I’m a big believer in lifelong learning and there’s a lot of research that suggests that lifelong learning is not only good for our careers but good for our physical and mental health.
In a recent blog post, I wrote about how returning to study can be a great idea if you’re changing career. It can help you get the skills needed to make a transition and it also signals your commitment, and skill level, to employers.
However, study in the traditional sense is not always possible, or even advisable for everyone.
Some of us just don’t have the money or time to commit to study. And in some cases, the time might be used better in other ways.
So, when should you rethink plans to study?
Well, the answer is a bit complicated because it depends on the person, their motivations for study, what they plan to study and the time and money they have available to them.
But I would say the following situations warrant further thought:
You’re a serial student. If you keep doing course after course and you still don’t feel ready to step into your new career or venture, then this rings alarm bells for me. Whilst certifications may give us credibility or new skills, there comes a time when learning needs to be applied, if you are going to move forwards with your career change. Confidence comes from doing and sometimes we make mistakes as a rookie but that’s how we grow. You can’t keep studying to avoid making mistakes. Because you will make them, believe me, whether you study or not.
Studying means you give up something else that is more important. This is tricky because all study requires some level of sacrifice BUT we want that sacrifice to be worthwhile. When it comes to changing career, you want the study to bring you closer to your goals, not take you further away.
When I first considered coaching as a career, I investigated doing a three-year undergraduate in counselling, with a minor in coaching. Whilst I’m sure I would have loved this, in the end I decided to take a 6-month intense certification in coaching. This meant I put my life on hold for 6 months and really threw myself into the course but after that I was ready to get going and coach clients pro bono. A couple of years later I went back to university and did a Grad Cert, but I did this having already coached clients and I felt like the learning had more context. I also had my business established by this point. For me, getting on with it and doing the shorter course worked well.
Sometimes you might be able to get straight into work and not study at all. Perhaps by starting at a more junior level and working your way up or by really selling the value of your transferable skills. It’s important to have an open mind.
You’re not sure of the endgame This is a situation I see more often with the undergrads that I work with, rather than mid-life career changers, thankfully. But every now and then I come across women who feel like they should study because it will give them credibility, or it might lead to something, or because it’s better than doing nothing. Study can be a big investment of time and money, so you need to think clearly about what YOU want out of it. If you are in an enviable situation of being able to study because it’s fun, then fair play to you. But if you start a Bachelors Degree in IT because somebody told you that digital skills are the future, and you find yourself hating it 6 months in then you don’t need me to tell you that could be a costly mistake.
So, what should I do if I need to develop new skills for my career change?
When I’m working with career change clients, I will often get them to do a skills audit. This will help them see the skills that they already possess and those that are areas for development. We’ll then look at the skills required in the career they’re looking to move into and assess what the gaps are. You can download my simple skills audit template here to do this.
Now for some careers, study is an absolute necessity. This realisation can mean make or break time for a career change dream. For those clients who can commit to formal study, this is the time to look at the different options and institutions (there are many and the resources below may help). For others, study just isn’t realistic, no matter how keen they are on something. This is the point when I would encourage them to think more widely about that career. For example, if they want to be a lawyer but can’t manage law school because of the fees and time involved when they’re juggling a young family, then I would ask them to think about what appeals to them about the law. What problems do they see themselves solving? For what clients? And what skills would they be using? Are there other areas where they could they use those same skills and solve similar problems? If their interest is criminal law, then maybe another aspect of the criminal justice system could give them what they need?
In some careers, where formal study isn’t necessary, there is a bit of wriggle room to think about the multitude of ways to gain skills. Sometimes this can be taking on new projects at work that give exposure to a skill, reading books or doing a short course on LinkedIn. Volunteering can help in developing skills and adding much-needed experience to a resume.
I often advise my clients to talk to somebody who is in that industry already so they can get a sense from them as to whether formal study is necessary and what routes they took into the career. This can be a real revelation for many.
And if I do want to study?
Bear in mind that not all study is equal – from masters degrees, undergraduate study, graduate certificates and TAFE to Micro Credentials, you should consider what you need to do to move forward and take the next steps in your career. Sometimes that is not always the longest course of study. There may be value in doing a short course, getting started in your new career and then engaging in more in-depth study later.
You will also need to carefully consider the time you have available, the study mode, the cost and whether you can receive any kind of government subsidy. When I’m not working in my business, I work for the careers team of a leading university and I am always amazed by the different study options available today compared to when I did my undergraduate degree (now I’m showing my age).
If it’s been a while since you last studied you might want to download a Word template I have set up to help clients compare different study options. This may prompt you to consider things you hadn’t thought of, like whether you can defer your studies if the world falls apart again!
There are also a lot of websites out there (too many) to help you search for training providers. Here are some of my favourites:
Course Seeker – for higher education providers
My Skills – Australia’s Training Directory – Vocational Education and Training
Find University and TAFE Courses | Good Universities Guide – searches for both Higher Education and VET courses (use the filters as it can be quite a long list)
And don’t forget to download that comparison table. You’ll be needing it!
Wishing you all the best with your studies, whatever form they take. If there’s anything you would like to discuss about further study, or any other aspect of your career change then I offer a FREE Working Mum SOS – 30 minutes to strategise solutions to your biggest working mum issues.