Go Back To School

I know what it’s like. You look and look and look and still can’t find that job. After a while you are discouraged, frustrated, and angry. What are you going to? I’ve got an idea – go back to school.

I work for a university so I appreciate the value of an education, but that’s not really where I’m headed. While a degree will definitely improve your marketability, getting a degree takes time and money. If you are unemployed you may have the time, but maybe not the money. There are lots of opportunities for financial aid – but I’m rambling.

What I’m talking about is more of a suggestion to go to your local community college and take a course. Find something you are interested and immerse yourself in some good, old fashioned learning. Take a course on poetry, or early American history, math or maybe computer programming. I’m not really talking about finding a new career, I’m talking about getting some new mojo.
If all you do all day is look for a job you’ll get stale. Mixing a little Robert Frost or Introductory Auto Mechanics into your schedule will cause you to think differently. Stimulating your neurons in a new way can give you different perspective on your job search.

Maybe you’ll decide to go whole-hog and get that degree (or another one). Or maybe you’ll decide to change careers and learn a whole new skill set. Maybe you’ll meet some new networking contacts. Or maybe you’ll just feel better about yourself because you are doing something helpful and productive and that attitude will show through in your search.

It is never a bad time to invest in yourself. When you’ve been on the job hunt for a while, a little education can be a great thing.