Pursuit of Happiness: What Is The Next Step In Your Educational Career?

Have you found yourself thinking about your educational career and the steps you’ll need to take to land your next role in 2 to 5 years? I have. While I know there is still lots to learn in my current position, in the next coming months I will use the “holiday downtime” to think strategically about how to build on my career. How about you?

If you said yes because you like planning ahead like me, here are things to consider to help you determine your next educational career step:

Do you need a master’s degree? If you have an undergraduate degree and are entertaining the idea of furthering your education, then now is the perfect time to enhance your knowledge in your current profession: accounting, nonprofit, education, and more. With a master's degree, you are able to use your work experience to become an expert in your field.

Now, if you already have a master’s degree, I am sure you’ve thought about whether a doctorate degree is necessary for your career. Is it? If you are interested in becoming an epidemiologist, professor, doctor, or anything similar, then a doctorate degree makes sense as the next step in your educational career. On the other hand, you may love learning or have a knack for challenges and find that pursuing a doctorate degree will provide you that personal satisfaction that you seek. Go for it! Just ask yourself a few things before you do:

Can you find scholarships to help pay for your degree to minimize student loan debt?
Do you have the experience needed to obtain a job once you complete the degree?
Do you have time, energy, and resources to devote to the academic program?

If a doctorate degree is definitely a “no '' there is short-term, leadership training, that will help you advance in your career. Professional leadership training is usually at a nominal cost that you or your employer can pay for if it is related to your position. It’s a great opportunity to advance your educational career while not devoting too much money or time to pursuing an advanced degree.

Maybe neither of these educational options is for you, and a certificate or certification is the next step. There is a difference between the two. One is a master’s certificate where you take master-level courses to get a certificate demonstrating your knowledge of a subject like marketing or higher education; whereas, a certification requires you to study to take an exam in order to become nationally recognized. For example, Project Management Professional (PMP) or Professional in Human Resources (PHR).

Depending on what you want to do with your career, a master’s, doctorate, leadership training, or a certificate/certification, could be the next step for your career.

Perhaps furthering your education isn’t your goal and neither of these works for you. That is okay. Being career-focused isn’t always for everyone nor does it guarantee that you will land your dream job or pay.

What it does guarantee, is you become a lifelong learner. It also positions you to have a diverse set of educational experiences on your resume.

Best of luck!