Tag: community

Alternatives to the 4-Year Degree

~ kmalsbury ~ Leave a comment

CAVEATS:  You know what’s best for you. Your parents/family should certainly weigh in on this decision. You and/or your parents know what you can afford, or want to afford/how much debt you want to go into as well as what kind(s) of school you can or desire to get into.

But we just wanted to give you a few things to consider as you make any of these types of decisions about the next steps in your education.

First of all, this is not to talk anyone out of a 4-year degree. We both have multiple degrees and are glad we do. I am the first person on either side of my family to get a degree.  We just want to remind you that there are OTHER OPTIONS out there if you wish to investigate them. Repeat: We are not bashing 4-year degree programs or the opportunity to go to university and your dream school!

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Community Colleges / Associates Degrees

The American culture has spent the last several decades (since the 70’s and 80’s) brainwashing everyone into believing that all young people must have a bachelor’s degree in order to succeed.  This is not necessarily true. And guess what happened?  A SERIOUS shortage in the skilled trades. You can find many articles on this topic in a heartbeat. Some are calling it a “CRISIS”!

Which means if you want a job as a mechanic, nurse, welder or electrician, just to name a few, good paying jobs are ripe for the picking!  If 4 years of college academics isn’t for you, you’re in luck.  Especially if you prefer to work with your hands, or just can’t stand the idea of a 40-hour-a-week desk job!   

“There are an estimated 30 million jobs that pay at least $55,000 per year and don’t require a bachelor’s degree.“

– PBS News Hour, 2018

High Paying Trade Jobs Sit Empty While High School Grads Line Up for University.”

NPR, 2018

Sources: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/education/decades-pushing-bachelors-degrees-u-s-needs-tradespeople; and, https://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2018/04/25/605092520/high-paying-trade-jobs-sit-empty-while-high-school-grads-line-up-for-university

Apprenticeships: Trade/Industrial/Vocational School

Alongside 2-year Associates degrees, we see a trend in engineering companies and the trades paying for students’ schooling while they work on the job. In Michigan, for example, MAT² is a website that publishes all the jobs that include training for high school graduates at specific community colleges.  What better way to get trained AND paid at the same time?

Here’s an example:

Apprenticeship Programs at Brose

“Our award-winning Brose Apprenticeship Programs prepare you for a career in advanced manufacturing by combining on-the-job and in-the-classroom training. You will earn your Associate’s Degree while getting paid* to work at Brose. Upon successful completion of the program, you will have a guaranteed job and highly marketable skills.

*Compensation can be a combination of tuition reimbursement, hourly wages, and a living stipend. Exact amount varies by location and can be discussed during interviews.“

Armed Forces:  Army, Navy, Air Force, National Reserves, Coast Guard, Marines

The military offers many options before, during, after or instead of a four-year-college degree. 

Maybe you want to go to college but don’t know if you can afford it and/or you’re not sure of what you want to choose as a career. (Or maybe neither of those are true, you would just like to serve in the military).  Definitely check out your options, including ROTC (Reserve Officer Training Corp) with your school counselor. 

Each branch of the armed services has recruitment centers where they can walk you through the process and answer your questions in a completely transparent manner.  All college classes taken while serving in the armed forces and after will be paid for under the GI Bill.

Over the years I have taught many stellar young men and woman who enlisted.  In 2016, I got the opportunity to actually attend Marine Educator Boot Camp in Parris Island, SC.  For four days, I lived and performed like a recruit. (I say “performed”… I tried to scale a 10-foot wall and repel down a building.)  I have total respect for the Globe and Anchor and for every single recruit that leaves boot camp as a Marine.  A life of service can bring stability, a vocation, travel and a brotherhood. You will leave with a competitive skill set that many employers need and want.

Gap Year, Peace Corp Year, Travel Abroad, etc.

It is very European to do a “Gap Year”, taking a year off between high school or college and your next phase to travel the world. There are some advantages too. The business Insider magazine suggested that there are five.

  • Accelerated Maturity
  • Improved Academic Performance
  • Gain a New Perspective
  • A Chance to Re-focus
  • Improve Career Opportunities

I say go for it! If your parents approve, you are street smart and you have friends and family you can crash with, around the world – DO IT!  Even take a few language immersion classes along the away and you can be bi- or tri-lingual when you get back. I didn’t take a traditional gap year, but I did Nanny / Au Pair in the USA, for the long summers that college gives you. That’s an option too instead of a whole year!

I am a huge fan of service projects abroad.  This type of work wakes you up to how good we have it.  Whether it’s a full year working for the Peace Corp or a mission trip to Guatemala to build a house, take any opportunity to serve.  It looks phenomenal on your resume and it’s definitely a connection topic in an interview or at a networking event. 

Considerations on a 4-Year Degree: In-State, Out-of-State, Community College and Scholarships

  • There is NO reason to pay out of state tuition for your college degree. Unless you have a VERY specialized major that you can’t find at an in state university (e.g. veterinary school, etc.)
  • Want to save even more money? Go to a community college for your first year of school, or take summer classes to fulfill requirements (make sure your credits will transfer before you enroll!) You must seek advice with a college admissions counselors and have something put in writing if you do this.
  • If you are offered a full-ride scholarship to a school that is not your first or second or even third choice school, please take it anyway for your undergraduate degree.  You will save yourself and your family $100,000 of debt. Then you can pay or finance grad school, which is a fraction of the cost.  It pains me to hear of a student who turns down a full ride because it’s not their dream school!  Don’t participate in the branding / brain-washing machine!

Warm regards,

Karen

P.S. Michigan students, A Few More Things to Know For Post-high School

Fact: “There will be 811,000 high-wage, high-demand career openings through 2024 in the state of Michigan.” (Marshall Plan, 2018)

Problem: How do we get Michigan students trained and qualified to meet these career requirements?

The good news is that legislation has just been passed to expose high school students to alternatives to a 4-year degree.  The high school diploma is not enough to meet the skills gap. Certification, Licensure, Associates degrees and traditional 4-year degree are all valid options.  In 2018, only 43.7% of Michigan students earned post-secondary credentials. It is the goal of this new plan to raise this to a lofty 60%. 

So how will this happen?   

  • Develop, retain and attract talent in the strongest, fastest growing industries
  • Keep graduates from Michigan’s universities in Michigan. Over a third (38%) of Michigan’s graduates left the state in 2017.
  • Fill the jobs we have open now.

High School Exposure

To expose high school students to opportunities in the trades, a go-to website has been created called Going PRO in Michigan.  This is an excellent resource that all schools now need to embed into their curriculum in the 2019/20 school year.

  • Education Development Plan
  • Talent Portfolio
  • Career Development Education
  • Career Information/Counseling
  • School Improvement Plan
  • Work-Based Learning
  • Job Application Skills

Here’s a way to get your Associates degree paid for.  The MI opportunity will offer debt free pathways, if you qualify through FAFSA.  See info below. 

Alternatives to the 4-Year Degree.

The Mystery of “Networking” Revealed

~ No Filter Career Advice ~ Leave a comment

For some of you (not including the extreme extroverts who just LOVE meeting new people), the word “networking” makes you cringe.   The purpose of this blog is to not only remove the cringy-ness of networking but also to explain what it REALLY is and to convince you of how important it is and, most importantly, how easy and natural networking actually is to do.

Here are three questions we will address:

What is “networking”, really?

Why do I need a network?

How do I start networking and build my network?

Here we go.

What is “networking”? 

(And, of course we will talk about what it is NOT, for clarity.)

Networking is something that you do… and a network is something you build… over your whole adult life.  It is a living, breathing, expanding process of building a community of people that support each other.

Networking can be as simple as talking to your friends, teachers, colleagues, classmates, neighbors, group members (doctor, vet, pharmacist, etc.)… Your “network” is everyone you know:   ALSO, your friends’ friends and your family’s friends, your peers’ and colleagues’ network of people. 

And if you find people interesting and you are a curious person (note that I did not say extroverted), you’ll find that networking can be easy and enjoyable. At the very least, it should not be difficult or painful, but you DO have to put yourself in a position to build your network.

  • Networking is NOT asking people for a job
  • It is NOT passing around your resume. 
  • It is NOT one-sided or selfish.
  • Networking doesn’t have to be formal or organized. 
  • It is NOT a one-time “event” that you suffer through. 

Ideally the people in this network are people that you’ve actually interacted with at some point, and you like and respect each other.  A network of people works towards the symbiotic (great word, look it up) support of the people around them. That whole community thing.  “Networking” creates MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL (there, I gave away the definition of ‘symbiotic’) RELATIONSHIPS.

Networking is about building mutually-beneficial relationships.

There are also many, more “formal” networking groups, industry professional or student clubs and organizations that exist for the purpose of educating and connecting people in an industry or business (or social) community. These can be fun and helpful. These groups are typically organized, run by a leadership committee, meet regularly and forge long-term relationships among people who are truly interested in their industry, staying up with trends, and inspire, connect and motivate each other towards success, both personally and professionally.

WHY do I need a network?

You are FAR more likely to find a job – throughout your career—by networking than by applying for posted jobs online. 

You should not underestimate this statement. 

Statistically, “70 percent of people ended up in their current position thanks to networking. Others say it’s more like 80 percent or even 85 percent.”

(source:  https://www.payscale.com/career-news/2017/04/many-jobs-found-networking.

The nature of the job market, according to Right Management, is that about 70% of positions are not posted online, but rather are pending, hidden/unpublished, created/opened for the right person.  Only 30% of jobs are actually posted online.

Personally, I’ve held about eight jobs in my career (and interviewed for another 25) and most I heard about through “the grapevine” (my network) or someone specifically referred me (or a recruiter called me).  I rarely, if ever, interviewed for any job that I applied for online.

More importantly, since leaving my job and starting my freelancing business earlier this year, I’ve received ALL of my work through friends’ and former colleagues’ referrals of me to others. My wonderful network is coming through for me in ways I never imagined.

So, the point is, you are WAY better off investing your time in PEOPLE: meeting, listening and talking to them (and building your LinkedIn network) than you are scrolling through online job sites.

“But, Kim and Karen!’ you say. “I’m in high school.  Why do I need a network?” Well, who will recommend you for a summer job or college internship?  Who will say to a potential employer, “Oh, hey, my neighbor/son’s friend/babysitter/kid’s baseball coach is looking for a job like that!” Or, “Hey, if you’re looking for work, I know someone…” Who will write a letter of recommendation for trade school, college or graduate school? 

It’s never too early to start building your network. Okay, so…

How do you build a network?

Newsflash:  The good news is that you probably already have one even if you don’t know it.  It consists of everyone you know.  Your phone contacts, your email contacts, your classmates, your teachers/professors, your employers… What you NEED to do is try to capture that network somewhere (again, I suggest LinkedIn). Connect with all these people.

If you’re still in high school, your network is your friends, your friends’ parents, your teachers, coaches, church community, sports community, people you might have worked with or served on clubs and committees with. Of course, your bosses, which might be your neighbors, or people you babysat for or did yard work for.

Think of it as creating a small, simple relationship with everyone you meet. 

It goes like this:

“Hi, how are you? Nice to meet you. So, tell me about yourself?  How interesting. Could you tell me more about that?  How did you get into that?  Did you study that in school? Tell me about your career path.  I’m interested in _____.   Do you know anyone who does that? Really? Where does she work? Would you mind introducing me? I would really like to talk to them about how they got into that.”

Okay, so I’m over-simplifying.  But here are your objectives for networking: 

  • LEARNING about jobs, industries, companies. ANY of them.
  • Learning about people and experiences and opinions.  BEING INTERESTED.
  • Asking questions. Asking for advice.  Asking for introductions.  Asking for informational interviews. 
  • Helping others do the same. 

Here are some critical networking statements: 

  • “How did you get your job in ____?  Could you tell me a little about your career path?”
  • “What do you like most about your job? What is most challenging?”
  •  “Do you have any advice for me about building a career in ____?” 
  • “Would you have some time to talk to me further about your career/job? Would it be appropriate for me to job shadow you or someone at your company? Would it be possible for me to come in for an informational interview?”
  • “Do you mind if I connect with you on LinkedIn?”
  • MOST IMPORTANT:  “THANK YOU so much for your time.  I really appreciate you talking to me about this!”
  • SECOND MOST IMPORTANT:  “Is there anyone else that you would suggest I talk to?” “May I use your name? Would you mind introducing me to that person?”

Remember that networking is a two-way street.  You can always offer to help someone else if the situation arises. (examples:  Write businesses positive reviews on Yelp! and Google. Endorse people and write them recommendations on LinkedIn.  Refer employees.  Send an interesting article. Offer THEIR kid an informational interview or to job shadow YOU once you have a job.)

There you have it.  Networking is a life-long process and it is very valuable to invest in.

Think of networking like professional (and sometimes personal) karma.
If it’s sincere, you get back what you put out into the universe.

Karma or not, rather than intimidating and painful, networking should be informative and enjoyable. And trust us when we say it will pay off for you over the long run… and the very long run.

The Mystery of Networking.