Earning a college degree is a milestone worth celebrating. The years of hard work, commitment, and loyalty put towards one’s academic completion don’t go unnoticed. The professional and personal doors that are opened as a result make it all worthwhile. Let’s take a look at where your degree can take you if you excel in school.
- Increased Career Options
Obtaining a degree means widening your career options. For example, each industry, business, or organization has to source a human resources manager to run staff welfare efficiently. This means that obtaining such a degree won’t limit you to a particular professional space. You can choose to apply for human resources posts in the travel, mining, education, or medicine industry for example.
- Marketability
When you apply for jobs having obtained a degree, you become more marketable. You will apply to a post with possibly hundreds of other applicants, meaning the candidate with the most outstanding attributes will be awarded the position. In most cases, a candidate with a degree is more marketable than one who doesn’t have a degree. Some of the factors that contribute to a degree holder being more marketable in several industries include the following:
- Knowledge
A degree represents far more than just prestige; it acts as a symbol of all the knowledge that you’ve acquired and will be able to implement in a work setting. Employers have to hire an individual who knows how to execute the mandates delegated to them. As you gain experience on the job, through training and practical execution, you make your way to becoming an expert in the field.
- Exposure
Attending
college exposes one to various backgrounds, cultures, beliefs and perceptions.
An ideal working environment is one that caters to people from different walks
of life; it necessitates people who accept diversity, and this attribute can be
picked up in a college setting, whether online or physical.
- Organization Skills
Acquiring
a degree requires a high level of organization. In college, you’ll have to
learn how to manage your time between studies, personal wellness, social
activities, and in some cases student employment. In the workspace, time
management and organization are required in much the same way. Having obtained
these skills through college makes you more a much more suitable fit when
applying for jobs.
- Critical Thinking
Having a degree, depending on the subject it pertains to, shows that you can think critically about things. Critical thinking is the examination of information, evidence, and arguments to form conclusions. The projects that are tackled across multiple working industries may be so complicated that many interpretations are taken into consideration, and you’ll need to be able to look at all of these as equally valid in order to weed out what does or doesn’t make sense.
Critical thinking is, therefore, one of the skills that are deeply sought after by employers. The aim is to hire people who can solve solutions, and provide new ideas to benefit the business or organization.
- Higher Earning Potential
Some
jobs require complex skills and knowledge that are only taught in college.
Candidates who qualify for such positions will have enhanced their college skills,
meaning that they’re deserving of a salary advantage. When you’re in a
high-paying category, you’ll likely have more financial freedom than you
would’ve if you didn’t have a degree, depending on the industry in which you’re
employed.
- Financial Stability
Once
you’re in a high-earning bracket, you become financially stable. In addition to
wise budgeting, you need good management of your finances. Some say that
control of your finances refers to being able to save enough for a comfortable
retirement. Others use the term “financial hygiene,” which is the
ability to maintain a reasonable level of financial security. For example, they
allow minimum expenses every month and pay for all living essentials, such as
housing and food, without incurring debt.
Those
who use a credit card, have a checking account, and are not paying for any
unsecured debt may consider themselves to be managing their finances well.
These are some of the skills taught in college, by having to manage your
finances while living away from parents and guardians. These experiences and
lessons are carried forth into the time when you gain financial stability due
to a high earning position, and allow you to keep your head screwed on tight.
- Promotion Advantage
If an organization is looking to promote employees, those with degrees are usually considered to be priority candidates. When you’re advanced, you gain access to projects that you weren’t aware of before the promotion. Promotions may come with elevated influence, which you can use to the business or organization’s advantage. You’ll also enjoy benefits such as housing, company cars, and paid vacations, depending on who you work for.
- Social Networking Opportunities
A
professional network service is an organization devoted exclusively to
interactions and relationships. The aim of forming these relationships is to
get access to working and business opportunities. Social networking can begin
in college social clubs, such as the debating society and toastmasters. These
ties spill into the professional space once you obtain your degree.
If you’re seeking a new job or simply trying to find a new career, your first priority should be to look at which industries or occupations interest you. Then, start looking at who else in those fields may be hiring. By staying in touch with others who work in the same area as you, or even someone in your field but with a more developed skill set and network than you, you can foster relationships and build career networks that will help you to get more new job opportunities.
In
addition to looking at which industries are hiring, you should look at which
careers are a good fit for you. After all, if you have exciting and relevant
experience or an impressive skill set, those are precious points that can help
you land a lucrative new job. However, if you don’t have those tools, you
should figure out what you have that makes you stand out. That’s where
professional networking comes in. Make sure to foster relationships and build
career networks by connecting with those already in the industry you wish to
join.
- International Employability
Once
you have a degree, you’re more likely to qualify for working abroad, because of
the universal skills and knowledge that you’ve acquired. Here are a couple of
advantages to working abroad:
- Language Development
One
of the most important advantages of working abroad is the ability to learn
another language. It doesn’t matter whether you’re from an advanced
English-speaking country or a developing country where the language isn’t used
as much as in other parts of the world. Even if you don’t speak or understand
the language, you’ll have the chance to communicate with those who do. The more
exposure to other languages and cultures you gain, the more likely you are to
develop excellent communication skills.
- International Experience
Another
advantage of working abroad is that one gets to live in a variety of countries.
This means that you’ll get to experience life in every country that you work
in. Therefore, it’s possible to adapt to life in different countries without
changing your way of life altogether. This is important, as many people fear
that changing one’s lifestyle will change their family or home life. You may
experience changes in your pay depending upon which country you’re working in.
- Public Speaking Opportunities
Public speaking is one of the most essential skills for individuals in any career. It’s something that will help you to communicate effectively with friends and business associates and will increase your earning power.
Public
speaking doesn’t consist entirely of reading prepared speeches that make an
impact on your audience; it’s also about having the right presentation.
Obtaining a degree requires having to pass several presentation projects, and
placing yourself at the centre of many people’s focus at once.
College
teaches you that presentation is the first step to any successful
communication. You must be able to convey your message in a format that will be
understood by the audience. You will learn that to get the most out of your
presentation, you should begin your talk with a great introduction. This is
where you state your name, and explain why you’re there. A good way to do this
is by preparing a brief monologue about your topic, to give your audience an
insight into what you’re all about. This skill will also prove crucial in
interviews.
- Business Owner
There
are five central departments in running a business, which are all taught to
those studying for a degree. This is not to say that every successful business
person has a college degree, just that they had to learn these dynamics along
their business journey regardless.
These departments are marketing, operations, investor relations, financial services and business development. The head of each department handles different aspects of the business and oversees particular tasks related to those aspects. You should know who heads each department and their respective responsibilities. This will help you to understand more about the structure of your company.
- Marketing
Marketing
is the department that targets potential and existing customers. This
department comes up with strategies to get this target market’s attention. A
lot of money goes into advertising, so its execution is very important. Your
marketing manager should know all about existing marketing strategies and ideas
that can be used for your business’ growth.
- Operations
Operations
are responsible for the technical running of the business, such as in money
processes. Without specific knowledge, it’s challenging to create tangible
business strategies, development plans and execution.
- Financial Management
Financial management is what makes sure of
a profit, or at least keeps loss to a minimum. This department keeps an eye on
the financial side of the business to ensure that everything is going well, and
keep everything within the company in-check. They also have to keep accurate
accounts of everything going on within the company. A financial manager must
have good computer skills, and keep track of every transaction accurately. As
you study for your college degree, you’ll learn basic financial management by
handling your day-to-day needs efficiently.
- Customer Service
Customer Service is the provision of
exceptional service to clients prior, during and after a sale. The perception
of customer satisfaction depends on how employees can adjust their personality
and attitude to specific customers. If customers are happy with the way you
treat them, they’ll tell their friends, co-workers and relatives about their experience.
An
essential skill to have in a sales organization is to be able to close the deal
on potential customers. A happy customer is a valuable resource for your
business, so having them is crucial. There are many other ways to market your
product or service besides initiating door-to-door sales or displaying your
goods at the front of your store. By emphasizing the importance of customer
service, you’ll improve the quality of your sales and forge a long-term
relationship with your customers that’ll provide you with referrals and repeat
business.
Customer
service skills are learned in college, but not necessarily in the form of
text-book learning. The daily and near-constant interaction with colleagues,
classmates, and teachers forced a higher aptitude in how you deal with people;
it helps people you to figure out which methods of communication are effective
and which aren’t. If you later decide to form a business, you’ll draw upon
these skills while acquiring your degree.
Conclusion
Achieving
a degree creates several career and personal development opportunities. Many
more professional options will open up for you, and you’ll be more marketable
when applying for these options. Employers want knowledge, exposure,
organization and critical thinking.
A
degree also places you in a high-earning bracket, which creates financial
stability. Promotion opportunities are more frequent when you have a degree, as
well as international employment. You may get many more public speaking
opportunities, depending on your chosen industry or post, and develop your
networking skills further as you deal with various people.
If all of
professional life is a game of snakes and ladders, a degree is that one big
ladder that goes straight to the top; that said, games are all about luck, and
a degree takes real perseverance and work. If you’re willing to put it in, then
expect the working world to welcome you much more graciously than it would have
otherwise.
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