Should You Go Back to School? Seven Ideas for Increasing Your Skill Set

In times of change, learners inherit the earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists~ Eric Hoffer (1902 - 1983, American social writer and philosopher)

At this point in time, anyone who has school age children has settled them into this year’s routine of classes and homework.  The adults in their lives have settled back into their routine of work, supervising homework, and getting all the rest of the household management done.  Perhaps it is time consider the question, “Should I go back to school?”

The answer to that is: it depends. Pick up any magazine, newspaper, or tune into your favorite news station and you will see how we are fast becoming a global economy. Are you prepared? How will it impact your skill set? Computers have changed everything in the way we work, no matter what our jobs, in just a few short decades. The worldwide web combined with cloud computing is going to change the way we handle, store and retrieve information even more in the years to come. Employers are demanding complex thinkers, fresh ideas, and a variety of skill sets from employees that will help navigate this global economy.

So, what should you do?  Ask yourself: What do you see yourself doing in your work life if there were no perceived obstacles in your way? Give yourself the freedom to brainstorm without editing your thoughts. Do not allow yourself to play the “yes, but” game, giving the reasons you cannot do something before you even try it.

Here are seven ideas to prime the pump:

1) Learn a new language.

Because English is so widely spoken, it has often been referred to as the lingua franca of the modern era. Worldwide, approximately 375 million people speak English as their first language and 96% of Americans speak English. Linguistics professor David Crystal of Bangor University in Wales calculates that non-native English speakers now outnumber native speakers by a ratio of 3 to 1 (2005). However, with 836 million speakers, Madarin Chinese is actually the most widely spoken language in the world. Spanish, with 329,000,000 speakers worldwide ranks third, followed by Arabic and then Hindi.  So learn one of those languages if you already speak English.

2) Keep up your computer skills.

Even if it’s just learning to operate a new program that you haven’t used before, from Powerpoint to Quickbooks, give it a shot.  Learn what it takes to keep a website updated.  Figure out how to blog and use your social networks.  95% of all hiring employers now look at a Linked In profile before they decide whether or not to set up an interview.  This includes academic jobs.

3) Read the latest books and trade magazines.

You are already reading the specialty journals, but it pays to know about the wider world. Check out the New York Times Book Review for hot nonfiction sellers.  Be aware of trendsetting ideas to see the big picture, and figure out your place in it.  Relax by reading biographies of people you admire, whether it’s a historical person like Abigail Adams, or a current mogul like Warren Buffett. Check out websites that relate to your area of expertise, and have fun looking at sites like Big Think or TED. You are bound to get some insights you can incorporate into your learning.

4) Keep your C.V. updated, even if you are not currently looking for a job.

You just never know when someone is going to come along who finds you interesting and capable.  Be ready to show them exactly what you have done, and how you have kept your skills updated.  Look at the academic jobs being advertised in your field.  How have they changed from the time you were offered the position you now have?  Could you still get that job if you interviewed today?

5) Go back to school.

Whether you decide to pursue another degree, or just to take an informal course with a topic that interests you, challenge your brain to expand.  Common wisdom once held our brains were fully formed by about age 20, and would not change.  Through MRI brain scanning, we now know that the brain is capable of creating new pathways, firing new neuron connections, and make unexpected connections.  Enhancing the neuroplasticity of your brain can keep you on a path of life long learning.

6) Teach what you don’t know.

There is no better way to learn something new than to teach it to someone else.  If you have an interest in a particular topic, or a skill you want to learn, go ahead and offer to teach it.  You will be staying 1-2 steps ahead of your students, but as long as you are ahead, that’s fine.  The trick with this is knowing the main points about the topic that the students should know when they finish, and not going off onto too many interesting tangents.  New professors have plenty of opportunity to experiment with this.

7) Work with an academic career coach.

If you’re feeling like you need a change or change happens to you (for instance, you are denied tenure), start working with an academic career coach to plan your future. A good strategist will help you:  a) describe what you want; b) explore your options; c) create and implement your action plan; and d) celebrate with you when you get exactly what you want for an exciting and fulfilling career in or out of academia.

As the slogan of the US Army between 1980 and 2001 declared, are you ready to “be all that you can be?” Take some risky action today by learning and using something new.

Tags: academia, academic, academic departments, academic writing, be prepared, becoming yourself, career, change, goals, life purpose, planning, transition