The new year is nearly upon us. This is the perfect time to make a few resolutions for the year ahead while taking stock of the past year. If another year has gone by without you getting ahead in your job, finding a job you can actually stand going to every day, or earning more money, getting an education may be the best new year's resolution you could make.
Make a Career Training Resolution
Resolutions to stop smoking and start exercising are always a popular choice, but an education lets you take your new year a step further. Make a real change not only in your life but the lives of your family with a college degree or certificate program. Check out our top career resolutions for the new year.
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- Get real about your career. Do you love your job, or could you be happier doing something completely different? Setbacks in life might have delayed the education you need to advance. It's time to take a hard look at your career goals. While no career training program can guarantee a particular job or salary, it's important to face the fact that your lack of education is potentially holding you back.
- Earn the paycheck you deserve. Even a short associate degree program can mean a huge jump in salary. Physical therapist aides, a position typically trained on the job, earned $24,080 in 2007, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. One associate degree later, physical therapist assistants earned $44,340. Many students choose work in the field as they train, increasing education and experience at once.
- Don't get stuck in a job you hate. Maybe you come into work late and watch the clock the whole time you're there. Perhaps you avoid work all day, only to find you're exhausted when you get home. No, you're not being spied on. These are tell-tale signs of a problem job, but education may offer a career that fits your schedule. If you love to sleep in, for example, training in the culinary arts could have you working late restaurant hours and switching off your early-morning alarm clock.
- Make a fresh start. Ready to start again with a new career? The prospect can be scary and exciting at once. If you're nervous, consider a shorter certificate or associate degree program. An associate degree in paralegal studies, for example, can train you to work as a paralegal in a couple years. If you already have a bachelor's degree, brief certificate or coursework programs may be enough to start again.
- Advance in your position. If you like your job but you're looking for more, career training can give you the push you need to advance professionally. Adding brief certificate or coursework training programs to an existing degree can give you an extra boost without much class time. For example, if you already have a bachelor's degree in database administration, earning your Cisco certification keeps your skills relevant.
- Match your training to your skills. Isn't it frustrating to see your less-qualified fellow employees move up the promotion ladder while you're stuck on the bottom rung? It could be an issue of education. Talk to your manager or someone in the human resources department about the kind of expectations you are expected to fulfill professionally before you can move up. In some cases, a brief training course may be the only thing standing between you and professional advancement.
- Explore new possibilities. Do you love helping people, but your customer service job just isn't cutting it? An associate or bachelor's nursing degree can have you making a real difference in less time than it takes to go to med school. Can't wait to get home from work to watch the "Law & Order" marathon? A bachelor's degree in criminal justice puts you in the action.
- Consult with the experts. Don't rely on your assumptions for career advice. A bachelor's degree program may be too much of a time commitment, but what about the wide range of associate degree, certificate and diploma options? Some coursework programs can be completed in just a few months. Start your search with career counselors, experts in the field and online sources to learn your ideal educational path.
- Make a five year plan. You can do a lot in five years. Earn $62,480 as a registered nurse with an ADN to R.N. degree. Looking to make more money in the business world? A bachelor's degree leading to an accelerated M.B.A. can fit into a five-year plan. Try coursework in photography, culinary arts, fashion design and writing before choosing your true calling.
- Love what you do. It seems like a no-brainer, yet people just like you trudge into work every day waiting for the week to end. If you're feeling trapped by a lack of marketable skill, an education can give you what you need to move forward. Learn what you need out of a career and become one of those rare people that gets up in the morning looking forward to a day at work.
Degree Programs to Start the Year
Job satisfaction is a rare thing. As the poet Robert Frost said, "The brain is a wonderful organ; it starts working the moment you get up in the morning and does not stop until you get into the office." With a specialized degree or training program, you can become one of the lucky few that actually looks forward to going into work in the morning.
