Okay, So you have found out what you want to do and now…where to begin? Do you just go apply to these positions? Well, no one is stopping you. But if you want a better chance of getting vs the competition I suggest learning the craft first. Now this is where it can feel exciting, yet may put you on the fence about going back to school..yea as much as I enjoy learning. Just hearing the words..homework, quizzes, tests, exams.. Makes me feel sooo unmotivated. But the fact is, things are not easy and to get where you want takes tenacity, perseverance, and wanting it bad enough to just blow past all the obstacles! So bring it on!
Okay we are pumped. But what if you are a parent, have a full time job and things are not as easy to just take on school at the same time? I know the feeling I had when I was a young father when I started. In fact, that is what motivated me to go to school full time and suck it up! Now, I understand everyone’s situation is different so don’t shy away there are options.
I know that finance can derail your motivation to go to school thinking a giant debt after school is just stressful. So to combat these obstacles here are some options:
Find a learning path
- Go to school part time
- Take online classes full time/part time your choice (If the school offers it)
Now for the Budget, I mentioned going to school and getting a degree for whatever your focus is. But there are options in which people have made it with the following:
- Pay a tutor for what you want to learn. (no degree)
- Online courses plenty on https://www.udemy.com (some are free! No degree)
- Books on the specific position (no degree)
- Boot camps coding/programming (no degree)
Now, I mentioned in my case I went to school. But to be honest, (my personal opinion) what I’ve gained from school is guidance or structure, maybe a little foundation. Even when I was going to school most of my time was spent googling and looking on YouTube to further understand the topics. Keep in mind that some companies look for degrees, so it’s a bit hard to avoid it and just makes it easier to join with little to no experience. That is why I noted “no degree” on the options above. Even so you still have a chance to get a gig or job in that position you are looking for. Because you are taking the time to develop yourself and most of all you are self motivated! This is huge, companies look at it and know they have someone who will do 100% and they won’t have to worry about pushing you to do the tasks you have been hired to do. The most important thing to do during your education phase; whether it’s school, online courses, etc. Is what you have done as in “real world experience”. If your goal is to be an IT consultant, computer technician, or help desk learning about http://www.vmware.com/products.html and https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/VirtualBox. I am sure these technologies will be brought up whether it’s school or an online course so I won’t touch the subject, already learning your first lesson..google it!
