5 Classes to a New Career
The secret to your success doesn’t necessarily lie in another degree. Our uber-educated author breaks down five ways to take your work life to the next level—and none of them require another student loan. By Christine Brigid
Full disclosure: I am the most overeducated 30-year-old I know. I have two master’s degrees and am working on a Ph.D. For a girl who had a ‘D’ average and almost dropped out of high school, I am as surprised by my academic success as the next guy. But all this education has also left me with a good deal of debt that I won’t be out of school until my mid-30s, and who knows if I will get to own a house before I am 50. Worth it? For me, yes, because I plan to teach and research. There’s no avoiding my level of education for the field I have chosen. Doctors, lawyers and would-be magnates need a few advanced degrees, too—it’s just how the system is set up.
But what about all the women working in sales, advertising, media, business, fashion, and just about every other industry under the sun? Do they really need to invest another $30K to take their careers to the next level?
Master’s degrees seem like a great idea—two little letters that add big value to your cultural cachet—but back in the real world of vague attempts at student loan payments left over from undergrad and Chinese take-out (again!), the general 30-something career woman needs cheaper, less time consuming options to spice up her job prospects. The solution lies in taking a holistic view of education, understanding that it is not just about a degree, but a journey of self-discovery—a journey that might sharpen up one’s resume to boot.
In ancient Greece, education was about participatory communication and took the form of a dialogue. In the indigenous Nuahtl society, education took the form of mentorship, with each child teaching another a year younger. In Islamic systems, the whole person is paid attention to, with the mind and spirit equally considered. This all goes to say that engaging in this process can be a solitary adventure, or it can take place in a community of people interested in the same ideas.
In the spirit of the Nuahtl, here are suggestions for community learning experiences that could transform your professional trajectory (without the slog of an entire new degree) and hopefully, your spirit:
1. Learn a new language.
We define ourselves through language, and there is no better way to jump into a hybridizing and globalizing world than by acquiring fluency (or maybe just the ability to order dinner while traveling) in another one. In the ancient walled capital city of Yemen, a five-week language course in Arabic will run you $600. Antigua, Guatemala is crawling with Spanish language schools—and foreigners eager to acquire the world’s second most spoken language after Mandarin Chinese. So you’ll not only be enhancing your resume (and earning potential in our multilingual society), but also getting a vacation out of it!
2. Take a creative writing class.
Writing, like language, is a tool for communicating with the world. In today’s information based economies, writing is a major skill that can boost a flagging career. Self expression through forms of writing like memoir, personal essay, or short fiction can boost less tangible competencies, like how to open our hearts and share the stories that shape our lives. Having confidence in your writing will also make that all-important cover letter jump out from a stack full of robotic carbon copies.
Check out a few resources in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Atlanta. Most cities have programs similar to these. Search online or check with your local community college.
3. Take a night course on political science and public policy.
At its core, education is about formulating identity. Studying politics means working to understand who we are in the context of our national, cultural, ethnic, and linguistic selves; who our neighbors are; and how we can continue to together shape the kind of society we cohabit. A more direct benefit will be an ability to intelligently discuss current events with prospective employers. No matter what your industry, an informed, critical-thinking mind is a major asset. Find a class at your local community college or the continuing education program at your nearest university.
4. Get involved in community service.
While not a formalized course, participating in a collaborative service project might just be the single best step you take for your career. Beyond platitudes of how service looks good on a resume, learning to think collaboratively, and act as both a team player and a leader, shapes the kinds of workplaces that empower workers. Furthermore, acting in service to others is important, plain and simple. Some of our faves: Razoo, Idealist, City Harvest, Food on Foot, Habitat for Humanity, and New York Cares.
5. Learn how to fly.
Seriously, it’s just cool. Think of the sense of accomplishment you’d feel having mastered such a unique skill. Think how interesting those “other interests and activities” sections of your job applications will get! Afraid of heights? Fine. Take some other class that sparks your sense of adventure and gets you moving. Think holistically: your mind is rooted in your body, thus physical activity is good for your brain. Climb a mountain, take that scuba diving lesson, and most of all: have fun!
“Educo,” the Latin root of the English “educate,” means to bring up. But it also translates as “to draw out, to lead out, and to march out.” I like this definition of learning. If learning means to draw out what we didn’t know we had inside, to lead ourselves and others out into other ways of conceptualizing the world, and to march out into this grand old adventure we call life … well, sign me up. Who needs an expensive master’s degree when education is this much fun?
What secret skill are you dying to learn? Share your alterna-education stories with us on the message boards below. And educate yourself further with a weekly dose of Sirens via our free newsletter.
Christine Brigid Malsbary has a B.A in Art History from Temple University, a M.A. in Anthropology of Art and Visual Culture from University of London, a M.S. in Education from City University of New York, and is getting her Ph.D. in International/ Comparative Education from UCLA. Still, her favorite educational experience ever was listening to her mother recount fairy-tales while driving around the French countryside in a broken down brown van.
Tags: advancement, career, education, women