For many professionals, continuing education is both a blessing and a curse. People working in fields like real estate, insurance, teaching — essentially anything that requires a license — generally have to complete a certain number of continuing education courses in order to maintain their credential and ability to practice.
On the one hand, these courses are useful and sometimes even enjoyable: Learning a new skill or gaining insight into a growing trend helps professionals do their jobs better and stay ahead of the curve. Sometimes, though, continuing education feels like a burden and the classes nothing more than an excuse to collect a fee from a captive audience.
Still, there are plenty of people who enroll in continuing education courses not because they have to, but because they want to. Learning new skills creates a career advantage, and can help improve productivity. After all, if a daylong workshop on a computer program can save hours of struggling and learning via trial and error, it’s worth spending the time to take it. Even more advanced or long-term programs have significant benefits, which is why many employers offer tuition assistance or reimbursement, and encourage employees to expand their knowledge and skill sets.
Perhaps the group that can benefit the most from continuing education, though, are job seekers. With competition in the job market as high as ever, job seekers are looking for ways to set themselves apart and bring skills to the table that no one else has. Certificate programs have grown in popularity in response to this trend; according to one study, certificates are the most common college credential, making up 22 percent of all college awards. In most cases, people who earn certificates are more likely to go on to earn full degrees as well.
Beyond the fact that continuing education can lead to a full-fledged credential, though, it does present other advantages to those looking for work.
Developing a Unique Skillset
Employers want to hire people who can bring something unique to the table, and have the skills that can help them meet their goals. When everyone applying for an open position has a nearly identical skill set, though, differentiating between the applicants and finding the best fit can be difficult. That’s why it’s in your best interest to identify the skills that employers want or need, but cannot necessarily find, and develop your skills to fill those gaps. For example, if you’re seeking a position in human resources, taking advanced courses related to training, development, and instructional design can set you apart from other professionals who may not have in-depth experience in designing effective educational programs, especially when you have insight into using technology for education.
Network Building
Taking classes, whether in a short workshop setting or in a full-fledged degree program, introduces you to other people within your industry. Nothing helps you build relationships faster than working on a group project or bonding over a tough assignment! In all seriousness, though, professionals in continuing education classes bring a diverse array of experience, knowledge, and insight to the classroom.
When you build relationships with them, you may gain insights into your own career, or make contacts that can help you move forward in your own career. And it’s not just your classmates who can boost your professional network, either. Get to know your instructors and reach out to guest speakers and other experts who contribute to your class. Those conversations and relationships could prove to be exactly what you need to land a great job.
Job Opportunities
By some estimates, as much as 80 percent of the job market is “hidden,” meaning that many job openings aren’t made publicly available and are filled via referrals, or job seekers approaching the employer directly. When you take continuing education courses, you gain access to at least some of that hidden job market.
For example, a classmate might know of an upcoming opening at his firm, or a company could directly recruit new employees from students in the program. Again, this is where networking is vitally important, because if you keep to yourself and don’t attempt to create relationships, you could miss a great opportunity. If you’re taking classes while looking for a new job, don’t be afraid to disclose your employment status and to mention that you’re open to leads. You could discover an excellent opportunity that you otherwise might have missed.
Continuing education is important to almost everyone at any stage in his or her career. For jobseekers, though, taking courses can mean the difference between a landing a great job and spinning their wheels on the major job boards. So if you’re looking for a job, add a bit of classroom time to your job search strategy.