REMOTE and hybrid learning as well as remote and hybrid methods of earning a living have called the college degree issue into question. We’ve seen non-college grads earn like OFWs in their pajamas. And we can bet that you know at least one person who has built her dream home doing freelance work and side gigs and someone who has earned a degree but has been job hunting for quite some time.
So the real question is are degrees really worth the money, time, and investment?
Many Filipinos are quite traditional when it comes to education. After all, the world can only have enough dropout billionaires like Bill Gates or Mark Zuckerberg. And for obvious reasons, we want our doctors, lawyers, and other professionals to be properly educated and licensed. But for the rest, is a diploma worth the years, the time, and the money?
Having a bachelor’s degree continues to be a crucial credential for many careers. For employers, degree holders are assumed to have learned the basics about the job. It weeds out to a good extent, the qualified from the less qualified. Further, institutions of learning are awesome venues for professional networking. Unique professional connections could be had amongst fellow students, graduates, and professors. A college degree offers many advantages. It prepares the graduate for a specialized career, thus increasing the prospect’s marketability. Last but not least, it increases your earning potential. The higher your level of education, the higher you can expect your compensation to be.
So do non-degree holders stand a chance then?
Of course, they do! Here’s what everyone (degree holders included) should know.
1. Show up prepared and show up early. Know the organization you aim to work for and make an effort to know what job they need done.
2. Consider yourself a lifelong learner. Learning doesn’t stop when you’re handed a diploma.
3. Always consider your career path. Circumstance may have stopped you from earning your degree at the moment, but this shouldn’t stop you from following a career path. Keep your goal in mind because every decision you make should always lead toward your goal.
4. Value feedback and criticism.
5. Do what you’ll say you’ll do.
6. Dress and perform for the job that you want. Want a career in customer service, observe how the seniors do it and learn from them. Find a mentor.
7. Set realistic goals. Getting to senior management takes time and experience. Aim high but break your goals into achievable chunks.
8. Maintain a growth mindset. There’s a difference between: “I don’t have the skills” versus “I don’t have the skills YET”.
9. Accept that sacrifices will have to be made. If you need to earn a living to support yourself or your family, know that some comforts will have to go meantime. (And remember the sacrifices are temporary.)
10. Work harder and smarter than those around you.
11. Live your life. Not someone else’s. Comparison is the thief of joy. Don’t compare and neither should you compete.
12. Failure is ok. Make those mistakes early and learn from them early.
13. Be a team player. Fostering good working relationships with your work colleagues will help you get ahead.
14. Persevere. If, at the moment, opportunities related to your goals have not materialized yet, work with what you have. Are you an aspiring writer? Refine and develop your ideas. Pitch and re-pitch to as many editors as you can.
15. Ask questions. Discoveries were stumbled upon by those who had a curious disposition. Asking questions builds knowledge.
A college degree does get you ahead. But so do drive, passion, and perseverance.
Join the NEARSOL family!
NEARSOL is a US-based BPO and service company that offers clients custom-design solutions. It began operations in 2006 and has since gained a strong presence in the Latin American regions, the Caribbean, and the Asia Pacific, winning many awards for quality and service along the way. Most recent of which is its Great Place to Work-Certified™ Recognition.
The Great Place to Work-Certified™ Recognition is a global accreditation that tells stakeholders what employees think of the company culture. In brief, it says a lot about the happiness and productivity index in NEARSOL. The certification process shows that employees are satisfied with the working environment and that they trust the leaders.
Come and discover why our employees think we’re a great place to work!
Visit NEARSOL.US and apply through NIA, NEARSOL’s recruitment chatbot and personalized platform for the application process.
Visit our LinkedIn to learn more about our company and our global footprint./PN
