Is a Degree Worth What You Pay for It?
Hell no. I can honestly say that financially speaking, my college education has given me the worst return on investment. I've invested in myself in other ways for a lot less money and headache and seen greater results. My writing skills have improved drastically and that is great for me as a professional resume writer now but what about the years spent prior to finding my calling (I've only recently reached the other side of the rainbow by the way)? When you have bills in your face today, you don't have time to wait to qualify for a job. You need a job NOW and one that pays. With student loan and credit card debt, this is even more true for most recent college grads.
Technical school is the way to go. I even ended up at multiple specialized schools before discovering human resources and security. My professional background is in both of these fields and I currently work in both of them. Employers don't give a rats bottom about a degree. They care about training/education and experience that is specific to the job you are applying for. I remember being fed crap in high school about a college education leading to more money over time. Based on personal experience, industry specific education is more important and will help you get a job a faster.
I'm not discouraging those who decided to attend a four year university, especially if this is your dream. It was mine too. Just be smart about it. You don't have to go into obscene amounts of debt. Think about what's going to happen after graduation. Pick a speciality. Get as many internships and jobs as you possibly can (have them be in a concentrated field if possible) to list on your resume.
If you are like me and majored in something general (I was an English Major) figure out how to take those skills and apply them to something specific. Security officers have to be good writers because they have to be able to effectively report incidents. Resume writers are specialized writers. These two career paths have been excellent choices for me because of these characteristics (among others). Specialize, specialize, specialize.
That's It for Now,
Kimmy B.
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