. Training. Does the new job provide opportunities for additional training or education? The world of work is changing rapidly and you'll want to be in a position that affords you the opportunities to keep up with the latest trends, technologies, and ideas.

3. Commute. Are you taking a job that will require you to drive for an hour or two, or can you take public transit to get there? You might reconsider taking a job that will require you to spend long hours in your car, not to mention spending large sums in gas.

4. Culture and values. What is the company culture like, and what does the company truly value? Are they committed to their employees and provide them with the tools and the culture to do the job well?

5. Leadership. Does the company have effective and approachable leadership? And does that leadership value input from its employees?

These are some of the questions you might want answered to your satisfaction before taking that next job.

High 5 Weekly Career Transitions Roundup

This is our weekly roundup of some of the best career-related articles, interviews, blogs, etc., we've read during the week. We share these every weekend so you have some great resources to prepare you for the coming week. Enjoy!

1. 5 Techie Tools Every Job Seeker Should Use
"Technology provides the tools to make life easier, however, they are not the quick fix to getting a job. These tools will improve upon the job-search strategies you're already using."

2. 5 Career Training Tips Inspired by Olympic Athletes 
"Olympic athletes have an array of mentors, from coaches to physical therapists and expert analysts. Seek out peers and influential colleagues to learn more about your company, line of work or industry when you need help."

© Bellemedia | Stock Free Images & Dreamstime Stock Photos 

3. 5 Lessons the Presidential Campaign Teaches Us About Getting a Job
"While most of us won't experience anything near this level of intensity in our own job-search efforts, we can still learn quite a bit from watching the candidates as they make their way through the process of trying to get the country's most important job."

4. 5 Questions Great Job Candidates Ask
"Great candidates want to know what truly makes a difference. They know helping the company succeed means they succeed as well."

5. Colleagues Complaining? Why You Need to Tune it Out  
"It's clear that constant exposure to complaints will reinforce negative thinking, and your behavior is likely to change to fit those negative perceptions."