And I don’t mean grad school in the traditional sense.

Not that there’s anything wrong with getting a master’s degree (it can certainly help you make more money). But for many, going to typical graduate school may not be a realistic option because of other obligations or cost. That reality shouldn’t prevent you from getting the specialized knowledge you need to get a job or get ahead in the one you have.

So how do you expand the list of educational credentials you bring to the table without breaking the bank or devoting a year or more to school? Enroll in a Certificate Program or an Accelerated Program.

Many colleges and universities are offering programs like these, both online and in the classroom, that can help you develop specific career competencies. They are each distinct in their offerings but either can provide you with the additional skills or knowledge that can make you more relevant or marketable in the career that you would like to pursue.

Thinking this might be a good option for you? Here’s some information about each program:

Certificate Graduate Program

Not only can you take courses targeted to specific disciplines and enhance your professional development, but sometimes these courses can be applied toward getting a graduate degree if you decide to make that commitment later on. These programs are generally one year; require three to 12 courses and generally about nine to 21 credits.  A bachelor’s degree is a pre-requisite and there is no admission or selection process.  The benefit of these programs is that they can help you advance your career or change your career in a short period of time.

Accelerated Graduate Programs

These are degree programs where you study multiple subjects at the same time, thereby saving you time and money.  Be careful–this is an intense commitment but you can earn your degree much faster than you can in a regular program. Unlike the Certificate Programs, there is an application process and you’ll probably need to submit standardized test scores.  Some colleges offer these accelerated graduate programs in combination with an undergraduate bachelor’s program, allowing you to finish both in a relatively short period of time.

Author

Lesley is president and founder of Priority Candidates, which prepares college students and recent graduates nationwide to get hired for their first jobs.   Previously, Lesley spent more than 25 years in executive search, working with candidates from entry level to C-Suite executives in organizations ranging in size from small, family owned businesses to large international organizations.  Her fundamental knowledge of what hiring manager’s look for is the core of what Priority Candidates does to prepare college students/recent grads to get hired now.  An alumnus of Duke University who is based in New York City, Lesley has been featured in USA Today, ABC’s New York Viewpoint with Ken Rosato, ABC News with Art McFarland, The New York Times, NY Nightly News with NBC4’s Chuck Scarborough, eCampus News and John Tucker’s Small Business Report on Bloomberg Radio.   Lesley always welcomes connections via LinkedIn, on Twitter or by email or phone, available on her website.

Related posts:

1. 4 Ways to Maximize Your Chances of Getting Into a Top MBA Program
2. 3 Things Students Can Do to Position Themselves to Succeed in a Tough Job Market
3. Your References Are More Important Than You Think

Top 5 Finals Tips

5. Review your study guide – sounds simple, right?! Not all professors expect you to blindly go through all the lessons from the semester. Some will let you know exactly what you need to be successful on the test. However, if one isn’t given, set up some time with your professor to find out the best way to review all the material. If you haven’t set up time with them before, this will be a great way to introduce yourself and possibly develop a good reference.

4. Peer Studying – find a group of peers in your class that have the same goals as you. Schedule a time (or times) and place that works for everyone. Make the most out of your time together. Remember you have a lot of material to cover and not a lot of time. That’s just for one class!

3. Individual Studying – You may need time to yourself to focus on the topics that you’re having the most trouble with. This could be your preferred method of study. You know what works best for you as far as location, times, and pace.

2. Don’t forget to eat – Students handle stress in different ways. In order to do your best your energy level needs to remain intact. Overeating when stressed is common also. Continuing your regular eating schedule will allow you to focus and not shock your system.

1. Relax! It’ll all be over soon – Take a deep breath and know that this stress won’t last forever, not even a month. You’ll be back at home enjoying your friends and family in no time!

Bonus Tip:

Tying it all together – Your professors can sometimes be a golden ticket for more than your upcoming final, but also future career advice. While you’re in there discussing your test find out what their backgrounds are. Sometimes people love to talk about themselves! You may find out that they’ve previously worked for a company or industry you’re currently trying to be a part of. They may have a contact name of someone you can reach out to regarding a full-time position or internship. With your professor as a reference who knows what can happen.

Good luck guys!! I’m cheering for you!

Author

Desiree is a University Recruiter at T-Mobile USA. She is currently responsible for developing and implementing effective recruiting and branding strategies related to short and long term needs. She does this by partnering with business line leaders to build relationships and establishing realistic expectations. A big part of being a recruiter at T-Mobile is striving to position T-Mobile as an “employer of choice” and facilitate a world class recruiting experience for candidates. Desiree is also responsible for training managers and recruiters on the University and Internship Program. Desiree spends her free time spending time with family and friends, traveling, and volunteering with various groups. She also loves to read and trying anything that is new and fun.

Related posts:

1. Don’t Forget What You Came For
2. Make Goalsetting a Trending Topic
3. Thanks But No Thanks

There is such a wide range in the world of on-campus employment, so I am going to focus on just one ubiquitous student job: the general office worker. I use this type of role as an example of the professional development benefits of seemingly irrelevant jobs. Of course, I do base my thoughts off of my own assumption that most students don’t enter college with hopes of becoming a secretary when all is said and done.

Even though you might not want to answer phones, make copies, and run errands as your primary job for the rest of your career, there is a lot to gain from general office work.

Communication Skills

Communication is a big part of working in any office environment, but it becomes even more critical when you are helping to keep an office running. In some campus office environments, you might be manning the main desk, like in a campus information services environment. You’re going to be on the receiving end of a lot of questions, and as the face of an office, it’s important to respond in a clear, concise, and professional manner. What if you’re not working the desk but are doing odds and ends around the office (ex. copying, filing)? Communication is still important to make sure you’re completing tasks as you should be.

Customer Service Orientation

Whether or not you will work directly with customers in the future, developing a strong customer service orientation can greatly benefit your career. In most office jobs on campus, you will have a “customer.” The customer could be other students, faculty, and/or community members. It all depends. However, you are working to help someone else. What future employer wouldn’t want to bring someone on board who is focused on helping others, whether that is actual customers or co-workers?

Organization Abilities

There are so many things to organize in an office environment, so honing strong organization skills is necessary for office survival. In the case of general office work, you might be given projects and you might be working on multiple projects at one time. Not only do you need to learn how to organize how you spend your time at work, but you need to organize the project work itself. This is especially important if you share responsibilities with other office workers or need to pass along a partial project to a co-worker. Your ability to organize your work will say a lot about how efficient and effective an employee you will be.

For college students, the focus always seems to be on internships. However, they aren’t the only gig in town. On-campus jobs can be just as important. And definitely don’t knock office work. It’s more valuable than you might think.

Author

Laura serves as Internship Coordinator at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in the office of Career & Leadership Development.  In this role, Laura advises students who are pursuing internships, assists employers with intern recruitment, and supports university faculty who oversee academic internships.  She also provides students with job search readiness assistance through presentations, individual counseling, and social media.  Laura earned her bachelors degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she majored in French and Political Science, and she received her masters degree in Counseling from UW-Whitewater.  To learn more about Laura, read her blog, follow her on Twitter, or connect on LinkedIn.

Related posts:

1. On-Campus Jobs: Student Leader Roles
2. Take Your Campus Job Seriously
3. Campus Ambassador: More Than a Title

For some people, choosing a career is easy. For as long as they can remember, they always wanted to be a chef or a doctor or a teacher or a police officer. But, for others, choosing a career required careful consideration of several different options.

Regardless of how you came to your career decision, at some point in time you may question your choice. One of your classes may make you think about alternative careers, an internship may not be all that you expected. Or, you simply might evaluate your interests and wonder if you made a mistake. Well, let me tell you, you are not alone. It may feel that way right now, but rest assured you are not the first person to experience this self-doubt.

Many people have come to the frightful realization after having spent years of undergraduate–and sometimes graduate–training in their “chosen” field, conducting countless research projects, participating in numerous study groups and spending many hours in the library, only to realize that they are no longer interested in the career for which they were trained.

If doubts about your college major or future career are swirling through your mind, think about the cause of the doubts. Spend some time thinking about your feelings toward your major or your job. Is it the work that is keeping you up at night with doubts and unhappiness, is it the type of work environment, or is it the company’s culture that doesn’t fit well? If you enjoy your work, but not the company, it’s time to start researching other companies for a better fit and more agreeable work environment. But, if it’s the work you don’t enjoy, it might be time to consider a new career.

I have found in my travels that people have been starting over at all ages. Perhaps they always wanted to be a writer or a nurse. Or, they’ve discovered that they really enjoy working with numbers and want to explore professional training to become an accountant. It seems as though people simply want to be happy.

You can get back on track, and here’s how:

• Assess your interests. Before you can move forward, you need to know what you like and what you don’t like. Take out a sheet of paper and list all of the things you enjoy doing when you’re at work and at home, the things that get you excited and enthusiastic; and then make a list of the things you dread having to do. This should help guide you towards careers of interest. If you’re still not sure, consider taking an online career assessment quiz.

• Research new career opportunities. Changing careers can be scary. But, the more information you have on hand, the easier it will be. Do some basic research to discover more information about the various career opportunities. Once you discover your passion, learn about the jobs in that career field. What types of tasks are done on a daily basis? What companies offer jobs in that career field? What are realistic salaries? Do you need any specialized training?

• Be careful not to turn others’ dreams into yours. Many students that I speak with share that their parents wanted them to follow a specific career path–often to become a doctor or a lawyer. Or, they chose a career field because they wanted to have the same major in college as some close friends so they could take classes together. While there are many great career choices, remember, your happiness will come from making your own choice and choosing a career that interests you, not others.

• If you’re in school, you can change your major. First, talk to your parents and let them know you would like to make a change. This is especially important if they’re paying for school, as sometimes changing your major could mean staying in school for an extra year, depending on your coursework. Next, schedule a meeting with your academic advisor and talk to him or her about your new career interests. Together, you can develop a plan to change your major or add a minor to help you prepare for a different career. Your advisor also might be able to refer you to internship opportunities in your new career field or help you find a mentor to guide you through this change.

• If you graduated already, don’t worry about what your degree was in. Now that you’ve graduated and your diploma is hanging on the wall, don’t feel forced into staying within that career field. It is likely that there are numerous transferrable skills that you can take with you into a new field or job position. And, you can always attend professional workshops or seek a new degree if your new career choice requires additional education. Be proud of your accomplishments and seek ways to grow into your future.

• Volunteer your time, get experience and network. Changing careers means building a new set of experiences specific to your new career field. Join professional associations in the field and volunteer to help on projects, take on a leadership role in the organization and get active. Now is the time to build your experience and make contacts with others in the field who may be able to help you find your next job. You also can research companies and look for networking opportunities within the company.

• Be flexible. Preparing for and finding a new job in a new career can take time. It also might mean a cut in pay as you gain experience and work your way up the ladder. Keep your eye on the future and where you want your career to go, but be willing to accept the sacrifices you may have to make to get there. Be patient. Be flexible.

I hope these tips are helpful for you as you navigate and develop your career. I have enjoyed sharing these and other tips with you on Studentbranding.com. However, it is time for me to step down and allow another colleague to share her insights with you. I have enjoyed writing for this medium and wish you much success. Please welcome Michele Posehn, who will take the driver’s seat on the next blog.

As you move forward in your career, feel free to keep in touch with me via Twitter or LinkedIn. Good luck with your careers!

Author

Derren is the Manager, Diversity Recruiting for Sodexo which is a leader in integrated food service and facilities management. He is responsible for managing the Sodexo Future Leaders Internship Program as well as executing diversity sourcing initiatives for both campus and targeted experienced hires. With over 14+ years of experience with Sodexo, Derren has had great success as a General Manager in the company’s Health Care Services division as well as in several positions within their Talent Acquisition Group. He’s an active corporate partner with the National Society of Minorities in Hospitality (NSMH). Derren is an AIRS Certified Diversity Recruiter (CDR) and Certified Internet Recruiter (CIR). Follow him on Twitter, friend him on Facebook, or just Network with Us.

Related posts:

1. Professional Organizations on Campus can Launch Your Career
2. Navigating Your Career: I’m a Junior, What’s Next?
3. Navigating Your Career: I’m a Senior, Am I Ready for a Job?

They can be as personal as lose 15lbs before Labor Day, or read one book a month; or more complex like apply to grad school or enroll in the study abroad program.

Effective goals must be specific, measurable, and action-oriented. For example saying you’d like to read more isn’t specific or measurable. However, reading one book a month satisfies all three.

Most goals have small steps that need to be done before you can cross-out your goal as complete. With the book example you may need to first find interesting books therefore your action may be to research good books (asking friends, reviewing online bookclubs, or browsing your Barnes & Noble favorite sections). Keep in mind you may have several action steps that are necessary to complete your goal.

Take some time and reflect on a few things: Where do you see yourself in five years, what are your areas of opportunity, what do you want to achieve? If you cringe at the thought of these questions you probably haven’t given them much thought in a while (I used to cringe also!) Don’t worry; it’s never too late. Identify your top three areas of opportunity, write them down and put them somewhere that you can see your list daily. This is very important, it’s very easy to forget goals that are not written down. Then write down the action steps needed to complete each goal.

Not too hard right?? Good! Please feel free to post some of your goals in the comments section.

Author

Desiree is a University Recruiter at T-Mobile USA. She is currently responsible for developing and implementing effective recruiting and branding strategies related to short and long term needs. She does this by partnering with business line leaders to build relationships and establishing realistic expectations. A big part of being a recruiter at T-Mobile is striving to position T-Mobile as an “employer of choice” and facilitate a world class recruiting experience for candidates. Desiree is also responsible for training managers and recruiters on the University and Internship Program. Desiree spends her free time spending time with family and friends, traveling, and volunteering with various groups. She also loves to read and trying anything that is new and fun.

Related posts:

1. Thanks But No Thanks
2. Don’t Let Finals Get To You – 5 Tips
3. Don’t Forget What You Came For

One of my favorite movies is A Knights Tale (2001 Columbia Pictures).  The movie is about a young peasant, William Thatcher, who pretends to a nobleman so that he can participate in jousting tournaments in the hopes of changing the course of his life.

In the scene that launches the caper, William attempts to hatch a plan with his two friends.  He is intent on not accepting the station to which his birth has assigned him and proclaims, that “a man can change his stars, and I won’t spend the rest of my life as nothing.” He is met with immediate resistance.

Surprisingly, friends and associates are not always our biggest advocates.  There are times that we might have the desire to grow, to achieve, and to move beyond the place in life that seems to be our destiny only to hear why we cannot and should not.   For a wide variety of reasons, our dreams are not always acceptable to those who know us and we may elicit the same reaction that William Thatcher received from his friend Geoffrey Chaucer:  “We’re the sons of peasants.  Glory and riches and stars are beyond our grasp, but a full stomach…that dream can come true!” So what do we do?

Know yourself.

The very first thing that we must do in reaching for our dream is to know ourselves.  William Thatcher knew himself.  He knew he was good with a sword.  He obviously had confidence in his horsemanship, strength, and athletic ability.  He also had confidence in his ability to learn the lance.  He knew that he would never be content in the place to which life had assigned him. So, while his friends were urging him to not pursue his dream, he was not willing to have his desires so readily squashed by naysayers.  He was willing to take the risk of failure.

Who are you? What are your strengths and weaknesses? What are you willing to endure to reach your dream? Can you listen to the naysayers without allowing them to affect your attitude?

Be willing to fail.

One of the truths of life is that risk accompanies rewards.  This is true with investing, sports, and other areas of life.  If we are afraid to fail, we will never be willing to step out of our comfort zone.  Fear will keep us safely attached to what is familiar, and we will stay inside of our prescribed boundaries and likely never reach the fullest extent of our abilities.  Thus we must put fear aside.  Although we might still experience hesitation, self doubt and other emotions contrary to our goal, we must not be controlled by them.

Are you willing to fail in the pursuit of your dream, or are you more comfortable not rocking the boat?  Some of the brightest minds in history experienced failure multiple times before they reached success.  (Check out the YouTube Video “Famous Failures.”) Do you have the dogged determination to see your dream through?  Are you willing to step outside your comfort zone and tune out your fear?

Know your goal.

Another important ingredient in the pursuit of a dream is to know your goal.  What is it that you are setting out to do?  William Thatcher’s pursuit was to be the best jouster and to win tournaments.  So, he either had to know what was required to be a jouster or was willing to learn the requirements.

What is your goal?  Is it specific enough to measure or so broad that you might want to think about it a bit more?  Is it short term or long term?  Do you have what it takes, right now, to achieve your goal?

Have a plan to reach your goal.

Once William knew what was necessary to successfully joust, he began to plan to reach his goal.  He practiced.  He pieced together his story.  He came up with the necessary equipment.  He enlisted his friends to help him.  He planned to attend the tournaments.

What are your plans to reach your goal?  Are there specific classes that you must take?  Is an advanced degree necessary?  Do you need certain skills and experience?  Who can help you achieve your goals?  Put your plan in writing, refer back to it frequently, and make changes where needed.

Be prepared to do the necessary work.

William was prepared to work at his goal.  His training was difficult and the actual tournaments were even worse.  In fact, his dogged determination to win fueled him on to victory despite a nearly debilitating injury.

Are you prepared to do the work necessary to achieve your dream?   Are you willing to make the necessary sacrifices in time, money, and effort?  Reaching a dream is not always a fun process.  Are you prepared for that?

Stay tuned for part two.

Author

As Assistant Director of Recruiting within the Wake Forest Schools of Business Corporate Relations team, Lisa’s passion is connecting employers with student talent and creating a positive experience for both. She manages all aspects of recruiting, retention, and systems for the graduate business school.  Her strengths include relationship management, networking, social media engagement, information aggregation, process facilitation and communication. Lisa has been employed at Wake Forest since the fall of 2002.  She has over 20 years of work experience in various roles.  Prior to arriving at Wake Forest, she was an entrepreneur, venturing into web-based international sales and marketing of salvage automotive parts and accessories.  Before that, she was a trust officer in the Employee Benefit Trust area of Wachovia Bank.  Lisa is also a veteran of the United States Air Force. Lisa earned a B.S. in Business Administration from Rollins College and will complete her Masters in Liberal Arts from Wake Forest in 2011.  Visit Lisa’s blog, follow her on Twitter, or connect on LinkedIn.

Related posts:

1. Dreaming the Dream – Part II
2. You Can’t Buy Your Goals
3. A Paradox for Lean Times: The Loss of Anonymity and Relevancy

Some important questions to consider

Here are some questions you should consider when seeking that fit between your graduate school and your brand.
1. What is the mission of the graduate school?
Most schools have specific missions that guide their academic offerings and admissions policy. For example, some schools’ missions are to educate as many college eligible students as possible to enhance the education and opportunities for local populations. State schools fit the bill here and offer quality education for a reduced rate. Some schools are dedicated to providing well-rounded educations. One of many liberal arts schools are excellent for these types of degrees.
2. What is the specialty of graduate school?
While many schools have graduate degrees in marketing, management, or finance, these might not provide you with the expertise in a specialized field needed to build your brand. Maybe you like wine (and who doesn’t?) and would like to pursue a career in it, then a graduate degree in Viticulture (yes, they do exist) might be ripe for the picking for you.
3. What is the graduate school’s philosophy?
Maybe religion is an important part of your life and your core values. There are many schools where a religion may be the basis for the academic offerings and extra-curricular activities.
4. Finally, what does the school stand for in general?
Certain schools carry brand images associated with them. Ivy league schools connote strong positive imagery as do the schools in the University of California system.
When enrolling in any school, you are making the association between you and that school. An important step in creating your first positive impression is the school you select, so choose wisely! Plan ahead for that first impression and you will most likely choose the right school for your personal brand!

Author

Howard, an Associate Professor of Marketing in the Mihaylo College of Business and Economics at the California State University Fullerton, earned his Ph.D. from Temple University. Prior to joining the faculty at Cal State, Howard was on the faculty at Drexel University and The Pennsylvania State University. A native of Philadelphia, Howard has extensive experience in the public and private sectors working for organizations such as the Department of Defense, Motorola, and the CSX railroad.  His research expertise is in branding, sustainability, strategic pricing, and education. In addition to teaching at Cal State, Howard has a consulting business focused on branding. You can follow Howard on Twitter or connect with him at Linkedin.

Related posts:

1. Compliments and Complements Help Build Your Brand
2. Your Brand Assignment: Group Work
3. Your Graduate Brand, a Major Decision

Compliments

Let’s start with compliments first. I know you heard this before, “It’s nothing personal, it’s strictly business.”

This suggests that there is no place in business for being personal and respectful. WRONG.
I also know you heard this before, “You never get a second chance to create a first impression.” RIGHT.

Your first impression goes a long way to helping you build a strong positive brand. If you are to continue to grow your brand in that trajectory, you need to continue with positive, consistent, and relevant behavior. That includes being respectful and complimentary.

As graduate students, you know you are consistently being called on to be a team player in your group work. This involves agreements, conflicts, and compromise. Complimentary behaviors and respecting your peers’ expertise and complementary skills will go a long way to creating and building your brand.

Complements

In a previous post, I recommended that you seek out those peers who possess complementary skill sets. The essential meaning behind this is that your brand does not exist in a vacuum. Completing graduate level projects and case studies require a holistic multidisciplinary approach, and you should understand how your brand fits in with the big picture.

Communicating and working closely with individuals with complementary skill sets will help you understand the context in which your brand will thrive. By extension, it will help you build your personal brand.

For example, if you are a marketing expert, and branded as such, you can expand your brand equity (the value of your brand) by understanding how your brand fits in with other functional (business) areas by working with someone who has a strong brand equity in another area.

The bottom line is this, working closely with and complimenting those with complementary skills will help enable you to understand and speak more authoritatively about your brand in the context of your group, your company, or any potential employer.

Author

Howard, an Associate Professor of Marketing in the Mihaylo College of Business and Economics at the California State University Fullerton, earned his Ph.D. from Temple University. Prior to joining the faculty at Cal State, Howard was on the faculty at Drexel University and The Pennsylvania State University. A native of Philadelphia, Howard has extensive experience in the public and private sectors working for organizations such as the Department of Defense, Motorola, and the CSX railroad.  His research expertise is in branding, sustainability, strategic pricing, and education. In addition to teaching at Cal State, Howard has a consulting business focused on branding. You can follow Howard on Twitter or connect with him atLinkedin.

Related posts:

1. Your Brand Assignment: Group Work
2. Look for a Campus and a Brand
3. Your Graduate Brand, a Major Decision

It’s hard to believe that only two months ago the headlines told a very different story. McIlroy blew a four-shot lead entering the final round of the Masters in April, and that meltdown could very well have defined McIlroy’s career–if he had let it. Instead, McIlroy remained poised and handled the loss with humility, and as this interview points out, an attitude of determination proving he wasn’t finished with golf yet.

After watching the McIlroy story, I got to thinking about other successful personal brands that have suffered setbacks. What struck me was how some of these people made comebacks–restoring their personal brand to the same greatness it held before their meltdown, or raised it to an even higher level. Take a look at these examples:

• Steve Jobs – He actually got fired from the company he started. However, he kept doing what he loved to do and eventually found himself back at the very company that let him go. Hear it in his own words in this video.

Lesson: Rejection may come when you least expect it, but it doesn’t have to define you.

• Conan O’Brien – After landing The Tonight Show gig, O’Brien was replaced after only seven months. He could have been bitter and we probably would have understood, but O’Brien often joked about the situation before his own show began last fall.

Lesson: Don’t lose your sense of humor when the chips are down.

• Mark Cuban – The Dallas Mavericks owner didn’t have a major meltdown, but he did have a turning point. As this article points out, many people considered Cuban a whiner and publicity hog before the NBA Finals this year. However, with every interview he turned down and camera shot he avoided, people were taking notice. They were even starting to like him. Cuban proved it’s never too late to improve others’ perception of you, all the while making your personal brand stronger.

Lesson: If you want to change how others view you, start taking small steps today to move you    in the right direction.

You’re going to have setbacks, and it won’t be pretty. You’ll get turned down for the job. You’ll fail miserably on a work project. You may even come up with the best idea you’ve ever thought of only to have your boss shut it down in half a minute. However, if these guys can make comebacks with the whole world watching, I think our chances are pretty good.

Author

Amanda is an account executive at MarketWave, a marketing and public relations agency in Addison, TX, where she works on everything from media relations to writing and editing client materials. Prior to MarketWave, Amanda worked as a publications intern atSouthwest Airlines before hired on with the company and working full-time at the airline for two years. Amanda gained experience writing for Southwest Airlines’ inflight magazine, Spirit, while working on her master’s degree in journalism from the University of North TexasMayborn School of Journalism. She’ll graduate in August 2011 with a degree focused on strategic communication and a minor in marketing. Amanda is a member of the Society of Professional Journalistsand is passionate about traveling, writing and nonprofit organizations. Connect with her on Twitter (@amgleason) and LinkedIn.

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1. Understanding Generation Y Work Styles
2. The Ultimate Brand
3. Personal Branding, Dirk Nowitzki Style

What’s next?

The economy is tough, no? Many of you are deciding between entering the job market or going to graduate school. For those of you who decide to go to graduate school, listen up. You have some decisions to make. Among them are what school to go to, and what should be your major or concentration.

The first path is to continue your education along in the same major or concentration you had as an undergraduate. Like a decadent dessert, you should probably avoid that temptation. Sure, you might like continuing on your familiar turf, but later on your might regret it.

Graduate school is a brand-building opportunity.

Think about a major or concentration that will be an excellent compliment to your current degree and experience. Why? Because your undergraduate degree provides you with a skill set that will carry you far, but a graduate degree that provides a complementary skill set can act as a catalyst in your career.

Let’s say you have an undergraduate degree in operations management, and you would like to pursue a career in that field. That’s a good start. People successful in operations need skills that transcend a focused operations approach. For example, operating manufacturing plants or distribution centers requires managing people. A graduate degree in human resources would provide the additional skills to make you a much more well-rounded and effective manager.

Want to consider something outside of the business realm? Why not? How about pursuing a degree in psychology, industrial psychology, or maybe even industrial sociology? Learning how to effectively motivate people in an operations context will improve your employees’ performance, and by definition, your performance as well. In short, a complimentary degree will help you build your company’s bottom line and speed your way to the top.

Author

Howard, an Associate Professor of Marketing in the Mihaylo College of Business and Economics at the California State University Fullerton, earned his Ph.D. from Temple University. Prior to joining the faculty at Cal State, Howard was on the faculty at Drexel University and The Pennsylvania State University. A native of Philadelphia, Howard has extensive experience in the public and private sectors working for organizations such as the Department of Defense, Motorola, and the CSX railroad.  His research expertise is in branding, sustainability, strategic pricing, and education. In addition to teaching at Cal State, Howard has a consulting business focused on branding. You can follow Howard on Twitter or connect with him atLinkedin.

Related posts:

1. Look for a Campus and a Brand
2. Your Brand Assignment: Group Work
3. Compliments and Complements Help Build Your Brand