Q. I hate my job as a computer consultant. The aptitude
tests say I should be a recreation specialist.
I like the idea but I dread returning to school for a new
degree.

A. Before you invest in a degree, take a test drive.
Find two or three people who are doing what
you want to do and ask to spend a day or a week with
them.

If you're still interested, visit a few schools or
universities that offer degrees in your area of interest.
Ask for names of people who have graduated one, three and
five years ago.

Ask the alumni, "Did this degree help you get your job?
Advance in your job?
"Would you have done better with a degree from another
school? Or would you have done as well with a degree from
a lower-ranked or less expensive school?"

Ask students and alumni, not faculty. I've been there.
Professors must support their own programs, even when they
want to say, "You can do better elsewhere," or, "This program
is a waste of your time and money."

And these days, anyone with a title like "Admissions
Director" or "Enrollment Management" may be trying to make
a sale, not offer objective guidance. If you believe your
new career requires you to quit your job and begin a full-
time degree program, investigate alternatives.

You may find an equally satisfying career that offers
on-the-job training. No degree program offers a magic
bullet. Ultimately you may win the job and career success by
your power networking as well as you social, interpersonal
and technical skills.

Don't like one option? Try another.
There are many paths to career fulfillment, not just one.
There is no way for a single career coach, consultant or
counselor to know the ins and outs of every career. You
should be guided through an exploratory phase, not steered
in one direction.

Cathy Goodwin, Ph.D. Author, Speaker, Career Coach
*Business and Career Strategies for Midcareer Professionals"
http://www.cathygoodwin.com/
cathy@cathygoodwin.com 505-534-4294