In response to the first question:

Even if you feel like you’ve wasted time on a degree that perhaps has less job opportunities or lead to an unsatisfying job, in today’s employment market it is still an advantage to have a degree. There are Twin Cities companies that will only hire individuals with college degrees.  Statistics show that degreed individuals have lower unemployment and higher income rates than non-degreed individuals. To find specific data showing the median household income in relation to educational attainment check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Household_income_in_the_United_States. You can also find data at the Bureau of Labor Statistic, www.bls.gov .

In response to the second question:

I have personally experienced the pain of being stuck in the wrong field, job and organization, but in today’s market I do not advise ‘jumping ship’ without having identified what satisfies you in a career.  Invest some time in Career Self Assessment and Occupation Exploration.

A self-assessment process helps you identify and understand career satisfaction and engagement criteria that leads to fulfillment. It can identify transferable skills, values, strengths, roles/functions, personality, and interests. The process I use, “Assessing and Deciding Your Fit”, helps clients identify work activities that provide enjoyment, organization qualities that match values, practical need criteria (defining salary, benefits etc), and expectations of relationships at work (co-worker/team). A good self assessment process should lead to richer knowledge and understanding of self, thus promoting increased decision-making clarity during job search.

I also use an occupational exploration tool that looks at how well a job will or will not fit you. The process helps build data about occupations of interest; researching industries, fields, titles and more, and then you compare that data to your self assessment criteria. The process also identifies what you need to move forward to obtain a specific occupation for example, further education or training.  Next steps may include informational interviewing, networking, and career shadowing to help prioritize and determine which occupation is best to pursue.

– Cindy Edwards, M.A.

It starts with a self-assessment process that identifies what type of company you would like to work for, what type of work you want to do, what personal needs you have, and what type of people you want to work with.

I use a tool called Assessing and Deciding Your Fit™ that helps individuals identify and prioritize their personal preferences within four distinct categories: Organizational Fit, Work Fit, Personal Needs-Supplied Fit and Team/Group Fit.

Ask yourself:

1. What do I want from an Organization? Consider culture, values, industries, products, size, and management practices.
2. What do I want to do, what type of Work? Consider interests, knowledge, skills, abilities and strengths.
3. What Personal Needs do I want met? Consider financial needs/wants, health/retirement benefits, continuing education/training, and life/work balance.
4. What type of People do I want to work with? Consider personality characteristics, style and communication needs, group values and behaviors.

A good assessment tool will provide you with a list of careers to research. Align yourself with the right people and ask strategic questions, looking and listening for answers that match what you’ve discovered about yourself. Finding your fit, both when seeking a new job and growing in your career, is about matching your personal preferences, in all four self assessment categories, with what an employer has to offer.

– Cindy Edwards, Career Development Coach

Recently I attended the Minnesota Career Development Association (MCDA) spring conference and sat in on panel of top HR folks from major firms in the Twin Cities; the consensus there that I firmly agree with is “it is better to be working than not working”.

First, I advise my client to complete a self assessment process to identify personal brand characteristics and strengths that will stick with them no matter the job they obtain or the preferred career they target. In any job it is essential to use positive personal brand elements to build a solid reputation that in turn can build professional references.  No matter what industry or role you are coming from a boss or co-worker that can say authentic positive words about you is extremely powerful in helping you obtain your next job.

Second,  I advise my clients to formulate two plans and execute them simultaneously:

Plan A: Get your practical needs met first. Find and obtain a short-term or part-time job that will help put food on the table and pay your bills. I remind clients that a poor credit rating can eliminate a candidate in a hiring process — going into debt is the wrong option.  Getting a job, even one out of your preferred career path, to pay your bills is the best choice.  Being employed shows a prospective employer that you are making an effort to keep your skills, knowledge and abilities current.  Overall, having a job, no matter the job, is a great way to learn something new, expand your network and discover possibilities you didn’t realize existed.

Plan B: Create a list of action items you need to accomplish to reach your preferred career objective. Ask yourself, “what do I have and what do I need to obtain my preferred job?” Turn your needs into goals, put a start and end date to each item, then take action.  Find an accountability partner or career coach to help keep you on track and overcome obstacles along the way.  Always continue networking in your field of choice, continuing educating yourself on that field, and continue applying at your targeted companies.

Remember, persistence is possibility.

– Cindy Edwards, Career Development Coach