Career Doctor Articles

With the kind permission of the Career Doctor, jfo is able to bring you a series of articles to help you in your work situation and longer term career management

Gaining Extra Qualifications

At this time of the year it is a good time to think ahead, beyond the attractions of foreign travel and exotic holiday destinations, and to contemplate whether or not to enrol at the local college in September. And why not, for the variety of courses that can be taken is quite substantial, and there is something for everyone, given sufficient imagination, desire and motivation.

In this article I want to discuss the questions “why, what and when”, and if these spur you on to enrolling on a course in September, then the “where” question will depend on where you live and the location of the nearest college to you.

WHY STUDY?

The fundamental question really. I might counter with “why not study?” In today’s highly competitive employment market, the best opportunities go to those who have demonstrated their intellect and commitment. A degree or vocational qualification measures both and tells the recruiter that the applicant has at least got the basic ingredients.

So if you have a degree or vocational qualification, you might think that you could stop reading at this point. But of course not all college courses are vocationally-based and many are specifically for self-development, as I will discuss later in this article.

Some people are simply trophy-hunters who enjoy collecting qualifications. I have met quite a few people with two, three and even four degrees who have become clients of my career consultancy. One would be forgiven for thinking that someone with several degrees has actually made their employment prospects worse, for what message does the possession of several degrees send to a recruiter? “Go figure” as the Americans say.

I am a great believer in the concept that someone who is studying a subject at a college in their own time and at their own expense has demonstrated commitment, self-belief and motivation. Moreover such dedication means that the student can use the studying as a weapon in his / her job-search. Makes a good line in a CV.

Before looking at the benefits of studying to help in career development, let us not forget that people study for a variety of reasons, and not only to help in their career, but to develop themselves as a person.

SELF-DEVELOPMENT

If your school achievements leave a little to be desired, then there are many courses available to study academic subjects at CGSE or “A” level. As a mature student, the possession of newly-won GCSEs will not help your career development, but they may please you and lift your self-esteem. There are many middle-aged and older people studying at this level, and good luck to them.

Many of my clients are, or have been, studying subjects of interest to them at evening classes. The range of self-development subjects is endless, just log onto Bracknell and Wokingham College’s website, for example, to see what is available. Try www.bracknell.ac.uk.

Just think how a course in languages, wine, philosophy or flower arranging could help improve the quality of your life. These may not help your career, but then that’s not their prime purpose.

Although at interview, most recruiters would give you a Brownie Point for attending a self-development course; its says something positive about you as a person.

CAREER DEVELOPMENT

As most people who read my articles are more interested in career development, let us now turn our attention to undertaking a course of study at a local college, with the objective of using this studying as a means to help you improve your career.

So all these elements cover the “why” study? Now lets turn to the “what” should you study. In a previous article I discussed the selection of appropriate subjects to study at degree level, so let us now look at studying for a vocational qualification. I am assuming that by this stage you have already decided what career you would like to follow, or change towards.

The need to have made the right choice of career path is most fundamental; for to spend a large sum of money paying for a course in, say, accountancy, and to then invest countless hours in studying and taking exams, only to discover that you don’t enjoy accountancy and find number-crunching boring, is a catastrophic mistake in my mind.

Many people study for a qualification because their parents have steered them in that direction, irrespective of the fact that the person may be quite unsuitable, temperamentally, to follow the career the parents followed, or want their child to follow. So, if you are intending to study for a qualification, please make sure it’s the right one for you. It might help if you have read my earlier article on psychometric tests.

There are vocational institutes that cover many of the mainstream careers. I am a Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development - which is the institute for HR professionals. There are many other similar institutes covering, for example: marketing, purchasing, architecture, building, mechanical engineers, banking, management consultancy, etc. There are also institutes for the artisan trades, plumbing, carpentry, etc.

There are some other institutes that offer a stepping stone into certain professions, without taking the full qualification. For example, you could study for the Association of Accounting Technicians examinations and if you pass, and gain the AAT qualification, that would be a stepping stone towards a career in accountancy, without taking the more rigorous examinations necessary to become a fully qualified accountant, such as CIMA for example.

A similar qualification is ILEX, the Institute of Legal Executives; which would enable you to find employment as a Legal Executive (like a semi-skilled lawyer).

An IT qualification is something worth considering in today’s society. For example there is the European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL) and there are other qualifications, such as CLAIT. These type of qualifications are fairly easy to study for, and if you look in the yellow pages (computer training) there are a number of local companies that will provide you with such training.

Alternatively if you have creative capabilities, then there are a number of courses and qualifications that will help you gain employment in web design. But beware, this is fast becoming an over-fished pond.

The problem with IT is that everyone thinks it is a golden goose, and that a lucrative career awaits anyone with the ability to operate a computer. Not so, judging by the stories I hear from the many out-of-work IT people who come to my consultancy and seek our help in finding an alternative career path. Sir James Goldsmith once said “if you see a bandwagon, it’s too late” and I think that was a very true observation.

Finally, before making a decision to study for a particular qualification, you should not forget that there are many levels of academic study, such as: GCSE, “A” level, BTEC, NVQ, City & Guilds, HNC/D, correspondence course diplomas, foundation courses leading towards a vocational qualification, as well as an appropriate institute qualification. And if you are really motivated, then a studying for a vocational degree would be one way of spending the next two to three years - or many more if you join the Open University.

WHEN TO START

The final question “when” is the easiest to answer, for it will always be NOW. There is no time like the present to make a decision, pay your money, and get on with it. Providing you make made the right choice of future career, then resolve to be proactive. Do some research into training providers, course availability and academic level, and then bounce your ideas off of several people who know you well.

If all the lights are green, then go for it. Sign up and put all your effort into gaining a vocational qualification. You will not regret it.

Good luck!

The Career Doctor is Eric Hearn, Chartered MCIPD and Managing Director of Milverton Career Solutions Ltd, Ascot, Berkshire, UK.

Contact details:
Tel: 01344 624383
Email: milvertoncareers@btconnect.com
Website: www.careerdevelopment.co.uk